Credit: Original article by Stl Mag
More than a decade after the seat of St. Louis County hosted its first restaurant week, in 2010, Clayton Restaurant Week returns for the second time this year, July 17-23. A dozen restaurants participated when the last event was held in January. For the summer edition, 15 Clayton restaurants will offer coursed, pre-fixe dinner menus priced at $25 and $50. (In past iterations, $75 and $100 price points were offered.) New restaurants include Cafe la Vie, J. P. Fields, Ivy, and Oceano Bistro.
Historically, patrons at participating restaurants selected from a special three-course lunch or dinner menu. The original price was $25 per person; in subsequent years, a $35 option was added. Post-pandemic and given the recent cost increases that restaurants have endured, the prix-fixe price for Restaurant Week has risen. (Tip: While some participating restaurants continue to offer real deals at their respective price points, others appear to offer less incentive to order off the prix-fixe menu, so pick and choose wisely or consider ordering a la carte.) Note that prix-fixe menus do not include drinks, tax, or gratuity.
The participating list of restaurants, menus, and prix-fixe price points is as follows:
- 801 Chophouse: Dinner: Three courses for $50
- 801 Fish: Dinner: Three courses for $50
- avenue: Dinner: Three courses for $50
- The BAO: Dinner: Three courses for $25
- Cafe la Vie: Dinner: Four courses for $50
- Herbie’s: Dinner: Three courses for $50
- Cantina Laredo: Dinner: Three courses for $25
- Crushed Red: Three courses for $25 (for 2 people)
- Il Palato: Dinner: Three courses for $50
- Ivy: Dinner: Three courses for $50
- John P. Fields: Dinner: Three courses for $25
- Oceano Bistro: Dinner: Three courses for $50
- Pastaria: Dinner: Three courses for $50
- Peel Wood Fired Pizza: Dinner: Three courses for $25
- Seven at the Seven Gables Inn: Lunch: Two courses for $15 | Dinner: Three courses for $50
As in previous years, guests may encounter waiting lists and sellouts on weekend nights, so reservations are recommended. Be sure to mention you’ll be participating in Clayton Restaurant Week, so chefs can better gauge staffing levels and the required amount of prep. And upon being seated, dining patrons should request the Restaurant Week menu if interested.
Created as a lunch-only promotional event in New York City in 1992 and now popular in dozens of U. S. cities, “restaurant week” continues to be an effective tool for bolstering sales during slow periods of the year. During restaurant week, diners are encouraged to experience a new restaurant or revisit an old favorite.
