NYC Restaurant Week 2015 is back once again to brighten our summer even more. Twice a year you don’t have to worry about spending an outrageous amount of money in New York City’s finest restaurants. Instead you worry about how you’re going to decide on which hot spots and hidden gems to go to during the almost month long foodie celebration. You’ll need to come up with a strategic plan on how to sift through the over 350 restaurants to make sure your cover all basis.
So what exactly is the deal?
The deal, is a big deal – 3 courses for either $25 during lunch and $38 during dinner. Some of the restaurants run the special with no restrictions others have ‘lunch only’ or ‘not valid on Saturdays’. You have plenty of time to get the most deals you can, Restaurant “Week” is more like Restaurant “Month” running from July 20th to August 14th.
Reservations
If you are looking to hit some of the more popular spots like Mercer Kitchen, The Palm Court or Mr. Chow, you’ll need to already have reservations or be okay with eating at 10:00pm. These are definitely restaurants that have coveted seats, and not only during Restaurant Week. Our advice when it comes to these hard to book places, is to wait until the day of and wait on any cancellations. Using OpenTable is an easy way to keep check up on this and book a table as soon as you find a match.
Restaurants
With there being over 350 restaurants, it’s hard to cover them all but here are some suggestions you should put towards the top of your 2015 list.
David Burke Kitchen – One of our personal favorites, this creative menu takes ordinary food and gives it the perfect amount of “umph”. Located on Grand Street, this restaurant offers a country-barn-loft feel and offers indoor or outdoor dining. The menu includes rustic but modern dishes like Skuna Bay Salmon Tartare and Creekstone Farms Beef Short Rib.
Lure Fishbar – This upscale fish restaurant will let your try top of the line food without causing your wallet to explode. Lure has one of the most coveted tables during Restaurant Week because where else are you going to get an Oyster Sampler, Nori Crusted Tuna and Valrhona Chocolate Cake for just $38? Keep in mind you are getting a deal with your meal, so when you see the drink menu is $16 and up, don’t panic.
STK Midtown – Although STK only offers a lunch menu for Restaurant Week, there is no reason not to schedule your client meetings here. This hot spot takes your traditional steakhouse and brings it up a notch with a cool, high-energy vibe. Offering their Classic Burger, Confit Chicken Sandwich and Pan Seared Branzino, this menu appeals to everyone.
Time is ticking, do your research, choose wisely and make 2015 NYC Restaurant Week reservations!