Restaurant Week offers discounts

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Restaurant Week is underway in Austin. It's a chance to check out dozens of restaurants at a reduced cost.

For Love Nance, the owner of Annie's Cafe, which moved out of the basement at Chase and onto Congress Avenue, taking part in Restaurant Week last year led to a big boost in business.

"We were swamped," said Nance.

That seems to be the sentiment among restaurant owners all across the city who are taking part. When it started two years ago 40 restaurants participated - this year that number is up to 73.

"A lot of these places people have never been to so it's a really unique opportunity to get out there and find places you really haven't been to and dig through the map we made for everyone," said Taylor Perkins, Publisher Rare Magazine.

Perkins found restaurants from Cedar Park to South Austin that wanted to be included in Restaurant Week which runs Sunday through Wednesday.

"We're driving business in there earlier in the week when restaurants generally are a little bit slower," said Perkins.

There are fixed menus at each restaurant for both lunch and dinner that cost between $10 and $35.

"Most restaurants will have a couple different options to choose from like vegetarian options, gluten free options. Additional wine pairings for an additional fee," said Perkins.

At Annie's they'll be serving up their special steak frites and lemon tart.

"I think it's great everyone in Austin comes out and support local business," said Nance.

This year's Restaurant Week runs through this Wednesday, September 22 and again next Sunday, September 26 through Wednesday, September 29.