With cold weather, snowy forecasts, and a surge in COVID-19 cases, January – a notoriously slow month for the restaurant industry – has been particularly hard on restaurants in the Baltimore area.
Restaurant Weeks throughout the state offer Marylanders the opportunity to support local restaurants while getting great deals.
Baltimore Restaurant Week, presented by Downtown Partnership of Baltimore and Visit Baltimore, kicks off Friday and will run through Feb. 6.
Participating restaurants offer $25, $35, and $45 prix fixe menus for brunch, lunch, and dinner.
“We’re really excited to welcome back Winter Restaurant Week after having to cancel last year’s promotion due to the rise of COVID cases and the city’s restriction on indoor dining capacity,” said Marissa Moss, director of marketing and events at Downtown Partnership.
“With the impact of COVID, our restaurants truly need the support now more than ever,” Moss said.
As of this week, 69 restaurants in Baltimore have signed up to participate in Winter Restaurant Week, with the number expected to climb to around 75.
Customers who are apprehensive about dining at a restaurant can still get in on the deals, as some restaurants are offering carry-out options this year.
Cindy Lou’s Fish House, Petit Louis Bistro, and over 20 other restaurants are currently offering carry-out deals.
And to help draw in customers during cold weather, some restaurants – such as The Food Market and Wicked Sisters – are offering valet services.
Winter Restaurant Week gives Baltimore restaurants exposure that they may not otherwise have, Moss said.
“It really reminds people of how awesome the Baltimore food scene is,” she said.
In Baltimore County, Restaurant Week has been indefinitely postponed due to the surge in COVID cases.
Because Baltimore County Restaurant Week is run by a government agency, it is subject to the county’s rules.
It will likely take place, the Baltimore County Tourism office said, but they are waiting on directions from the county government.
At the time, there is no update on when it will take place, the tourism office said.
