Queen's Feast: Charlotte Restaurant Week returns

The semi-annual Queen's Feast: Charlotte Restaurant Week® returns for its Summer 2013 outing Friday, July 19, through Sunday, July 28.

The promotion features 111 upscale restaurants in the metro Charlotte area offering three courses or more at dinner for just $30 per person.  Visit www.CharlotteRestaurantWeek.com to peruse participating restaurants' prix fixe menus and reservation information, as well as Charlotte hotel and travel discounts. Diners can also stay abreast of Queen's Feast info via www.Facebook.com/CharlotteRestaurantWeek and follow the promotion on Twitter @QueensFeast.

Charlotte Restaurant Week is a metro-area promotion during which upscale restaurants offer a prix fixe, three-course (or more) dinner for $30 per person (not including tax and gratuity). Participating restaurants can be found across Charlotte and beyond into Matthews, Concord, Belmont, Gastonia, Waxhaw, the Lake Norman area, Statesville, and Fort Mill, SC.

The previous Charlotte Restaurant Week in January 2013 generated approximately 130,000 dinners and an estimated economic impact of over $6 million in revenue for the 112 participating restaurants.

July's Queen's Feast features 17 first-time restaurant participants, including AZN Azian Cuizine and Sushi Guru in SouthPark; Luciano's Ristorante Italiano in SouthEnd; Bubble and Rooster's in Uptown Charlotte; Lakefront Restaurant in the University area; BRAVO! Cucina Italiana at Northlake; Nick's Steak & Taphouse in Waxhaw; and the 220 Cafe in Statesville.

"From that first Queen's Feast in July 2008 with 42 participating restaurants, it's grown to an event that impacts business for over 100 restaurants in the metro area and attracts both local and traveling diners," stated Bruce Hensley, president of Hensley Fontana Public Relations & Marketing, which owns and handles turnkey execution of the event.

"Our fifth anniversary is significantly enhanced by a new marketing relationship with Clear Channel Media + Entertainment," continued Hensley.  "In addition to CCM+E's five Charlotte radio stations and advanced digital and social media platform, we are marketing Charlotte Restaurant Week on its five radio stations in Raleigh. We're again featuring special hotel rates at several local properties, and this time, North Carolina's Amtrak is offering a special companion fare discount from Raleigh/Cary to Charlotte. Information on these hotel and travel discounts can be found on www.CharlotteRestaurantWeek.com."

"Equally exciting is that Queen's Feast is lending support to bring exposure to the new social enterprise PlateShare, which was conceived and developed locally and will launch in conjunction with Charlotte Restaurant Week on July 19," offered Jill Hensley, partner in Hensley Fontana PR and co-founder of Charlotte Restaurant Week.

"PlateShare is a mobile app for iPhone and Android that gives diners the ability to easily round up their restaurant bills to the nearest dollar and donate that change to hunger relief," explained Jill. "PlateShare donations during Queen's Feast will benefit Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina, which serves 19 area counties. We're thrilled with the opportunity to boost awareness and encouragement for consumers to download the app and use their spare change to do good while dining out during Queen's Feast."

Hendrick Lexus Charlotte is the presenting sponsor of July's promotion. Other sponsors and partners include:  Queen City Audio/Video/Appliances; American Express; Rose Chauffeured Transportation; iHeart Radio; Clear Channel Media + Entertainment; 106.5 The End; Channel 96.1; 96.9 The Kat; 102.9 The Lake; 99.7 The Fox; the Greater Charlotte Hospitality & Tourism Alliance; Charlotte Center City Partners/FindYourCenter.com; AAA Carolinas; Axis Marketing Group; CLT Dining; Yelp; US Foods; Grey Goose Vodka; Cointreau; Mount Gay Rum; E-Z Parking; Charlotte Magazine; and OpenTable.com.

Some Queen's Feast restaurants will again extend an exclusive offer to AAA members via the AAA Show Your Card & Save® program. Diners presenting a current AAA membership card while dining in those restaurants during Queen's Feast will have the opportunity to purchase a $50 gift certificate for a return visit to the restaurant for only $25.

Reservations during Queen's Feast are strongly recommended; reservation links and contact information for all participating restaurants as well as hotels can be found at www.CharlotteRestaurantWeek.com.

