Love is in the air!
Valentine’s Day is approaching, and if a dinner reservation is in your future, now is the time to take action.
We’ve compiled a list of restaurants across Baton Rouge that make for the perfect date night with your sweetheart. From Indian curry to shareable boards to bao buns, these eateries will make the night special.
Jubans Restaurant & Bar, 3739 Perkins Road, $$$
Jubans is a bustling contemporary Cajun and Creole restaurant that hosts an elegant, fully stocked bar. One notable decor item worth seeing is LSU’s Kim Mulkey’s portrait, hung after her national championship win in 2023. It hangs alongside those of Joe Burrow and other notable local sports celebrities.
Jubans is a staple of Baton Rouge graduation, birthday and anniversary events. Some of the classic and consistently delicious menu items include boudin dip, oyster pan roast, crab and brie soup, praline bread pudding, cherries jubilee and the famous Hallelujah Crab.
Bay Leaf Indian Cuisine, 5160 S. Sherwood Forest Blvd., $
Bay Leaf is a constant for Indian food enthusiasts. Each appetizer, entree and side dish includes bold and well-balanced flavors — from butter chicken to tikka masala to the incredible dosas. Plus, the restaurant offers incredible service.
The menu features dishes that span both North and South Indian cuisines, with everything from curries to vegetarian specials, and the atmosphere in the restaurant is comfortable and casual for lunch or dinner.
The Little Italy Board from BLDG 5 features items like meatballs in marinara, grilled eggplant and creamy polenta with balsamic mushrooms.
STAFF PHOTO BY LAUREN CHERAMIE
BLDG5, 2805 Kalurah St., $$
BLDG5 has food meant for those who love to share. The rustic, semi-outdoor eatery, marketplace and patio bar specializes in shareable boards piled high with roasted vegetables, meats and scrumptious sides.
The restaurant features a treasure trove of unique objects. The cast-iron railing is from a Tennessee antique yard. A metal barn door track is from owner Misti Broussard’s father’s barn. The long tables outside made the trek from German beer gardens.
On the menu, try the braised short ribs over polenta and Little Italy board that features meatballs in marinara, grilled mushrooms, Caprese salad, marinated tomatoes, assorted cheeses and salamis, parmesan-toasted focaccia and creamy polenta with balsamic mushrooms. In 2023, the Broussards started bottling and distributing their lemonade to grocery stores around town. This year, they announced a second location coming to Baton Rouge inside the Jefferson Plaza Shopping Mall.
Braised Pork Shank, left, Chef’s Bruschetta, bottom, and House Salad pictured at Nino’s on Friday, December 12, 2025.
Javier Gallegos
Nino’s Restaurant, 7512 Bluebonnet Blvd., $$$
This cozy place is a beloved, neighborhood-style restaurant with a commitment to Italian tradition. Nino’s is known for its warm, intimate ambiance that includes a modest dining room and friendly service.
All of the pasta and breads on the menu are made from scratch, using time-honored techniques and quality ingredients. The menu boasts consistently good, local and seasonal products, each dish crafted under the leadership of chef Jon Devillier.
Though nondescript on Bluebonnet Boulevard, Nino’s offers a setting that is both casual and special, making it a go-to for locals.
Crispy Fish Bao at Chow Yum is a mixture of flavors in every bite.
BY SERENA PUANG | Staff writer
Chow Yum, 2363 Hollydale Ave., $$
Chow Yum is like the cool cousin who goes to art school and takes backpacking trips to Thailand. The kitchen, helmed by chef Jordan Ramirez, combines traditional Asian flavors with Creole and global influences.
The menu is inventive, with dishes like hot honey chicken bao buns, crispy pig ears and curry crab claws. The sweet spot under the Perkins Road Overpass is always reinventing its menu with monthly specials, and it’s a delightful place to go for a date night, group dinner with friends or to bring people from out of town.
The Gardener plate at Zorba’s Greek Bistro features hummus, grilled vegetables, rice pilaf, spinach pies, hummus, pita and a Greek salad.
STAFF PHOTO BY JAN RISHER
Zorba’s Greek Bistro, 5713 Essen Lane, $$
Zorba’s outdoor patio has a charming ambience and offers great service. Discovering the restaurant feels like you’ve been let in on a Baton Rouge secret — one that is full of traditional Greek flavors and spices.
Each month, the team at Zorba’s hosts wine dinners, each inspired by a different country, with wine pairings and food specials.
The regular, daily menu relies on fresh ingredients and recipes from the Economides family, who originally opened the restaurant in 1984 and re-opened the Essen Lane location in 2013. Some of the not-to-miss dishes include the feta fries with tzatziki, combination souvlaki plate with grilled chicken, beef tenderloin and gyro, garlic hummus and politika meatballs.
Sous chef Nathan McHand prepares the grilled Spanish octopus dish at Cocha.
STAFF PHOTO BY TRAVIS SPRADLING
Cocha, 445 N. Sixth St., $$$-$$$$
Proprietors Saskia Spanhoff and Enrique Pinerua know that the best restaurants do more than serve food. Since 2016, the couple has built their restaurant and livelihood around the corner of Main and Sixth streets downtown.
The restaurant, named after a Venezuelan term of endearment, is a gathering place for harvest-inspired meals, wine tastings and community events. Its well-trained, top-notch staff makes it the kind of place where guests feel cared for and at home. The menu changes seasonally and showcases the best of local farms with an international flair.
Some of the standout dishes on the menu include the roasted rainbow beet and burrata salad, grilled Spanish octopus, Indonesian stir-fried noodles and a pastrami sandwich — but it’s all good. Plus, they have an extensive wine list and knowledgeable bar staff.
Dining and Cooking