Downtown Dining Week is going ahead this month despite indoor dining restrictions that took effect on April 9.
The annual event, which had already been pushed back from March, will run April 13-25 with 48 participating restaurants.
Because of the restrictions, some of the restaurants have had to change course and adjust menu offerings, shared Tracy Hyatt, marketing and communications manager for the Downtown Business Association which organizes the event.
Most menus have been redesigned for take-out, while three restaurants are offering the specials through delivery as well. In addition, the event has accelerated the timeline for al fresco options.
“The restrictions and Downtown Dining Week have also made a lot of participating restaurants open up their patios ahead of the normal patio season,” Hyatt said. “Twenty-six restaurants are offering some form of outdoor dining.”
BUOK will be offering a Bibimbap bowl for Downtown Dining Week. (BUOK/Instagram)
New to Downtown Dining Week is the inclusion of a “fast casual” category; in previous years, only establishments serving more high-end fare were eligible to participate.
“Fast casual is a growing dining concept and downtown has some pretty amazing ones, such as BUOK and Rosewood Foods,” said Hyatt. “They are great additions to the food scene and you can’t find them anywhere else in the city.”
Participating restaurants will offer $20 multi-course lunch or brunch menus, and/or $35, $50 or $65 multi-course dinner menus, all of which can be found on the Downtown Dining Week website. Given the current situation, Hyatt encourages diners to check the social media accounts of individual restaurants for hours and other information.
Disclosure: Sharon Yeo received a free preview of two Downtown Dining Week menus.