Hungry? There’s no better way to enjoy a helping of great food and help out Wilton’s local dining scene, than by taking part in the second annual Wilton Restaurant Week. Starting today, Monday, March 10, and running through Sunday, March 16, the event is sponsored by the Wilton Chamber of Commerce.

Janeen Leppert, the Chamber’s executive director said that there are 18 restaurants that are participating, and each will offer special menus or pricing for the weeklong event.

“Other towns set a price based on the year, like a dinner priced at $20.14. But every restaurant is different–what works for one isn’t going to work for another. So in Wilton we let them choose how they want to participate. Some restaurants are doing prix fixe menus–they have a set price for lunch and a set price for dinner. Then you have other places, like Little Pub Wilton, which is doing ‘Taco-Palooza.’ They have taco specials all week long. Black Cat Grille in Georgetown is doing burger specials. Peachwave is doing buy-2-get-1-free, from 7 p.m. to close, Monday through Sunday. We let the restaurant decide based on what works for them.”

The event also helps fight the perception, internally and in surrounding towns, that Wilton is a sleepy little hamlet.

“It’s a great highlight for Wilton restaurants. We have so many diverse cuisines–there’s southwestern, there’s Italian, there’s Asian, there’s French, there’s modern American. I don’t think people realize the awesome dining scene we have. So it’s a way for us to do some bragging,” Leppert said.

Last year’s promotion worked well, and participating restaurants confirm the event does bring in clientele from other towns. “Last year was our first year and we were floored with the response. The restaurant owners told us they saw people come in just for the program. There’s a website, ConnecticutRestaurantWeek.com, that’s the hub for all the towns in CT that do restaurant weeks. A lot of the foodie blogs, too. Last year was our first year and we got a ton of coverage. And we have so many cool restaurants, that I don’t know if many people in even our neighboring towns or farther know about. This is a great showcase,” Leppert said.

The program was so successful last year, that the restaurants were eager to grow it. Leppert explained that Sunday was added this year to improve on last year’s Monday-through-Saturday format. “The restaurants said, ‘We do great brunches, that’s a great lunch time, a great dinner time.’ They requested that and we’ll do whatever works for them.”

One reason it is important to come out to support the local restaurant owners is how difficult a winter it has been, and many of them have seen drops in diners. “It’s been such a brutal winter, that everyone is excited for the week. They’re hoping it will bring additional traffic, at a time that they do desperately need it.”

The Chamber also has a list of restaurants participating in Wilton’s Restaurant week, as well as their menus and specials (if provided by the locations) on their website.  As of Sunday evening’s press time that list includes:

Bianco Rosso Wine Bar Restaurant
Bistro 7
Black Cat Grille
Bon Appetit Cafe
Cactus Rose Restaurant & Tequila Bar
Coffee Barn
Little Pub Wilton
Lombardi’s Trattoria
Luca Ristorante Italiano
Luca Wine Bar
Marly’s of Wilton
Oak + Almond
Peachwave Frozen Yogurt
Portofino Restaurant & Bar
Rancho Alegré
Reiki Sushi & Asian Bistro
Toozy Patza Pizza
Wilton Pizza