Downtown Dining Weeks promotion starts with 47 restaurants participating

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — A “record” 47 downtown Syracuse restaurants are participating in the 15th annual Downtown Dining Weeks promotion, which started Monday.

The deals available in the promotion are available through March 3, the Downtown Committee of Syracuse, Inc. said in a news release.

This year, 37 restaurants will serve three-course dinners for $30 or less, while 27 restaurants will offer three-course lunches for $10 or less.

A list of all participating Downtown Dining Weeks restaurants is available here.

The program, designed to stir business during what typically tends to be a slower dining season, usually attracts as many as 50,000 diners from Onondaga, Cortland, Madison, Oneida, and Oswego counties.

“Downtown Dining Weeks offers unique opportunities to sample the high-quality, unique flavors of the locally-owned restaurants and variety of cuisines that Downtown Syracuse is known for,” Merike Treier, executive director of the Downtown Committee of Syracuse, said in the release. “It’s amazing to see how much the event has grown in 15 years. It seems like every year, neighbors start to ask us which restaurants are participating and when the menus will be posted earlier and earlier, solidifying Downtown Dining Weeks’ status as one of the most highly-anticipated events of the year.”

Sleep over package

During Downtown Dining Weeks, guests who stay at the Marriott Syracuse Downtown, the Jefferson Clinton Hotel, Courtyard by Marriott at Armory Square, and the Residence Inn by Marriott at Armory Square will receive a $25 discount off their room rate.

All they need to do is show a receipt from a participating Downtown Dining Weeks restaurant, the Downtown Committee said.

The promotion continues through March 3.

Food Bank of Central New York partnership

Diners can also help the Food Bank of Central New York stock its food pantries during Downtown Dining Weeks.

Participating restaurants have gift envelopes to distribute to guests. Patrons can ask their server for an envelope, and mail a donation to the Food Bank once they get home.

At the same time, four downtown parking facilities will collect non-perishable food items for the Food Bank. In return for their donations, patrons will be able to park at the Atrium Garage, Clinton Street Garage, the surface lot at Fayette and Walton Streets, and the surface lot at Fayette and Clinton Streets for $5 — beginning at 5 p.m. Sunday through Thursday during Downtown Dining Weeks.

Chef’s hat contest

Patrons are also encouraged to participate in a “fun contest” to win gift certificates to participating Downtown Dining Weeks restaurants.

Each restaurant will have a chef’s hat “hidden in plain sight” within its dining area(s). Diners are encouraged to spot the chef’s hat, take a picture of it, and email the picture — or a thorough description of where they saw it — to mail@downtownsyracuse.com.

All correct guesses will be entered into multiple drawings for gift cards/gift certificates, the Downtown Committee said.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com