Restaurant Week dishes out the best of Albuquerque
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Albuquerque Restaurant Week is returning for the first time since the pandemic from Friday, April 4, through Sunday, April 13, bringing with it a flurry of special menus and deals.
"I think restaurants are finally getting to a place where they have enough employees and can use some extra marketing for their businesses," said Carol Wight, CEO of the New Mexico Restaurant Association, who organized the event.
Over a dozen restaurants will bring their most popular dishes to the table, providing special deals to tempt customers into trying restaurants they may otherwise not think of.
Restaurant Week isn't just a way for New Mexicans to try some of their local favorites or discover a new favorite dish. The week also provides participating restaurants with marketing and exposure during a time that is typically slower in the industry.
"After polling many restaurants in Albuquerque, we found April is one of the slowest months," Wight said. "The benefit is that you get new and different folks than you would usually get in your restaurant, and if you present yourself well with this three-course meal that's at a value, then people will come back. We really want to make sure that our community is well-supported, and I feel like this is also a way to show that support."
For restaurants participating, the week is also a reminder of not just the food they serve, but the ways restaurants enrich the community and provide people a space to relax and catch up with loved ones while enjoying a warm meal.
"Restaurants provide so many important services to the community," said George Grundy, owner of Tomasita's. "It's a complicated business, and we're doing something good for the community and we just want to remind people of that."
