Restaurant Week returns for seconds

Painesville is kicking off a week of sweet eats throughout its downtown area with its second annual Restaurant Week.

Running from Feb. 18 to the 25, the city’s second annual Restaurant Week will see dozens of Painesville’s restaurants, bar and grilles, bistros, and bars participating with exclusive menu items designed specially for the week. There will also be a number of discounted prices and meal deals.

The impetus for the week was rather straightforward, according to the city’s economic development director Cathy Bieterman.

“We’ve got some great restaurants here in the community,” she said. “We really wanted to highlight the specials that they have. The people stay local, eat local, shop local.”

She added, “It’s really a way to showcase themselves, so that people who may not have tried that restaurant before have an opportunity to come in, experience an awesome meal, and really get a chance to try different restaurants in the community.”

It may be the second year Painesville is holding the week-long event but that’s not stopping some of the city’s newer establishments from getting in on the fun, including La Cocina Elvis and Starfish and Coffee; the latter of which is offering free fudge samples and a bevy of vegan bakery options.

Bieterman went on to detail just how creative the local restaurants became as they prepared for the special week.

“Restaurants really tried to get creative on the menu items that they’re providing. They’re unique, but still give a flair for the type of food within their restaurant,” she said.

After initial planning, the city realized the event would need more than a single weekend and decided to dedicate an entire week to celebrating the local eateries.

She explained, “We have a lot of people who go restaurant to restaurant and try all the different menu items. We love when people take time to get to know our local restaurants and the amazing cuisines we have here.”

And it’s not just Painesville folks who are enjoying the event.

“We had a lot for people coming from Concord, Painesville Township, Madison/Perry area, folks coming from Mentor and Fairport Harbor, all the surrounding communities came around.”

She explained that this cross-regional appeal is a continuing aim of this year’s Restaurant Week. “That’s our goal, to get people in the neighboring areas to come down and experience Downtown Painesville and the different foods we have.”