On the 25 Th Anniversary, Why Restaurant Week Matters

By Tracy Nieporent

 When it comes to dining out, there are more events, festivals, and celebrations than ever before. On any given weekend, you can almost always find a street fair or farmers’ market. But of all the activities that can satiate one’s culinary muse, none is more beloved or celebrated than New York City’s Summer and Winter Restaurant Weeks. 

 For 25 years, New Yorkers and guests from all over the world have embraced this culinary celebration of quality, variety, and hospitality that makes New York City the dining capital of the world. More than any other culinary event, New York City’s Restaurant Week brings together a community of restaurants to celebrate all of the elements that make dining out meaningful to our guests. At Tribeca Grill, Bâtard, and Nobu Downtown we take pride in offering signature dishes, representative of the best that our menus have to offer. We also offer a setting in which family, friends, and colleagues can spend meaningful time together and create new memories. And we try to do it with professional service and pride.

 When Restaurant Week began in 1992, there were around 80 participating restaurants. Today there are approximately 400 restaurants, a testament to the public’s affection for this annual celebration of dining. Yes, it is an outstanding value at $29 for lunch and $42 for dinner. But more than that, it is recognition that we’re all part of something special, with savory diversity being served in 40 neighborhoods all over the city. New York’s best restaurants want to be part of this event because it fills virtually every seat, and guests embrace it because they enjoy the great value while being part of something so special. 

 The graciousness of a well-prepared and well-served meal is one of life’s genuine treasures. Ultimately, what makes Restaurant Week important is that we all share it together. It’s this sense of camaraderie that makes New York City’s restaurant community the finest in the world.