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5 ways Birmingham Restaurant Week puts the magic in the Magic City food scene, including Harvest Brunch, food tours and more
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Get ready to eat. The ninth annual Birmingham Restaurant Week is happening Aug. 10 to 19, 2018. Hosted by REV Birmingham and presented by Regions Bank, the week celebrates the city’s acclaimed culinary culture. Here’s how this 10-day event helps put the magic in the Magic City food scene.
1. Everybody’s A Foodie
Birminghamians love eating good food and supporting the crazy-talented chefs who serve it up. Birmingham Restaurant Week has been whetting our appetites and making dining out a bit more affordable for nine years.
Feast your eyes on the lunch and dinner deals happening across the city for Birmingham Restaurant Week from Aug. 10 to 19, 2018.
More than 50 restaurants (the number is expected to climb to 80!) are participating in Birmingham Restaurant Week by offering prix fixe menus at $10, $15, $20, $30 or $40 per person.
Try the new trendy hotspot or revisit an all-time favorite—even that fancy-dancy white tablecloth place. Treat yo’ self.
“REV Birmingham has been pushing the power of food as a tool for vibrancy and revitalization for nine years now. We’re finally receiving national recognition for our fabulous food scene.
“Birmingham Restaurant Week is an opportunity for us to tell that story of revitalization, entrepreneurship and a burgeoning culinary reputation.”—Taylor Clark, director of REV Urban Food Project
2. Long Live Local
More than a trend, farm-to-table has become the way we eat. Birmingham chefs (and even breweries) are getting hyperlocal when sourcing ingredients. The local food movement benefits our city’s food deserts, too, thanks to REV Birmingham, which heads up the REV Urban Food Project in addition to Birmingham Restaurant Week.
REV Urban Food Project takes a seat at the head of the table at Birmingham Restaurant Week’s kickoff Harvest Brunch on Aug. 11, 2018.
Get tickets to Birmingham Restaurant Week’s Harvest Brunch, Saturday, Aug. 11, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., $35 for singles and $60 for couples.
The Harvest Brunch brings together the city’s best brunch restaurants to create dishes showcasing Alabama’s mouthwatering local produce. Peruse the bustling urban Woodlawn Street Market while you’re there.
3. Food Tours, Finally
Birmingham is the only city on Zagat’s 30 Top Most Exciting Food Cities of 2017 that doesn’t offer food tours to boost its economy. Upside: Birmingham Taste Tours is launching in September. Double upside: You can get a jump on the trend during Birmingham Restaurant Week on Aug. 11.
Get tickets to Birmingham Restaurant Week’s Magic City Eats Bike Tour, Saturday, Aug. 11, 3 to 5 p.m., $45 for singles and $65 for couples.
Cruise from Whistling Table in Forest Park to Slice Pizza & Brewhouse in Lakeview to Blueprint on 3rd at Pepper Place. Enjoy chef-curated tastings and meet the entrepreneurs behind them at each stop.
4. Newbies Welcome
Birmingham Restaurant Week brings new fans to our city’s newest culinary startups. It’s also a time for the greats to mentor the next generation.
For more than 15 years, locals have flocked to Rojo in Highland Park for its laidback neighborhood vibe. What a great place to test drive a new restaurant concept in the ‘Ham, and Chef Kevon Lewis of Nelchie’s Cajun Cuisines and Catering gets to do just that.
Head to Rojo on Aug. 13, 6 to 9 p.m., for Monday Night Startup Restaurant Takeover. No ticket necessary!
A New Orleans native, Lewis learned to cook from her Creole grandmother, Nelchie. She tweaked some recipes to make them her own, but others, like the gumbo, remain just as Nelchie made them.
If you dream of your own food truck or pop-up, Birmingham Restaurant Week is for you, too. REV Birmingham’s BIZ 1.0 on Aug. 17 will teach you 11 startup essentials, such as knowing your customer, discovering your brand and fundamental financial intelligence.
Get tickets to Foodie Biz 1.0, Friday Aug. 17, 8 a.m. to noon at The Annex Culinary Incubator, $35.
5. Serious Moolah
It’s a win-win. We eat. Restaurants prosper. Birmingham’s reputation as a food destination continues to grow.
Participating restaurants sold 33,500 meals, totaling $4.5 million in gross receipt sales, during summer and winter Birmingham Restaurant Weeks in 2017.
On average, restaurants see a 20 percent increase in sales during Birmingham Restaurant Week compared to a normal week.
If you own a restaurant, there’s still time to sign up for Birmingham Restaurant Week from Aug. 10 to 19, 2018.
A Big Thanks To Birmingham Restaurant Week Sponsors!
Birmingham Restaurant Week is presented by Regions Bank. Additional event sponsors include Spire, Sysco Corporation, Alabama Crown Distributing Co., Red Diamond Coffee & Tea, Buffalo Rock Company, Cahaba Brewing Company, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, iHeart Media, Fox 6 WBRC, Alabama Media Group and Bham Now.
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