Deals on Meals

By Jen Banowetz
Appears in the February 2023 issue.

Local restaurant weeks serve up dining opportunities

With February historically a slow month for restaurants (with the exception of Valentine’s Day, of course), many towns have devised their own restaurant weeks to bolster local eateries. While these events help business, they also offer diners the chance to explore fresh places and menus—and snag some pretty good discounts along the way.

“We started Naperville Restaurant Week a decade ago when we realized it would be a great opportunity for restaurants to showcase their unique offerings and introduce diners to new culinary experiences,” says Christine D. Jeffries, who heads Visit & Dine Naperville. “We also want to encourage diners to break out of the cabin fever that envelopes us during the post-holiday winter months and spend time with good food and good friends.”

Likewise, St. Charles Restaurant Week has a similar mission. “We hope that this gives people that push to go try a restaurant that they’ve been meaning to check out, and in turn they can have some new favorite spots by the conclusion of the week,” says Nicholas Lowe, with the St. Charles Business Alliance. “You’ll also find a wide variety of cuisines that range from Asian to Italian fare, and just about everything in between. This aspect of the city is something to be extremely proud of, and we always are looking for ways to show it off.”

This year Naperville Restaurant Week runs January 20 to February 5 (a little over two weeks, actually), while the St. Charles event is February 20 to February 24. Both cities have upward of 40 to 50 businesses participating. Of course, it’s not just for dinner. Breakfast, lunch, brunch, coffee, and dessert spots also get in on the action, along with many styles of cuisine.

“The variety of restaurants reflects the cultural diversity of the community and provide diners a world of options,” Jeffries says. “Naperville Restaurant Week challenges establishments to offer a prix-fixe menu of their favorite combinations or a simple discount to draw patrons in to try something new.”

Participating restaurants are posted on dinenaperville.com. Each designs its own enticing deals. “Every year there are new restaurants—or just new to you—to try in Naperville, and this year is no different,” Jeffries says. “Chez François Poutinerie opened in the River District offering poutine, which is a staple street food in Canada. Or try SanguCHE Peruvian Flavors where you can sample dishes such as Adobo de Cerdo or Chicharrón.”

From steakhouses and taprooms to tacos and burger joints, restaurantgoers can find a range of bites—and price points. “Diners from all around the region follow the restaurant week offerings,” she says. “Our locals watch for new experiences at special pricing, while out-of-towners come in for a couple days and make it a foodie vacation.”

St. Charles Restaurant Week also has an online guide at stcalliance.org/restaurantweek; its program offers a flat 15 percent discount on dine-in bills of $20 or more (excluding gratuity and alcohol) at participating places.

“Once you decide on where you’d like to dine, all you have to do is mention St. Charles Restaurant Week while ordering,” Lowe says.

For future reference, Wheaton, Geneva and Westmont have their own restaurant weeks typically in January, so keep an eye out next year. Batavia’s event is usually in March.

Photos courtesy of Brigette Burgman Photography