Culinaria has announced that it is expanding the continuously popular Restaurant Weeks Event. Culinaria is a local nonprofit in San Antonio that plans to extend its well-known event in hopes that restaurants that have been negatively affected by COVID-19 will grain some relief. Restaurant Weeks extends in 2020 to be held from August 1-30 and will now feature new to-go options.
As San Antonio locals get used to delivery and curbside options instead of dining in, Culinaria is also in the process of adapting to a world where the coronavirus must be considered. As restaurant weeks extends to be held in the entire month of August, Culinaria hopes to support local eateries that have been hit hard during the pandemic.
There are 68 participating restaurants in San Antonio that plan to offer $20 lunch, and $45 dinner, which includes three-course, prix-fixe menus for either dine-in or takeout. Beyond that, most restaurants involve plan to offer a full bar menu so guests can order beer, wine, and mixed drinks. This addition comes as Texas Governor Greg Abbott extended his alcohol to-go waiver, which most Texans hope will continue beyond the coronavirus.
Alamo Biscuit Co., Battalion, Biga on the Banks, Cookhouse, Fruteria, Liberty Bar, Ocho, and Restaurant Gwendolyn among many others plan to participate in the nonprofit event. Here’s a complete list of participating eateries here.
Icy Donnelly and her son Miles are local owners of La Frite Belgian Bistro in San Antonio. They explain that the second wave of coronavirus shut downs really affected them. Although Donnelly expresses her gratitude and excitement for Culinaria’s campaign, she also muses“Who knows what’s going to happen in this world, one minute you have this. One minute you have that. Life is very fragile.”
Restaurant Weeks is not the only charity work that Culinaria has done. They also launched HospitALLity House along with chef Jason Dady as well as creating an Emergency Relief Fund for hospitality workers. All donations given to Culinaria are 100% tax-deductible. For those in the restaurant community members who are looking for financial assistance, you can visit Culinaria’s website and fill out an application.
