Astoria Open Street Hosting 'Restaurant Weekends' With Deals & More

ASTORIA, QUEENS — Hoping to spend the last few weeks of summer sampling Astoria's restaurants and relishing what's left of the warm weather? An upcoming open street event will let you do both at once.

Astoria's 31st Avenue Open Street will play host to its first-ever "Restaurant Week(end)" on three separate weekends this month, organizers announced Tuesday.

The event, on Sept. 10-11, 17-18 and 24-25, will feature special $31 discounted meal deals at five restaurants and bars along the street: Bareburger, Bar Dalia, Halsey's, Enthaice Thai Kitchen and Heart of Gold.

Anyone who spends $31 at those restaurants — or at fellow eateries Golden Dragon, Hutch, Savage, and El Ray del Taco — will also be entered into one of several raffles, with prizes courtesy of the vendors at the open street's monthly market.

"We know how much Astoria loves supporting its local small businesses, so we’re looking forward to seeing our neighbors come out and show some love to these bars and restaurants, who have been through a rough 2+ years," said Cormac Nataro, an event organizer and open street volunteer.

Visitors can dine in at any of the restaurants, or, of course, order their meals to-go and eat them al fresco on the open street, where organizers set up tables and chairs each weekend. (People can also bring meals to Diamond Dogs, the bring-your-own-food cocktail bar along the avenue.)

Highlights of the $31 meal-deal include Heart of Gold, which offers two sandwiches and two draft beers, or Bar Dalia's Sunday special, which features one entree and two brunch cocktails.

Meanwhile, visitors can grab a free tote bag with "open street goodies" by stopping by the open street's volunteer table between 33rd and 35th streets anywhere from noon to 8 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

Those who take advantage of the $31 meal can enter the raffle by emailing a copy of their receipt to info@31staveopenstreet.org. Alternatively, visitors can enter the raffle by posting about a participating restaurant on social media and emailing a link to the open street, or simply by entering for free online.

This year's iteration of the car-free 31st Avenue Open Street runs from 33rd to 35th street, every Saturday and Sunday from noon until 8 p.m. This year's season is scheduled to run through Dec. 31.

Learn more about Restaurant Week(end) at the 31st Avenue Open Street website, or view a program guide here.