Austin Restaurant Weeks Kicks Off This Week

AUSTIN, TX — Austin Restaurant Weeks showcasing the city's best culinary offerings kicks off this week, with proceeds benefiting the local food bank.

Presented by Tito’s® Handmade Vodka, the event kicks off Thursday, Aug. 16, and runs through Monday, Sept. 3. The two-week-long dining attraction is a new annual fundraiser for the Central Texas Food Bank featuring prix fixe meals and drinks at more than 80 Austin area restaurants and bars.

During the event, a portion of the cost of each specially-priced meal and beverage offered by participating establishments will go directly to the Food Bank. "So for locals and visitors alike, it’s a delicious and easy way to help fight hunger while enjoying some of the best restaurants Austin has to offer," organizers wrote in a press advisory.

Patrons won’t be directly solicited for donations, yet any proceeds will help provide thousands of meals each year to the 1 in 6 Central Texans who are food insecure, officials said.

“Central Texas Food Bank has been a leader in the fight against hunger for more than 35 years,” Amy Lukken, Chief Joyologist at Tito’s, said. “We’re honored to partner with them on Austin Restaurant Weeks and help fight hunger in our community.”

More than 80 restaurants and bars will be participating in this inaugural Austin Restaurant Weeks. Having lunch, dinner and drink options will give diners myriad opportunities to explore restaurants and culinary options while supporting the food bank's mission to fight A full list of participating establishments, menus and reservations can be found at AustinRestaurantWeeks.org.

“Austin Restaurant Weeks is a great opportunity to come out and support the Central Texas Food Bank,” Bryce Gilmore, Owner/Chef of Barley Swine, Odd Duck and Sour Duck Market, said. “As restaurateurs and chefs, it's very important that we take care of people. And that’s also what the Food Bank does, which is why we’re glad to do all we can to help.”

Added Maribel Rivero, Executive Chef at Yuyo: "Restaurants are an integral part of a community and we are honored to feed our customers while helping bridge the gap of food insecurity by participating in Austin Restaurant Weeks."

Participating restaurants will be offering one or more of the following options during the event:

• A 2-3 course lunch priced at $25.
• A three- to four-course dinner priced at either $35 or $45.
• Some establishments will also be offering an $8 cocktail option or $6 beer option.

During Austin Restaurant Weeks, diners will have a chance to win prizes for dining at participating restaurants multiple times and having their ARW Dining Passport validated simply by asking their server for a sticker to affix to their Passport (or asking for a Passport if they don’t already have one). Rules and a list of prizes for the ARW Dining Passport can be found at AustinRestaurantWeeks.org/passport.

“Supporting the communities where we do business is very important to us,” Larry Bell, President and Founder of Bell’s Brewery, the official beer sponsor of Austin Restaurant Weeks, said. “Partnering with the Central Texas Food Bank is a fantastic way to give back and help make a difference for Central Texans in need.”

Additional sponsors of Austin Restaurant Weeks include The Austin Chronicle, Bank of America, Bell’s Brewery, CultureMap Austin, Domain NORTHSIDE, Edible Austin, Fairmont Austin, Johnson’s Backyard Garden, ProductionFor, Screamer Co. ,SHIFT Communications, Tabulate, and W. Hamilton & Co., PLLC.

“We’re delighted that so many area businesses have come together to help fight hunger by participating in Austin Restaurant Weeks,” Mark Jackson, Chief Development Officer of the Central Texas Food Bank, said. “Austin is not only a great food city, it’s also a very caring city.”

Menus for participating restaurants and bars, searchable by food type, location and other parameters can be found at AustinRestaurantWeeks.org. OpenTable® is the exclusive restaurant reservation partner for Austin Restaurant Weeks, so diners will be able to make reservations on the ARW website with those restaurants that use OpenTable or be linked out to whatever method the restaurant uses.

For details regarding Austin Restaurant Weeks, please visit AustinRestaurantWeeks.org.

Follow Austin Restaurant Weeks on:

• Facebook: www.facebook.com/AustinRestaurantWeeks/.
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/austinrestaurantweeks/.
• Twitter: @ATXRestWeeks.

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