Celebrate NYC Restaurant Week's 25th Anniversary

Image: PHOTO: New York City at Night . (photo via Flickr/Aurelien Guichard)

by Michele Herrmann
Last updated: 7:00 PM ET, Fri July 21, 2017

The 2017 summer edition of NYC Restaurant Week is bringing much to the table, marking the program's 25th anniversary and introducing an additional tasting experience.From Monday, July 24 through Friday, August 18, diners can book reservations at nearly 400 participating restaurants serving up 34 diverse cuisines-from American to Vietnamese-at locations across over 40 neighborhoods and within all five boroughs. The program will feature three-course, prix-fixe meals with lunch at $29 and dinner for $42 Monday through Friday. Some restaurants may opt to include Sundays, but Saturdays are overall excluded from the program. Pricing also does not incorporate beverages, gratuities, and taxes. Among a ton of choices for eating out, here are 10 restaurants that have gotten much attention and high marks:

<a href="https://www.nycgo.com/restaurants/buttermilk-channel" target="_blank">Buttermilk Channel</a>In Brooklyn's Carroll Gardens, this quaint American bistro has become a go-to weekend brunch spot for its comfort food menu, with lunch and dinner also served.Consider their buttermilk fried chicken sandwich with housemade bread and butter pickles, savoy cabbage slaw and (dinner only) duck meatloaf with corn pudding, roasted peppers and duck jus.<a href="https://www.nycgo.com/restaurants/wallse" target="_blank">Wallsé</a>A newcomer to NYC Restaurant Week, Wallsé in the West Village centers on polished adaptations of Viennese and European cuisine along with a solid wine list with Austrian labels. Sample their Quark Sp?tzle (braised rabbit with summer corn, sweet peas and tarragon) or Wiener schnitzel with potato, cucumber salad and lingonberries.<a href="https://www.nycgo.com/restaurants/untitled" target="_blank">Untitled</a>At the Whitney Museum of American Art, in the Meatpacking District, Untitled reflects its artistic surroundings and presents a contemporary American menu.They'll have offerings such as their fluke crudo-with cucumber, husk cherries, jalapeno and green tomato salsa-and roasted sea bass with smoked tomato gumbo, shishito peppers and cranberry beans.<div>[READMORE]READ MORE: <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.travelpulse.com/opinions/blog/where-to-drink-whisky-in-edinburgh.html&source=gmail&ust=1500571854632000&usg=AFQjCNG89eTig13stg3auXZ-yFwKjPTmKg" href="http://www.travelpulse.com/news/features/where-to-find-the-top-franks-on-national-hot-dog-day.html" target="_self">Where to Find the Top Franks on National Hot Dog Day</a>[/READMORE] </div><a href="https://www.nycgo.com/restaurants/blue-water-grill" target="_blank">Blue Water Grill</a>Located in Union Square, inside the former Metropolis Bank building, this sustainable seafood restaurant shines with a happening bar area, live jazz music, outdoor seating and a bi-level dining room. Perhaps begin with their spicy salmon maki with a tempura bok choy/avocado/eel sauce and then savor their Calendar Island mussels in a green chile broth with a crispy hominy.<a href="https://www.nycgo.com/restaurants/le-coq-rico" target="_blank">Le Coq Rico</a>Within a tagline, "The Bistro of Beautiful Birds," the Flatiron District bistro and bar puts poultry on a pedestal by signifying the flavors and textures of noble American fowl-so much so that their décor includes fixtures such as feathers and eggshells.During NYC Restaurant Week, try their signature chicken dish-a quarter-sized portion of a 120 day raised Brue Landaise with a seasonal salad-or their Plat du Jour (dish of the day).<a href="https://www.nycgo.com/restaurants/the-gin-parlour" target="_blank">The Gin Parlour</a>Inspired by 1920s era Dutch and English gin bars, this lounge-like setting inside the InterContinental New York Barclay Hotel in Midtown East serves 88 premium gins along with other drink choices.A menu of modern cuisine acknowledges New York City's dining history and international culture. Selections include beet and gin cured salmon with avocado, miner's lettuce and American caviar or Long Island skate with morel mushrooms, brown butter and purple cauliflower.