Binghamton Hosts 7th Seasonal Restaurant Week

From Binghamton Restaurant Week:

Restaurant Week Spring 2013 begins this Tuesday, March 12, 2013 and runs through March 21, 2013, with lunch and dinner deals at 23 locally owned Binghamton Restaurants. Now in its seventh iteration, Binghamton Restaurant Week continues to promote economic growth in the city and raise funds for local charitable organizations. Throughout the ten-day Restaurant Week promotion, patrons at participating restaurants will be treated to three-course meals at just $10 for lunch and $25 or less for dinner. Each restaurant develops their own menu, many with multiple options for each course, providing guests with an affordable tasting of their restaurant’s individual style palette. A portion of the proceeds from each Restaurant Week meal sold will be donated to The Boys and Girls Clubs of Binghamton.

“Restaurant Week is an opportunity to enjoy what Binghamton has to offer while also supporting an important cause,” said Binghamton Mayor Matt Ryan. “This event has become more popular each year, and we look forward to building on that momentum this spring.”

Since its founding in March 2010, Binghamton Restaurant Week, in six iterations has brought more than $1 million in Restaurant Week sales alone at the participating restaurants and resulted in more than $24,626 in donations to charity partners, including the Boys and Girls Clubs of Binghamton and C.H.O.W. In September 2012, 20 participating restaurants served 16,990 Restaurant Week meals and donated $7,034 to C.H.O.W. “Restaurant Week has become a premier event in the city of Binghamton,” said Merry Harris, Director of Economic Development for the City of Binghamton. “People talk about it year round in anticipation of the next event, excited to see what’s new this time around.”

The restaurants participating in this Spring’s Restaurant Week are Binghamton Hots, Brewed Awakenings, Burger Monday, Cafe West 46, Cortese Restaurant, Crepe Heaven, Inc., Cyber Cafe West, Czech Pleeze, Gallagher's Irish Pub, Grande Bella Cucina, Little Venice Restaurant, Lost Dog Cafe, Nezuntoz Cafe, Number 5 Restaurant, Remlik's Grille & Oyster Bar, River Bistro, Sake-Tumi, Taste of Europe, Thai Time, Tranquil Bar & Bistro, Water Street Brewing Company, Whole In The Wall Restaurant, and Zona & Co. Grille. Each restaurant chose to offer a lunch special, a dinner special, or both. Menus are posted online at BinghamtonRestaurantWeek.com and on Binghamton Restaurant Week’s Facebook page.

"An exciting restaurant scene is growing in Binghamton.” said Marie McKenna, co-owner of Lost Dog Café and Restaurant Week Co-organizer along with Piero Lisio of Little Venice Restaurant. “Restaurant Week is a wonderful opportunity to explore our local restaurants, get together with friends and help raise money for a local charity. It's also a great way to usher in spring!"

The expectations for the upcoming Restaurant Week are high; the Binghamton Restaurant Week Facebook page has reached more than 3,600 likes.

“Restaurant Week provides such a wonderful opportunity to support youth at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Binghamton” said Marybeth Smith, Executive Director, “as well as outstanding local restaurants, and we’re always so honored by the community’s commitment to this event.”

“The Boys & Girls Clubs of Binghamton is thrilled to once again be a part of Binghamton Restaurant Week,” added Jim Conklin, Board President of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Binghamton. “It never gets old seeing the community come together to enjoy fantastic food for a valuable cause like our local youth. Everyone on the board is looking forward to trying new places and seeing what the restaurants have come up with this season!”

Binghamton Restaurant Week Spring 2013 is organized by Marie McKenna of Lost Dog Café and Piero Lisio of Little Venice Restaurant, in association with the Economic Development Office of the City of Binghamton, and Michael Grasso of BingSpot. Sponsors include M&T Bank, Maines, Sysco, The Partners, American Express, Butcher Boys, July Fest, Robert J. Hanafin Inc., Town Square Media, and Behlog & Sons Produce.