Lovers of good food and those New Yorkers who wish to delight themselves with dishes that may not be within reach of their pockets in regular seasons, due to the high prices handled by renowned restaurants, will have from this Monday until August 20, the opportunity to enjoy all kinds of menus, haute cuisine and hundreds of delicacies, in the so-called Restaurant Week, known in English as “Restaurant Week”.
The purpose of the New York Journey, which actually lasts not one but four weeks, is not only to allow more New Yorkers to visit renowned restaurants at prices that are more affordable, which this year will be between $30 and $60, on average, but also to increase the flow of diners to participating businesses.
Renowned venues such as Tavern on the Green, in Central Park, Sylvia’s in Harlem, Veselka in the East Village and Gramercy Tavern in East Manhattan, which are part of the more than 500 restaurants that will offer discounted full menus until next month, have exploding reservations, in a new edition of “Restaurant Week”, which causes excitement among diners like the City’s own mayor, Eric Adams.
“This is something very exciting,” said the president on Monday, who officially kicked off the season on the first day of Restaurant Week, visiting Morgan’s Brooklyn Barbecue.
The burgomaster took the opportunity to ask that more New Yorkers take advantage of the prices and visit the more than 500 food options that are on the table, and incidentally asked that they use these dates as an opportunity to invite friends, family and even people who are not going through good times.
“I motivate people to do something else. Go out and find someone who doesn’t traditionally go to restaurants and have a meal with them, someone from your block, someone who is struggling, take them to these restaurants, to these beautiful places. It’s a good way to show who we are, share a meal and a conversation, nothing beats going out to restaurants,” Mayor Adams said.
But from neighborhood restaurants like Burritos Blvd, in Long Island City, along with the Mayor’s call, there is a call that, for future editions of “Restaurant Week”, the City uses its creativity to include small food businesses within the crowded day, and not leave them out, especially at a time when the cost of living has increased considerably in the Big Apple, and family and neighborhood places have felt a fierce impact.
This was stated by José Juárez, after assuring that he supports initiatives such as Restaurant Week, because they help New York City to generate new options and alternatives for everyone, but regretting that businesses like his are left out of the piñata.
“Those ideas work, but we don’t exist (in those plans), and it’s sad because recently, and especially in the last month and a half, sales have dropped a lot and everything has gone up in price, so smaller businesses feel it much more,” said the Mexican.
Juárez stated that the Municipal Administration should include restaurants like his in events that promote neighborhood sites, with support from the City in advertising and resources.
“They should help us more, because you have to be honest, you hear that they talk about expensive restaurants, but we don’t see anything that promotes our places, the City doesn’t come here to see how to help us. They should promote our businesses and tell people to come to places like this to eat burritos, not only because they are good, but because everything is fresh, we do everything from the newspaper and if they gave us that boost, it would be very helpful,” added the immigrant, who also suggested that another tool that could be useful to attract more customers for special seasons would be to reduce purchase taxes.
María Rodríguez from La Olla restaurant, also joined the same call and assured that although she herself has sometimes enjoyed the reduced menus of famous restaurants in the Big Apple during Restaurant Week, she would like to see the City promoting similar initiatives, where she selects 500 neighborhood food places, and advertises them.
“We know that at this time everything is driven by the media and social networks, and if a plan such as the week of mini restaurants, or the Week of cheap restaurants, were invented and promoted on social networks or on radio and television with the same force that promotes Restaurant Week, that would give us a boost that we have needed since the pandemic,” said the Salvadoran.
Chef Gregorio Villuez, for his part, mentioned that he would like to see the issue of restaurant promotion even expand to some kind of competition for chefs and cooks so that not only the most delicious places in the Big Apple stand out, but also those who are behind the seasoning.
“Cooks are often forgotten and left behind the service line, because few people know who we are doing their thing, and unless it’s a famous chef, they don’t take us into account either. I would like chefs to stand out for years, so that we also feel valued and if they give a small prize in money it would be good, ”he said between laughs in Guatemalan.
But the clamor for greater inclusion is not only coming from small restaurants, but also among diners like Sugey Montero, who, after ordering some tacos for which he paid $12, asked that the City and the restaurants that participate in “Restaurant Week” allocate resources to invite people who cannot even afford the reduced prices that businesses charge during the week of specials.
“One hears that those fine places offer cheaper menus of up to 60 dollars, and although one knows that in regular charges that would be hundreds of dollars, 60 or 50 is still a lot for people like you, who do not earn much and who every day continue to struggle with all the expensive things, the skyrocketing rent and inflation that hit us hard. I think they should give vouchers to go eat in those places,” said the mother of the family. “For example, I would like there to be a program with which the children and the parents of the schools would be taken at least once to those fancy restaurants, that would be good and a way to make everyone enjoy themselves”.
Juan González, who works in construction, assures that proposals like Montero’s sound interesting, but he stated that this is dreaming too much, since these are businesses that are looking to bring people who pay.
“I would like to be able to go eat in those places, but we can’t go around asking the City to invite us for free, I think that would be too much, but I do think it would be good if they supported the little restaurants in the neighborhoods so that more people come to eat here, I do like that,” added the Colombian.
The NYC Tourist Office, which created a link where New Yorkers can see all the restaurants that are participating in Deal Week, called on residents of the Big Apple and tourists visiting the City until August 20 not to miss this opportunity and enjoy unforgettable menus.
“Dinning out is the most fabulous pastime in the city. With hundreds of restaurants launching special fixed-price menus for a limited time, this is your chance to try it all in the world’s most vibrant dining scene.”
Fred Dixon, president and CEO of New York City Tourism + Conventions, who explained that the restaurant discount event will extend to 70 neighborhoods in the city, asked those who are interested in enjoying the initiative to expedite their reservations.
“We are proud to bring NYC Restaurant Week back for its 31st year, offering locals and visitors the opportunity to experience nearly 500 world-class restaurants and dozens of cuisines across all five boroughs,” Dixon said. “NYC Restaurant Week is a great value, as well as a wonderful celebration of food. We encourage diners to book now to experience the renowned culinary scene that makes New York City the culinary capital of the world.”
Chef and restaurateur David Burke, co-chairman of the New York City Culinary Tourism + Convention Committee, was excited about the day that will go until next month.
“Restaurant Week has been a special New York City tradition every summer since 1992, offering people the chance to experience new restaurants and cuisines at an affordable price. We are excited to return and welcome New Yorkers and visitors this summer to experience a food scene that is more exciting and vibrant than ever,” said the chef.
Neighborhood restaurants ask to be included in events such as Restaurant Week. Edwin Martinez
Restaurant Week in data
- 1 month actually lasts almost the so-called Restaurant Week in NYC
- July 24 was the first day of Restaurant Week
- August 20th the offers of the Restaurant Week end
- 500 and more restaurants in the Big Apple will participate by offering lunch and dinner at reduced prices
- $30-$60 are the average prices that participating restaurants will charge for full meals
- In this link you can find all the restaurants that will have menus with special discounts: https://www.nyctourism.com/restaurant-week