Summer Restaurant Week Returns To Boston

BOSTON -- Summer Restaurant Week is returning to Boston.

The event will be held from Aug. 10-15 and Aug. 17-22, the Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau announced Friday.

VIDEO: Summer Restaurant Week Returns To Boston

Diners can choose from an array of 180 of the region's best eateries to enjoy three-course prix fixe lunches for $20.08 and three-course dinners for $33.08 -- excluding beverage, tax and gratuity.

"During this time, typically, it is a quiet period. People are on vacation. They don't think about dressing up and going to a restaurant. During Restaurant Week, it provides an added incentive to come in and try different foods at a reasonable price," said Jim Carmody, of the Seaport Hotel.

Food lovers and cuisine enthusiasts can now go online to view all restaurants, peruse menus and make reservations through Open Table by clicking here.

During 2008 Summer Restaurant Week Boston, American Express will donate 25 cents for every transaction made on any American Express Card at participating restaurants -- up to $10,000 -- to this year’s charitable partner, Project Bread's Food for Kids Fund.

"It's up about 11 percent from last year -- driven in part because we have about 185 restaurants participating this year," said Paul Moscaritolo, of the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau.

The Department of Revenue said that the state's meal tax revenue is up $24 million over last fiscal year. Tourism is also up by about 1 percent.

"With the energy issues out there and the cost of fuel and the issue of our carbon footprint -- what a better place to be?" Boston Mayor Tom Menino said.