Participating restaurants in the Summer 2013 Charlotte Restaurant Week are:

• Mezzanotte

• 131 Main - Dilworth
• 300 East
• Bonterra Dining & Wine Room
• Copper Modern Indian Cuisine
• Fiamma

• Napa On Providence
• Primo Tuscan Grille

• The Cajun Queen
• Carpe Diem

Lake Norman / North Mecklenburg / Iredell

• 131 Main - Lake Norman
• The 220 Cafe**
• Alton's Kitchen & Cocktails
• BRAVO! Cucina Italiana**
• Campania Cafe
• Dressler's - Birkdale
• Epic Chophouse
• Firebirds Wood Fired Grill - Northlake
• Fireside Bar & Grill**
• Jeffrey's Restaurant
• The Melting Pot - Lake Norman
• Mickey & Mooch - Lake Norman
• The Prickly Pear
• Red Rocks Cafe - Birkdale

• Amor de Brazil Steakhouse
• Cafe 157
• Santé Restaurant

• Dressler's - Metro
• Maharani Indian Cuisine
• Mama Ricotta's
• The Melting Pot - Midtown
• Pisces Sushi Bar & Lounge
• Vivace

• Bistro La Bon
• The Peculiar Rabbit

(Ballantyne / Arboretum / Pineville / Waxhaw / Fort Mill)

• 131 Main - Blakeney
• Blackthorne Restaurant & Bar
• City Tavern - Stonecrest
• Firebirds Wood Fired Grill - Stonecrest
• Global
• Maestro's Bar & Bistro
• Mickey & Mooch - The Other Joint (Arboretum)
• New South Kitchen & Bar
• Nick's Steak and Taphouse - Waxhaw**
• Passion8 Bistro
• Terrace Cafe - Ballantyne
• Trattoria Antica
• Trio
• Waldhorn Restaurant

• The Liberty Gastropub
• Luciano's Ristorante Italiano**
• Nikko Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar
• Sullivan's Steakhouse

• AZN Azian Cuizine**
• Arooji's Italian Ristorante - SouthPark
• BrickTop's
• Brio Tuscan Grille
• Cafe Monte
• City Tavern - SouthPark
• Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steak House
• Firebirds Wood Fired Grill - SouthPark
• Georges Brasserie
• McCormick & Schmick's Seafood & Steaks- SouthPark
• Paco's Tacos & Tequila
• The Palm
• Red Rocks Cafe - SouthPark
• Ruth's Chris Steak House - SouthPark
• Sushi Guru**
• Terrace Cafe - SouthPark
• Toscana Ristorante Italiano
• Upstream
• Villa Antonio - South Boulevard
• Wolfgang Puck Pizza | Bar**

• Omaha Steakhouse

• Lakefront Restaurant**
• Rocky River Grille
• The Speedway Club

• 5Church
• 505E Restaurant & Lounge**
• Aria Tuscan Grill
• Bernardin's at Ratcliffe
• BlackFinn American Saloon
• BLT Steak
• Blue Restaurant & Bar
• Brazz Carvery and Brazilian Steakhouse
• Bubble Charlotte**
• Caffe Siena
• The Capital Grille
• Chima Brazilian Steakhouse
• Coastal Kitchen & Bar
• Delta's
• e2 emeril's eatery
• Fitzgerald's Pub**
• Fleming's Prime Steakhouse
• The King's Kitchen**
• Luce Ristorante e Bar
• Malabar Spanish Cuisine
• McCormick & Schmick's Seafood & Steaks- Uptown
• Mimosa Grill
• Morton's The Steakhouse
• Osso Restaurant & Lounge
• Red Ginger Japanese Steak House & Sushi**
• Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery**
• Room 112 Modern Asian Cuisine & Sushi Lounge
• Rooster's Wood-Fired Kitchen - Uptown**
• Ruth's Chris Steak House - Uptown
• Savannah Red
• Threes Tap Room, Wine Bar & Cafe**
• Vida Mexican Kitchen y Cantina

• Nick's Steak and Taphouse - Gastonia
• Old Stone Steakhouse
  
  

** First-time Charlotte Restaurant Week participant.

WSOC