Of the many upscale restaurants that dot Little Neck, not one is participating in New York City's Restaurant Week.
Restaurant Week is a chance for diners to test out cuisine that might otherwise fall outside their budgets. For restaurants, it's an opportunity to lure future loyal customers with uncharacteristically low prices, perhaps saddling them with a taste for a particular dish that will keep them returning long after the discount is gone.
Of the 320 restaurants participating throughout the city, few of them are located in Queens, and fewer still located in northeast. In fact, most local restaurateurs had no idea the event was even taking place this week.
Joe DiMaria, the owner of DiMaria's Brick Oven Pizza, said he might have participated in restaurant week had he known it was happening.
"I was never informed about it. No one came in and told me about it." he said. "It's the first time I’m hearing about it, to be honest with you."
Other owners simply lack the interest to join the increasingly popular tradition. Sam, who declined to give his last name, is the the owner of the Persian Tea Room. He said he wouldn't be participating as a matter of "time management." The owners of La Baraka said they will be leaving for vacation soon, and didn't want to deal with the added the pressure of Restaurant Week.
Participating restaurants - which include Long Island City's Testaccio and Water's Edge - are offering the 3-course meals for $24.07 for lunch and $35 for dinner until July 24. Check out the complete list of restaurants here.
