The Arlington Chamber of Commerce held its fifth annual Arlington Restaurant Week from October 16-23. This event gave diners the opportunity to enjoy some of Arlington's diverse restaurant scene. Every year, Arlington Restaurant Week provides local restaurants with exposure through extensive media promotion attracting new patrons who come to experience their food.

61 restaurants participated in this year's Arlington Restaurant Week, breaking last year's record. The full list of participating restaurants and their menus can be found here. 

Participating restaurants offered specials inspired by foods and cultures from all over the world. The offerings included Lebanese, Mexican, Mediterranean, French, and Thai cuisine, in addition to many more.

Local restaurants have had to navigate ongoing challenges following the pandemic, ranging from supply chain disruptions to staffing shortages to rising food costs. "COVID's been tough on everybody, restaurants in particular. Things are improving, and I'm happy to just get the costs down a little bit," said Chris Black, General Manager of Rocklands BBQ speaking to WJLA Channel 7 News during Restaurant Week. 

Arlington Restaurant Week serves to celebrate and support our restaurants, which contribute greatly to Arlington's economic vitality and character.

"At least 25-30 tables mentioned they wanted to participate in Restaurant Week dinner for two special. All of them left satisfied," said Naveed Mughal, Co-owner of Pines of Florence. 

"We saw an amazing turnout from Arlington Restaurant Week! We welcomed so many new guests and have been getting amazing feedback. We can't wait for next year," said Robert Maher, Chef & Co-owner of Maison Cheryl.

"We've already heard tonight from Maison Cheryl that they are sold out for the weekend and up 25%," said President & CEO Kates Bates, speaking to DC News Now the Friday evening of Restaurant Week.

Unlike most restaurant weeks, Arlington Restaurant Week hosted a wide range of restaurants from fast-casual spots to five-star dining establishments. Restaurants picked their own price point and marketed their menus on the Arlington Restaurant Week website. The Chamber was pleased to offer free participation for member restaurants, courtesy of our sponsors.

Diners helped restaurants gain exposure by sharing their Arlington Restaurant Week dining experiences on social media using #ARLRestaurantWeek and tagging the restaurants.