GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. —
It's Restaurant Week in Grand Rapids! Over 70 restaurants, featuring nearly 90 specialty menus, are showcasing their best dishes and beverages.
Starting Friday, Nov. 1 through Saturday, Nov. 9, Experience Grand Rapids invites the community to take a culinary adventure.
Foodies can go to Restaurantweekgr.com, download a digital pass on your phone, browse the participating restaurants and select from three fixed-priced menu options: $25, $35, $45 to enjoy specialty menus curated by chefs to showcase their culinary creativity.
High Tea is a first-of-its-kind fine-dining tea restaurant in Grand Rapids and will offer full afternoon tea services with sweets & finger sandwiches at a cheaper price for the week.
From newer businesses to the area to Grand Rapids staples, staff are gearing up to welcome hungry patrons.
"It's very exciting. It's almost kind of surreal to be a part of some huge names that are integral to Grand Rapids and being a part of that group is really exciting," says Charlotte Singh, systems operations manager at High Tea Grand Rapids.
"We are so looking forward to this week. We haven't been a part of it for a really long time so we're happy to re-introduce our whole new seasonal menu into our Restaurant Week menu," says Laura Sandborn, Business Director at Merten's Prime.
This is the 15th year of the food event put on through Experience Grand Rapids. To celebrate the anniversary this year, a new feature is available where participants can vote for their favorite restaurant through the digital pass.
Guests can also earn rewards and foodie prizes when they dine in at selected restaurants.
Organizers say Restaurant Week GR is a great way for people to try new foods and drinks as well as an overall celebration of the diverse food community in Grand Rapids.
"It definitely brings a great level of excitement, just to be able to showcase our chefs and our culinary talent has to offer -- we're not just Beer City USA, we're also a top 25 foodie destination within the country," says Jaylyn McCloy, Marketing Partnership Manager at Experience Grand Rapids.
"For us, we're able to really solidify what we are, which is known for great food and great beverages," says McCloy.
Continuing a philanthropic tradition, Experience Grand Rapids will donate $1 from each meal check-in, up to $5,000, to the GRCC Secchia Institute for Culinary Education. Diners will also have the option to donate their earned incentive points to the scholarship fund.
Guests can sign up for the digital pass at RestaurantWeekGR.com to browse menus and start making their reservations.