Take a bite out of the Big Apple!
Mayor Eric Adams kicked off the 30th anniversary of New York City Restaurant Week at Brooklyn’s historic chop house, Gage & Tollner, Monday morning.
From July 18 through Aug. 21, hungry New Yorkers can enjoy meals from participating restaurants at a fixed price dining menu. They can pick from $30, $45 or $60 two-course lunches and three-course dinners.
Approximately 600 city restaurants from across the five boroughs will participate in this year’s program, spanning 85 neighborhoods, according to Adams. Restaurant Week 2022 will also include over 60 cuisine options ranging from traditional American meals to dishes from various cultures.
This beloved Big Apple tradition dates back to 1992, and has since been adopted in other big cities. This year, 15 eateries from the original Restaurant Week will participate, including Sylvia’s, Carmine’s, Dock’s Oyster Bar, and Gage & Tollner.
Local chefs like David Burke, who also serves as co-chair of the NYC & Company Culinary Committee, expressed their gratitude and excitement for the return of Restaurant Week.
“As an original participant in the 1992 program, I’m honored to be a part of the 30th anniversary of NYC Restaurant Week, a cherished tradition in New York City,” said Burke. “NYC Restaurant Week has always been a way for people to experience new restaurants, including some of the best in the world at an affordable price. This special anniversary is the perfect time for people to reconnect and celebrate over a memorable meal.”
Pre-pandemic, the city’s restaurant industry had a $72 billion economic impact on the city’s financial ecosystem, Adams said — and organizers plan to revive it with events like Restaurant Week. That industry is also a driving force behind increasing tourism, hizzoner said.
“That is why people come here. They come here because of the excitement and diversity in our food,” Adams said, calling the industry the “heart and soul” of the city. “We don’t want just visitors to come here and visit the restaurant, we want them to enjoy the food and the experience that you have here with some of our amazing chefs and cooks.”
NYC & Company President and CEO Fred Dixon encouraged city residents to use this celebration as an opportunity to try different meals and explore places they have never been.
“New York City Restaurant Week is a beloved tradition as the mayor mentioned. It was a boost for the dining industry in the summer and in the winter months,” said Dixon, who heads the city’s official marketing, tourism and partnership organization. “The program is a great way to promote neighborhood exploration and also supports other industries because a restaurant week experience is also combined with a night at the theater, a night at the club, shopping — all types of nightlife are involved.”
Participation is more important than ever, Dixon said, as restaurants continue to buoy themselves to the other side of the pandemic.
“It is more important than ever that we do what we can to support and lift up the dining community and we encourage you to experience restaurants in every borough throughout this five-week program,” he said.
At the official Restaurant Week kick-off, Dixon and Adams also announced the launch of “Savor New York City,” a new project meant to support to promotion of culinary business by highlighting content from various cultures, neighborhoods and dining experiences in each borough — from street carts and food trucks to established restaurants, exciting foodie events and more.
In the meantime, Dixon said, Restaurant Week deals will run Monday through Friday, with with participating locations offering Sunday deals.
Those looking to take a bite out of Restaurant Week can view a list of participating restaurants on the official event webpage, where they can also browse a “curated collection” and search locations with filters that cater to their tastes and needs.
Hungry Brooklynites can start at Gage & Tollner — a historic location whose participation has special significance, Adams said Monday. After more than a year of pandemic limbo, the storied chophouse reopened in April 2021, after owners Ben Schneider, Sohui Kim, and St. John Frizell painstakingly restored the iconic restaurant between Smith Street and Red Hook Lane, which first started serving the borough’s ritziest patrons almost a century-and-a-half ago in 1879.
“This not only a historical place and [has] great food but [it also] has a rich history,” Adams said. “It’s a part of the reviving of Brooklyn during a difficult time. When you wanted fine dining, you came here.”
