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Restaurant Week is back for summer 2019, this year from July 22nd through August 16th. With over 400 participating dining destinations, the bi-annual event offers a chance to eat your way through the city without breaking the bank. While Restaurant Week is a chance to try some of New York’s fine dining destinations, we selected some of our favorite spots where not only will you be sure to be able to try a few different things from the menu, but have fun while you’re doing it, too. At all of the following spots, you can expect limited-time, pre-fixe menus that give you plenty of wiggle room for experimentation.
At all the following participating restaurants, deals run as follows:
Mon-Fri: Lunch - $26
Mon-Fri: Dinner - $42
Sun: Brunch/Lunch - $26
Sun: Dinner - $42
Cuisine: Indian
Why go: Chef Floyd Cardoz is one of New York’s most exciting chefs. At Cardoz’s most colorful venture yet, breads come alongside a whimsical atmosphere designed by Wes Anderson’s set designer. Sadly, The Bombay Bread Bar is closing this September. So this Restaurant Week may be your last to check it out the special space.
Menu highlights: The chickpea-battered cauliflower roast (with mint chutney), the lamb curry (mint, lentils, cracked wheat), a choice of side like the Bombay dal fry, and the gajar halwa tart (toasted cashews, raisin-rose whipped cream).
Cuisine: Modern Mexican
Why go: The midtown location of Alex Stupak’s Empellón empire, is perhaps his crown jewel.
Menu highlights: chilled squash soup, pastrami tacos with mustard seed salsa, chocolate flan with passionfruit sorbet.
Cuisine: Thai seafood
Why go: Some of the city’s most exciting seafood isn’t freshly-shucked oysters or crab rolls. At this colorful and pleasant spot on historic cobblestoned Bond Street you can get a taste of coastal seafood in a procession of comforting Thai dishes.
Menu highlights: The Shrimp Sao Nahm appetizer (pineapple, ginger, mint, shallot, cilantro, chili, fried garlic, shrimp floss, coconut cream dressing), Potak Clear main (lemongrass soup Pollock, shrimp, mussels, squid, Oyster mushroom, Bird's eye chili, galangal, basil, Makrut lime leaf served with rice), as well as ice cream.
Cuisine: Italian
Why go: In addition to sumptuous antipasti and secondi served in the back you can peruse from hard-to-find Italian pantry staples in the front. As one of New York’s best spots for Italian food, the restaurant week deal is a steal.
Menu highlights: Crispy artichokes preserved in lemon, pappardelle with rabbit sugo.
Cuisine: Modern French-American
Why go: The warm, friendly service at this neighborhood restaurant is only matched by its modern French food that never feels fussy. For lunch or dinner, snag a seat in the backyard for a relaxing al fresco dining
Menu highlights: Avocado tartine, steak tartare, roasted beet socca, French dip, moules frites, Le Grand socca (chickpea flatbread topped with spring vegetables, braised greens, grains, olives, roasted beets and lemon yogurt).
Cuisine: American
Why go: The bread alone is enough reason to beeline toward this all-day bakery-restaurant-cafe hybrid. Melissa Weller is in charge of the popular breads and pastries but sandwiches and salads are just as good.
Menu highlights: Labne, skillet chicken, grilled eggplant.
Cuisine: Laotian
Why go: At New York’s first Laotian eatery, the spice and fish sauce don’t take a back seat for a cuisine New Yorkers are less familiar with than Thai or even fiery Sichuan.
Menu highlights: Crunchy coconut prawns, yellowfin tuna poke laap, Prince Edward Island mussels, grilled hanger steak lettuce wraps.
Cuisine: Hawaiian
Why go: If you think Hawaiian food is all about poke bowls, Noreetuh will prove you wrong. While you will find poke on the menu, chef Chung Chow combines the seemingly low-brow (think Spam) with high-end cooking (hello, spaghetti topped with fish roe!) in a restaurant that feels part Pacific island getaway meets downtown Manhattan wine bar.
Menu highlights: Berkshire pork cutlet, chow noodles, mentaiko spaghetti, chocolate haupia sundae.