As Hudson County continues to grow, so does the number of bars and restaurants throughout the area. This year, 42 restaurants from across the county will once again come together to be a part of Hudson County Restaurant Week, July 25 to Aug. 5. It’s the seventh year of the event.
The event is organized by Tamara Campbell, a local entrepreneur who runs HudsonMenus.com and HudsonPulse.com.
Hudson Restaurant Week 2011 features restaurants offering discounted meals in Hoboken, Jersey City, North Bergen, Weehawken, and West New York.
The restaurants taking part in Hudson Restaurant Week do not have a set price, like New York City’s restaurant week. The promotion offers “a variety of restaurants” so there are different levels of discounted prices for customers, according to a release.
Lunches start at $13, and dinners start at $20.
“It’s a good opportunity for people to get out and try new restaurants.” – Tamara Campbell
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There are 24 restaurants taking part in the promotion from Jersey City, the most of all of the participating cities.
Fourteen of the restaurants are in Hoboken. North Bergen, Weehawken, and West New York each have one restaurant taking part in Hudson Restaurant Week.
“In the first year it was started just after I had some honest conversations with restaurant owners who wanted to think of some promotions we could do in the area,” Campbell said. “With New York City holding their own restaurant week, we thought, why don’t we just try that promotion here?”
First of its kind
Campbell said that Hudson Restaurant Week was the first restaurant week celebration in the state of New Jersey.
In 2005, when Hudson Restaurant Week was first introduced, Campbell applied for and received a tourism grant from the state to help promote the event. She said since that time, many restaurant weeks have sprouted up throughout the state, and she estimates that there are at least 15 other similar promotions.
“Our goal for the first year was that we wanted to have 10 restaurants,” Campbell said. “But we wound up having around 22 restaurants take part. It was something restaurant owners wanted.”
She added that over the years the diversity of the restaurants has increased, as has the number of participants.
“Some people don’t get a chance to eat out all the time,” Campbell said. “It’s a good opportunity for people to get out and try new restaurants. Before 2005 there wasn’t a restaurant week to wait for in New Jersey, but now it gives people an opportunity to try a more expensive restaurant at a lower price.”
For more information about Hudson Restaurant Week, visit www.hudsonrestaurantweek.com.
Ray Smith may be reached at RSmith@hudsonreporter.com
SIDEBAR
Here’s a list of the 2011 Hudson Restaurant Week participants.
Jersey City
Amiya
Bistro La Source
Box
Casa Dante
Cityside Bistro
Conquita
Edward’s Steakhouse
The Embankment
Hamilton Inn
Henry’s on the Hudson
Komegashi
Komegashi Too
Liberty House
Maritime Parc
The Merchant
Michael Anthony’s
O’Connell’s
The Pointe
Port-O Lounge
Porto Leggero
Puccini’s
Satis Bistro
Sawadee
Sky Thai
Hoboken
3Forty Grill
Amanda’s
Arthur’s Tavern
Brass Rail
Clinton Social
Dino & Harry’s
Gaslight
The Madison
Oddellows Restaurant
Trinity
Turtle Club
Village of Pourhouse
West Five Supper Club
Zylo
North Bergen
Antonia’s On the Park
Weehawken
Chart House
West New York
PF Chang’s