Winter Restaurant Weeks Return to DMV
We are expecting a snowstorm this weekend – traditionally a slow time for restaurants in the DMV anyhow. Originally planned as a way to bring out diners and give employees some shifts, the MoCo Restaurant Week runs Jan.22-31 at more than 40 restaurants, while the Metropolitan Washington Restaurant Week is back Jan. 25-31 with more than 250 restaurants participating in the District, Maryland and Virginia, and Alexandria Restaurant Week follows Jan. 29-Feb. 7 with more than 60 participating restaurants. Restaurant weeks also give diners the opportunity to try restaurants they might not otherwise be able to afford.
Molly Quigley of Clyde’s Restaurant Group, which owns Clydes, 1789 Restaurant, Old Ebbitt Grill and The Hamilton among others, said that winter restaurant week brings in more locals, while summer restaurant week usually attracts more tourists.
In Montgomery County, diners can choose a two-course lunch for $18 or a three-course dinner for $36. This year, the most enthusiastic “MoCo Restaurant Week” diners can win a $50 gift card to one of the participating restaurants. Just make a reservation at a participating restaurant, take a photo of your meal and include the name of the restaurant, the dish and hashtag #MoCoEatWeek and @BethesdaMagazine. Winners will be selected daily.
Update: Due to Snowzille, MoCo Restaurant Week has been extended to Feb. 7.
Participating restaurants in the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington’s restaurant week including those in Tysons Corner, Silver Spring, Reston, Arlington, Bethesda, 14th Street, CityCenterDC, Shaw and Penn Quarter will offer a three-course prix fixe lunch for $22 or dinner for $35. Diners that book their reservations through RWDMV.com and opt in to receive emails on deals on meals and other food related events are entered to win prizes that include a local weekend getaway at a hotel with a dining package, tickets to the 2016 RAMMY Awards or a Valentine’s Day package and gift certificates to local restaurants. The reservations are connected to Open Table and diners will still receive Open Table Rewards. Many D.C. restaurant extend their restaurant week specials for a second week.
Update: Due to the weekend’s blizzard, the Metropolitan Washington Restaurant Week got off to a slow start with restaurants dealing with delayed food deliveries, cancellations with the government, schools and Metro closed or the restaurants being closed themselves. To help make up for some of that, RAMW has extended restaurant week thorough Feb. 3, adding three extra days for diners to get three-course lunches for $22 and dinners for $35. As of Wednesday evening, 176 restaurants in the DMV had decided to extend the offer to Feb. 3 or later. This is the first time restaurant week has officially been extended.
In Alexandria, restaurants in Old Town, the West End and Del Ray features a $35 three-course dinner or $35 dinner for two. More than two dozen restaurants are also offering $10, $15 or $20 per person lunch specials.
Editor-in-Chief Mark Heckathorn is a journalist, movie buff and foodie. He oversees DC on Heels editorial operations as well as strategic planning and staff development. Reach him with story ideas or suggestions at dcoheditor (at) gmail (dot) com.