12 Date-Night Dinners That Beat the Restaurant Math
Twelve steakhouse, seafood, and pasta dinners to cook at home — grouped by course, with real cost per serving next to what the restaurant would charge.
Two entrées and a glass of wine each runs about $120 in most cities. The same dinner at home costs less than a cab there. These twelve are worth the effort of dressing the table for: seared steak, seafood that takes ten minutes, and the slow-stirred pasta genre.
Anychef catalog data: 101 steak, seafood, and risotto dinners in our library qualify, at a median $4.10 a serving — the most expensive corner of the catalog, and still a tenth of the restaurant check.
Steakhouse at home
1. Greek Style Lamb Chops
52g protein520 cal$4.50/serving30 min
Herb-crusted lamb chops seared until medium-rare, served with lemon potatoes and a sprinkle of fresh oregano for an elegant Mediterranean feast.
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2. Sirloin Steak With Mushrooms
45g protein540 cal$4.20/serving25 min
Juicy sirloin topped with garlicky butter-glazed mushrooms, a steakhouse plate on a weeknight budget.
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3. Sirloin with Black Pepper
38g protein360 cal$3.60/serving18 min
Tender sliced beef with abundant black pepper and garlic sauce, Thai simplicity at its finest.
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4. Chimichurri Flank Steak
40g protein420 cal$3.80/serving30 min
Charred flank steak sliced thin and drenched in a zesty garlic herb sauce that wakes up every bite.
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5. Garlic Butter Steak Tips with Bok Choy
48g protein450 cal$4.60/serving18 min
Tender sirloin tips in a savory garlic butter glaze alongside crispy bok choy-restaurant-quality steakhouse at home.
View the full recipe →Seafood night
6. Teriyaki Salmon with Sesame Broccoli
42g protein420 cal$3.80/serving30 min
Glazed salmon fillet glistening with a glossy teriyaki reduction, paired with crispy sesame broccoli for an elegant weeknight dinner.
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7. Cajun Shrimp Pasta
35g protein680 cal$3.20/serving30 min
Spicy seared shrimp tossed with penne in a silky, smoky cream sauce that tastes like New Orleans.
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8. Creamy Tuscan Salmon
48g protein520 cal$4.50/serving20 min
Pan-seared salmon bathed in a silky tomato and garlic cream sauce with fresh basil-restaurant-quality in 20 minutes.
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9. Shrimp Alfredo
36g protein760 cal$3.40/serving25 min
Plump garlicky shrimp folded into velvety parmesan cream over fettuccine, indulgent enough for date night but done in 25 minutes.
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10. Creamy Shrimp and Grits
36g protein560 cal$3.40/serving35 min
Plump Cajun shrimp and smoky bacon spooned over cheesy, buttery grits, Lowcountry comfort in a bowl.
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11. Pesto Shrimp Linguine
33g protein600 cal$3.20/serving20 min
Juicy shrimp and burst cherry tomatoes tossed through basil pesto linguine, a bright green weeknight dinner in 20 minutes.
View the full recipe →Pasta, gnocchi, and risotto
12. Gnocchi Skillet with Sausage
28g protein480 cal$2.70/serving20 min
Tender gnocchi simmered with Italian sausage, tomatoes, and garlic in a one-pan meal that tastes like a cozy trattoria.
View the full recipe →Keep going
Every recipe above comes from the Anychef library of 1,700+ recipes, each with cost per serving and full macros — browse all high-protein recipes and all dinner ideas. Or skip the browsing entirely: scan your fridge with the Anychef app and get recipes built from what you already have, macros and grocery list included.
