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I remember my first restaurant week. It was beautiful, a glorious cloud of flavors and classiness. A bunch of friends and I dressed up, snapped photos of each other and our plates. We delighted in the feeling that is associated when one leaves their regular space, their current allotted place in the universe. Subway rides to a lunch date include hushed whispers, excited giggles upon stepping over the foyer of a cafe that is categorized by more dollar signs than your regular budget can withstand. Excellent table service ushers out of place youths in with well-dressed locals. Sultry jazz and cheeky alternative rock play over the loud speakers of a meal, bare lightbulbs offering romantic mood lighting for these scenes of gourmet urbanism. These memories of different locations have coalesced into my memory. Sometimes I remember specific dishes, maybe even just the way scallions were splayed whimsically on top of a baked cod. Others I just remember laughing with a friend, but not a particular joke. The overwhelming feeling I’m trying to convey is a lovely sense of wonder. It is earned by the adventurous, the hopeful. It is a time that makes me so grateful to have gotten the chance to live in New York during college. It is Restaurant Week.

Restaurant Week (which lasts more than just seven days) is a well-organized pilgrimage en masse to eateries, both famous and obscure, for all those who want to experience an orchestra of taste. These fixed menus vary from location to location, some with few choice and others simply making vast quantities of dishes more affordable. The standard fare is an appetizer, entree, and dessert ($25 during lunch, $38 during dinner). It’s a worthwhile journey, I promise, and it’s one that will provide plenty of lovely memories (and Instagram fodder). Restaurant Week occurs in NYC a couple of times a year (keep an eye out for the summer session), and this cold-weather rendition lasts until March 7. Even if you’ve gone once, go again! The Restaurant Week website, hosted by NYCGo, shows all establishments participating and offers menus and reservations. This trend is blossoming throughout the United States–if you’re not in New York, check this directory for discounted culinary delights in your town.

For those in New York, I offer up a few of my past favorite locations from Restaurant Week (all of which are currently participating!). Peruse photos as you please, and let me know where you go! (Or if you need a dining buddy, because I’m always down to dine.)

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