Hmmm.. just how many meals can a person stuff into Brooklyn's super-long, ten-day "restaurant week?" About twenty. That means you could munch your way through twenty different restaurant experiences before the end of March.
Brooklyn's famous for great food. The borough boasts hundreds of little mom-and-pop restaurants, serving Italian, Indian, Chinese, American, Middle Eastern, seafood, vegetarian and you name it, all kinds of cuisines.
Dine In Brooklyn offers the opportunity for patrons to get fixed-price three-course dinners and lunches at about two hundred participating restaurants. It's a different event from the NYC restaurant week, which encompasses all five boroughs.
Here are some simple tips about how to maneuveur one's way through a hearty restaurant week in Brooklyn.
What is Dine in Brooklyn, anyway?
Find out which restaurants partipate in Brooklyn's "restaurant week."
1. Picking a Restaurant to Try During Brooklyn's "Dine In" Restaurant Week
With dozens of restaurants offering these specials, how to choose?
Pick someplace special. And expensive enough so you'll get your money's worth.
Dine In Brooklyn offers a fixed price: a three-course dinner for two for $25 and a three-course lunch for about $20 at about 200 participating Brooklyn restaurants. These prices do not include tax, drinks, alcohol or tips.
Dine In Brooklyn is a promotion, an opportunity for Brooklyn's restaurants to win new hearts and minds (and stomachs). Ideally, Dine In patrons should expect alluring presentations, delicious food and attentive service.
Find out which restaurants partipate in Brooklyn's "restaurant week"
How to find out which restaurants offer two-for-the-price-of-one specials
2. Check the NYC Department of Health Rating
Participating restaurants are well known local eateries, many of which have been in business for years. They're reliable. The chances are, patrons will have an enjoyable meal at any (or all) 200 of them.
But, the NYC Department of Health has gone to the trouble of rating restaurants city-wide. They've built a nice, user-friendly system to make it easy for the public to find out whether any given restaurant got an A, B, or a you-don't-want-to-know rating from the health department inspectors.
So, after you decide where you might want to dine, take a second and check the NYC health department restaurant ratings.
3. Make Reservations in Advance, the Old-Fashioned Way — by Telephone
Dine In Brooklyn, Brooklyn's restaurant week, doesn't offer a central reservation system.
So you might be tempted to book online, if your favorite restaurant participates in Open Table. But don't.
It's better to call to make reservations.
4. When Reserving, Specify That You Want the Fixed Price Dine In Menu
When calling to reserve, remember to specify that you want the "Dine In" restaurant week fixed-price special. Otherwise, you might end up having a fight over the bill for your meal, always something to be avoided.
5. Don't Be Shy — Ask about Two-For-One, Brunch and Other Specials
Restaurants may offer special brunch menus. Note: Some, but not all, participating restaurants are offering two people a full meal for a total of $25, excluding tip, tax, and drink.
So don't be shy. Ask what they're offering during Dine In Brooklyn.
7 Park Slope restaurants offering "two for the price of one" meals
How to find out which restaurants offer two-for-the-price-of-one specials
6. Cancel the Reservation if You Don't Go
Have a heart. Most of Brooklyn's restaurants are owner-run. They're small. They want your business. If you change your plans, please let them know.
7. Brooklyn's "Restaurant Week" Lasts for 10 Days (So It's Called "Dine In")
Yes! This event for foodies lasts more than a mere seven days. In Brooklyn, it's an expansive opportunity (which we hope won't reflect our waistlines.) Yup, in Brooklyn, you can eat your heart out for a full ten days. Which is why, of course, it's not called restaurant week at all.
8. Your Favorite Restaurant's Not Participating? Ask Why, and Try Something New
Some well-known, popular Brooklyn restaurants are MIA from the annual Dine In list. If you have a favorite place, ask them to consider participating next year.
Meanwhile, venture forth, and try some place new!
Here's to Dine In Brooklyn!
