Newport Restaurant Week: The Remix Returns This Month

NEWPORT, RI —Restaurant Week is returning to Newport, just in time for Rhode Islanders to "take it outside" in the warm spring weather. This year's event will run from April 9 through 18.

The annual event was started in 2006 as a way to encourage Newport residents and visitors to support locally owned restaurants. In 2008, it was expanded to be twice per year.

Participating restaurants will offer special deals and discounts during Restaurant Week, including prix-fixe menus, buy-one-get-one offers and other special offerings. This year, nearly 50 restaurants have signed up, including new additions such as Blue Anchor Grill in Portsmouth and Middletown's Plant City.

Charlie Holder, who manages operations at Midtown Oyster Bar and Surf Club, said the new format allows restaurants the freedom to create their own deals.

"This is an even greater win for the consumer, because they now have more options in style and costs of dining then they had when all restaurants worked under the same price structure," Holder explained. "In this time, when restaurants have to adapt to the changing consumer climate due to COVID-19, I give a well-deserved shout of acknowledgment to Discover Newport for their tremendous efforts!"

To help encourage outdoor dining, customers will offer silver "warming blankets" at certain restaurant, bought with a grant from the state's Commerce Department.

"Restaurant deals are added to DiscoverNewportRestaurantWeek.org on a rolling basis. We encourage restaurants planning to participate to submit their deals as early as possible to give diners a comprehensive scope of all the creative deals being offered and to plan accordingly," said Julie Grant, a spokesperson for Discover Newport. Adds Julie Grant,

Participating restaurants and customers are encouraged to use the hashtag #NPTRestaurantWeek on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter to help spread the word.

More information, including a list of participating restaurants, is available from Discover Newport.