Longmont ​Restaurant Week returns for its fourth year

The time to get out and explore Longmont’s growing restaurant scene is almost here. Longmont Restaurant Week is returning for a fourth year, from October 8 through 17. 

With 38 participants this year, including restaurants, breweries, cideries and distilleries, there will be plenty to choose from. The annual event, organized by the Longmont Area Chamber of Commerce, will also see a return to form after last year’s takeout focused offerings during COVID capacity restrictions.

“I think overall, the restaurants are rallying despite having some lingering effects from the pandemic,” said Longmont Chamber Membership Director Karen Stallard.

For $18.71 or $28.71, the local purveyors will be offering unique dining opportunities and cocktail pairings throughout the ten day event. Advance tickets are not required, though some establishments may require reservations for special Restaurant Week tasting experiences. Restaurants range from fine dining like Martini’s Bistro to pizza and Mexican and everything in between.

Highlighting the diverse offerings that Longmont has locally, and being as inclusive as possible to different establishments and cuisines, is a big factor in restaurant week, according to Longmont Chamber Communications Director Leah Winkler. The hope is that locals will explore new places they may not have tried before and discover a new favorite.

“The joy of discovery is baked into Restaurant Week,” Stallard said. “Even just a couple decades ago, there weren’t many places to eat out in town, and that’s not the case anymore. That’s worth celebrating.”

The featured restaurants this year are Longmont Public House, Gondolier, Summit Tacos and 300 Suns brewing. Newcomers to restaurant week include the Times Collaborative, a coworking space on the 300 block of Main Street with a commercial kitchen space. Shine Provisions and Tiger & Wife will offer two different tasting concepts throughout the week, though reservations are required.

To celebrate Longmont’s sesquicentennial anniversary, Restaurant Week kicks off on October 8 with a “Cheers to 150 years” tour with the BrewHop trolley. The one-night tour will visit eight of Longmont’s breweries and distilleries for commemorative beers, specialty cocktails and a special 150th Anniversary glass, so that “everyone around town can raise a glass to Longmont’s birthday,” Stallard said.

Returning for the first time since 2019, the Food Truck Cup will be held at St. Vrain Cidery on October 16. The Food Truck Cup will feature drinks from Outworld Brewing, St. Vrain Cidery and Abbott & Wallace Distilling to wash down food from more than a half dozen trucks. Ticket sales for the Food Truck Cup benefit Longmont Food Rescue, a local nonprofit dedicated to food equity in the community.

The J.M. Smuckers Company is one of the primary sponsors of the Food Truck Cup, not only with monetary backing but a comestible contribution. Smuckers has committed to donating up to 15,000 sandwiches to organizations like Longmont Food Rescue and OUR Center. The donation will be based on how many ticket sales and social media interactions Restaurant Week can get, according to Stallard.

“It’s a very good collaboration, all about celebrating the food and beverages in Longmont,” Stallard said. “But it also acknowledges that not everyone (in Longmont) has access to dining out.”

For those that can’t make it to the kick-off BrewHop tour, the Longmont Chamber and Left Hand Brewing will host another party at the newly opened Garden space on October 8. The party is open to the public and Left Hand Brewing will be serving their special Longmont Sesquicentennial beer.

The full list of participating establishments is available on the Restaurant Week website, and menus are being updated by the Longmont Chamber team as they come in.