10 Can't-Miss Restaurant Weeks From Coast To Coast Slideshow
New York Restaurant Week: July 11 – 24
No one man can visit all of New York's restaurants alone, which is why Restaurant Week in New York is so well-loved. It is an all-encompassing two weeks of deals and steels from all over town. The list of participating restaurants will not leave you wanting for anything — dine at the Carlyle, tuck into a classic at Carnegie Deli, taste new spices at Tamarind, or enter another world at the Russian Tea Room. Lunches are $24.07, dinners set at $35.00, but book ahead as this is one popular fortnight.
Madison Magazine Restaurant Week: July 24 – 29, 2011
Madison, Wisc. may be small, but it's food scene is well worth both of the restaurant weeks each calendar year holds. Boasting more restaurants per capita than any other Midwestern city, Madison is home to everything from chop houses to a "vodkatorium" and from a cupcakery to mouth-watering fondue. Sample them all during Madison Magazine's Restaurant Week, where lunches run you $15 and dinners cost $25.
Houston Restaurant Weeks: August 1 – 31, 2011
Houston is a meat-lover's paradise, particularly for the days between August 1st and 31st. Really, it's a food-lover's paradise, but it would be a stretch to think that vegetarians would fill up on enough veggies to last them the month that is Houston Restaurant Weeks. From society destinations to budget-friendly places, these weeks are yours for the taking — try Feast, RDG, Foundation Room, or Canopy to start this culinary month off right. At $20 for lunch (two or three courses depending on the restaurant) and $35 for dinner (three or four courses, depending), it will be a delicious and affordable August.
Baltimore Restaurant Week: August 5 – 14, 2011
Whether it's a need to explore Mount Vernon, a desire to dine on the waterfront, or make your way through Little Italy, Baltimore's Restaurant Week boasts a long list of participating restaurants that span the city's neighborhoods. The list also spans cuisines allowing patrons to dine on Spanish, Afghani, Greek, or Turkish meals as well as some classic American seafood. Cinghiale, Helmand, and the Black Olive would all make ideal stops along your way. Plus, the $20.11 you spend on lunch or the $35.11 spent on dinner, will partially go toward The Journey Home — a movement to help the city's homeless.
Boston Restaurant Week: August 14 – 19 and 21 – 26, 2011
Boston's restaurant scene is a mix of old world New England establishments, modern eateries, and places packed with students. Restaurant week in Boston takes advantage of the quieter summer months when students have defected for home or study abroad programs. From Cambridge to Brookline, restaurant week leaves no one out — find a table at B&G Oysters, people watch at Sonsie, or dine amidst a dark history at the Liberty Hotel's restaurant Clink. Two-course lunches are $15.11, three-courses for $20.11, and the prix-fixe dinners are set at three courses for $33.11.
Los Angeles Restaurant Week: October 2 – 7 and 9 – 14, 2011
Los Angeles is enormous and each neighborhood has a food scene all its own. Whether you choose to unveil hidden gems, taste the fare of a Top Chef, or sneak into that spot you've heard so much about (but haven't visited due to traffic), everyone's restaurant week in LA can look very different. Stop by Jose Andres' The Bazaar, try the succulent and authentic French cuisine at Café Stella, visit Fabio from Top Chef at his Firenze Osteria, or eat healthy at Santa Monica's FIG. Lunches start at $16 (and don't surpass $28), while dinners range from $26 – $44.
Seattle Restaurant Week: Fall 2011
Whether you missed the spring edition of Seattle's Restaurant Week or want to use their fall schedule as an excuse to go back for seconds, the lineup has a magnetic appeal. A truly all-encompassing list of restaurants, this week of discounts is an embarrassment of riches. Try the Italian-inspired cuisine at Staple & Fancy Mercantile, order your favorite rolls at Shun, and discover the fresh market far of Eva's Restaurant. The meals will run you a mere $15 for lunch or $28 for dinner.
Nashville Originals Restaurant Week: September 5 - 11
Put on by the Nashville Originals, an organization made up of local restaurateurs looking to preserve Nashville's gem-filled dining scene, this restaurant week is a delicious way to get to know the culinary soul of the city. Each discounted special menu is different, with some offering chef's special dishes for less and others offering a full multi-course meal. F. Scott's, Blind Pig No. 55, and Fish and Co are the places we'd start. And with no menu reaching beyond $30.11 (sometimes for two people), this is one week that won't break the bank.
Restaurant Week of New Mexico: February 27 – March 20, 2011 (multiple cities)
Starting in Taos and ending in Alburquerque, the New Mexico Restaurant Week is a road map of the state's best foods. Mexican and Southwestern flavors abound in all three locations with places like the Adobe Bar in Taos, El Meson and Ristra in Santa Fe, and Artichoke Café in Albuquerque rounding out some of the best. Special menus are largely only available for dinner, but the price range is $25 for a prix-fixe dinner and no more than $40 per person (for non-prix fixe menus) depending on the restaurant.
Portland Dining Month: June 2012
We just missed it! If you didn't, you'll know that Portland Dining Month is the easiest way to sample local and imported delights from some of the city's best eateries. Having garnered a lot of buzz for its simple and ingredients-driven approach to cuisine, Portland's restaurants come out in droves for Dining Month — try Fratelli Ristorante, Gilt Club, or Paley's Place to start. With three-course dinners running you just $25, it should be a fabulous month for both your wallet and your taste buds.