Downtown Greensboro’s Restaurant Week will return this year under the new name of Chow Downtown and will be offering dine-in and takeout options from Sept. 14-18.
During Chow Downtown, participating restaurants located in downtown Greensboro will offer $10-$15 lunch specials and $20-$30 dinner specials throughout the week.
There will be quite a few changes to this year’s restaurant week, as restaurants downtown will have to accommodate for phase 2.5 in North Carolina to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Under Executive Order 163, NC Governor Roy Cooper placed North Carolina under Safer At Home Phase 2.5 which became effective Friday, Sept. 4. Phase 2.5 has restricted restaurants for dine-in service as well as personal care, grooming and tattoo businesses.
Under the new restrictions, restaurants, retail and personal-care businesses can only have 50 percent capacity. In restaurants, customers must be at least six feet apart in outdoor and indoor seating and masks are required to receive any service according to NC.gov and ABC News.
Some of the participating restaurants from last year’s restaurant week have closed dine-in services this year to accommodate for the new Covid-19 restrictions. French-inspired restaurant Chez Genèse was one of the participating restaurants last year that allowed customers to dine in for their specials, however this year they are only allowing curbside pickup.
It has been difficult for some restaurants to adjust to these changes, as there are about 50 different restaurants in downtown Greensboro and only 25 have signed up to offer dine-in or take-out specials during Chow Downtown, according to Greensboro News & Record.
There will be some downtown Greensboro restaurants allowing the option of outside dining. For those who want to dine-in at restaurants with outside seating, there are 22 out of the 25 participating restaurants that will offer outside dining for guests.
Cindy’s, Los Chicos, Liberty Oak, Krave Kava, and Fat Tuesday’s are just a few of the restaurants offering outside dining as well as dine-in and take out. A complete list of the restaurants that will offer outside seating can be found on their website.
Since Aug. 19, Chow Downtown specials have been updated weekly leading up to the event, as B. Christopher’s, 1618 Downtown, Cheesecakes by Alex, Boxcar Bar and Arcade, and Joe Van Gogh at the Green Bean are a few of the restaurants that will be having specials that are redeemable for the entire week.
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B. Christopher Steakhouse will be offering a $40 special during Chow Downtown week, a set four-course meal with your choice of lobster bisque or heirloom tomato Caprese salad, rare sliced tuna Crudo or classic beef carpaccio, and the main course of steak-fries or blackened salmon with house-made cobbler a la mode.
Typically, a four-course meal at B. Christopher’s Steakhouse will range around $31-$60, according to Opentable.com.
For more than 15 years, B. Christopher’s Steakhouse has served many guests from the triad area. B. Christopher’s was originally founded in Burlington, N.C., however, the restaurant relocated to Downtown Greensboro to gain more exposure.
Owner Chris Russel founded B. Christopher’s in 2000 after growing his passion for food and hospitality. Originally operating restaurants from Washington D.C. and the North Carolina triad area, he decided to create a restaurant that serves classic favorites from the American steakhouse experience.
Although B. Christopher’s Steakhouse does not offer outdoor seating, staff will be increasing cleaning and sanitation after each guest to lower the risk of contracting COVID-19.
1618 Downtown, owned by Nick Wilson, will be offering a “Not Very Italian” Italian tasting menu for dine-in only through Sept. 17-19. The special offers breadsticks, lasagna, antipasto, tiramisu, meatballs, and Lambrusco for $50.
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Located on 312 South Elm Street, 1618 Downtown offers a relaxed, contemporary setting for friends and family, as they serve a variety of American, vegetarian, and cocktail options.
Their menu regularly offers Fried Mortadella Sandwiches, Blackened Flounder Tacos, and Crispy Italian Black & Bleu Chicken Wings. More information about their menu can be found on Yelp.com.
In 2015, Wilson launched the first annual Downtown Greensboro’s restaurant week to encourage community support of local restaurants and to benefit the Greensboro Greenway project.
For over five years, Downtown Greensboro’s restaurant week has been a favorite among the Greensboro community, as it brings everyone together to historic downtown to enjoy a variety of local food and drinks.
This year’s restaurant week will bring some notable changes due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but the participating restaurants are expecting to push through to give customers an enjoyable Chow Downtown experience.
For more information about each restaurant participating in Greensboro Chow Downtown and their food and drink specials, you can visit their website at www.downtowngreensboro.org/events/chow-downtown.
