ROYAL OAK, Mich. (WXYZ) — From sauteing to seasoning, Restaurant Week in Royal Oak is well underway. It kicked off Sunday and runs through March 1.
Restaurant Week has been around in Royal Oak for more than a decade, and it’s a great way to celebrate the city’s many restaurants, those that have been around a while and those that have just opened.
“We have a three-course meal, part of Restaurant Week," said Cole Andrejaj, owner of Fourth Street Bistro and Brunch.
Andrejaj and his wife opened back in May, and it's their first time participating in Royal Oak's Restaurant Week.
“Hopefully, we get to see some new faces. We’re putting our name out," said Andrejaj.
They're also putting out a special Restaurant Week dinner menu, where customers can order a four-course meal for $39 — and they're not the only ones.
Organizers say about 20 restaurants are taking part in Restaurant Week, offering lunch and/or dinner at a reduced rate.
“I love this time of year. We have such great restaurants here. I love it. Absolutely," said Linda Taliafeero of Royal Oak.
We met Linda at Lilly's Seafood, a neighborhood favorite for nearly 30 years, and they say Restaurant Week gets very busy.
“I’m hoping that it shines a light on Royal Oak, you know, all the restaurants that we have here," said Liz Morton, manager of Lilly's Seafood.
Morton is also the vice president of the Royal Oak Restaurant Association. She says the downtown food scene is constantly evolving with four to five restaurants that opened in the last year.
“It is a challenging business, and you do have to keep your eye on it, as you know food costs, labor, everything has gone up in price," she said.
She and her colleagues say not only is Restaurant Week a great way to try something new — it helps build that community and customer support that restaurants old and new rely on.
“We really want to encourage people to come and support these businesses. It’s a hard time of year. You’re going to get a great meal," said Stephanie McIntyre of the Royal Oak Restaurant Association.
