Restaurant Week Underway in New York City

By current estimates, it will now take 22.7 years to dine at every restaurant in New York City just one time before having to start all over again.

And by the time you get to the end, numerous restaurants will have closed, new ones will have reopened, and your gastronomic clock will have to constantly be re-set.

Think about it - 22.7 years. That's practically a full generation.

That includes every greasy spoon, every hole in the wall, every place serving a $45 hamburger, and every upscale Michelin-rated establishment.

Fortunately, every year, NYC & Company, the official tourist arm of New York City, tries to make it a little easy on you when it comes to making a decision. The 30th annual New York City Restaurant Week, Summer Version, began on Monday, July 18, and stretches to Sunday, August 21.

Make no mistake, Restaurant Week is designed to get patrons to try higher-end establishments with the great deals that are offered. The logic, of course, is that NYC is such a great foodie town that you can always get your famous dollar-a-slice pizza at any time.

But there are plenty of great bargains to be had for Restaurant Week.

Fourteen of the original restaurants in the city that participated in the first Restaurant Week during the 1992 Democratic National Conventional will participate again this year - Barbetta, Carmine's (Upper West Side), Dock's Oyster Bar, Gage & Toller, Gallagher's Steak House, The Palm, Sardi's, Shun Lee West, Sylvia's, Tavern on the Green, Tribeca Grill, The Russian Tea Room, Union Square Café, and Victor's Cafe.

Diners can choose from a selection of two-course lunches for $30, $45 or $60, and three-course dinners for $30, $45 or $60, dependent on individual restaurant price points.

This pricing structure was created to ensure restaurants from all five boroughs can participate, from neighborhood eateries to fine dining. More than 100 restaurants will also offer $30 bottles of wine to commemorate the 30th anniversary, available on participating menus.