<a href="https://www.nycgo.com/restaurants/delmonicos-restaurant" target="_blank">Delmonico's Restaurant</a>Eating at this Financial District steakhouse is a history lesson unto itself.Since 1837, Delmonico's has been credited with introducing the concept of fine dining in America, and its menu still lists its conceptual dishes such as Lobster Newburg and Baked Alaska.During NYC Restaurant Week, you can try one or both of them for an add-on cost to their pre-fixe menu pricing.<a href="https://www.nycgo.com/restaurants/vandal" target="_blank">Vandal</a>Right on the Lower East Side along The Bowery, this splashy venue promotes a globally-inspired street food scene with wall murals produced by world-renowned street artists and dishes reflecting destinations such as Barcelona and Vietnam.Try their grilled sea bass tacos, with avocado, chipotle slaw and salsa diablo or their churros with spicy chocolate.<div>[READMORE]READ MORE: <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.travelpulse.com/opinions/blog/where-to-drink-whisky-in-edinburgh.html&source=gmail&ust=1500571854632000&usg=AFQjCNG89eTig13stg3auXZ-yFwKjPTmKg" href="http://www.travelpulse.com/news/destinations/perfect-your-stay-in-saratoga-springs-new-york.html" target="_self">Perfect Your Stay in Saratoga Springs, New York</a>[/READMORE] </div><a href="https://www.nycgo.com/restaurants/nobu-downtown-bar-lounge">Nobu Downtown</a>Another gem in the Financial District, Nobu Downtown opened in March 2017, having moved from its original and long-time location in Tribeca-its sister restaurant, Nobu Next Door, has permanently closed. They're offering a new experimental style of Japanese cuisine; you should try the Sashimi Salad with Tuna Tataki and Black Cod Miso.<a href="https://www.nycgo.com/restaurants/root-bone" target="_blank">Root & Bone</a>This Southern fare find in the East Village gives off a small town Americana feel with farm-fresh ingredients locally and seasonally sourced. Their crispy chicken-n-waffle sandwich is a must eat: brined in sweet tea, on buckwheat cheddar waffles, with melted cheddar and pickled green tomato.A Recipe For SuccessCooked up by Zagat Co-Founder, Co-Chair and CEO Tim Zagat and legendary NYC restaurateur Joe Baum, the inaugural NYC Restaurant Week took place during the 1992 Democratic Convention, held at Madison Square Garden that July.In a phone interview, Zagat said that convention organizers had asked him and Baum to organize "something that would make New York appealing" to visiting delegates and members of press. When plans to hold a major party at Rockefeller Center had to be scrapped due to budget issues, Zagat explained that they "had to come up quickly with an alternative." The result: a four-day lunch promotion at $19.92 per person at NYC's finest restaurants. While targeting this crowd, its appealing price attracted other customers to the just under 100 involved restaurants. In particular, they were New Yorkers who might have hesitated to come beforehand due to financial restraints. "It turned out to be good for restaurants… and that's why it's still running," said Zagat. Over time, NYC Restaurant Week has added dinner pre-fixe menus and a wintertime version held from mid-January into February. Overseen by NYC & Company Restaurant Committee, the selection process for NYC Restaurant Week involves a points system in which contenders are judged on criteria ranging from reviews to the caliber of their operations. "It shows the strength of our restaurant industry," said Tracy Nieporent, director of marketing and partner of The Myriad Marketing Restaurant Group, about the program. "It brings people in the door and gives [restaurants] a chance to greet new guests."Nieporent, who has been chairing this committee since 2003, noted that the event showcases one of NYC's greatest industries: hospitality. "[It's] a big part of why New York is so successful and why people come here."Three of the group's restaurants will be featured: Nobu Downtown; B?tard, a modern European restaurant in Tribeca; and Tribeca Grill, a longtime participant focusing on New American fare. The summer 2017 NYC Restaurant Week will also include its first-ever tasting series. Proceeds from ticket sales will benefit City Harvest, Food Bank NYC and Citymeals on Wheels. Each of its four dates will feature an exclusive tasting menu of the holding venue's NYC Restaurant Week menu with chef-selected wine pairings. Dates and locations are at B?tard Tribeca (Lower Manhattan) on July 24, Buttermilk Channel on August 1, Maiella (Long Island City, Queens) on August 6, and Amada (Lower Manhattan) on August 14.