Plenty of culinary options available during La Grange Restaurant Week

Residents of La Grange and its surrounding area are invited to the annual Restaurant Week.

La Grange Restaurant Week will take place across 10 days from Feb. 22 through March 3.

Participating restaurants are offering two value-based lunch options and three value-based dinner options along with other special discounts.

This year’s event is sponsored by Chad’s Cheesecake, which is offering a buy two, get one free cheesecake slice special.

“We’re really excited this year because we have a great showing of restaurants that’s really allowed La Grange to emerge as a restaurant destination,” said Cathy Domanico, executive director of the La Grange Business Association. “We have so much variety in our offering and really a plethora of opportunity for great meal experiences.”

This year’s event will feature 23 participating restaurants, Domanico said, including The Elm and Marco’s Kitchen, two sought-after reservations in the community. Marco’s Kitchen recently was awarded the 2024 Distinguished Restaurants of North America Award, which recognizes and celebrates exceptional restaurants that showcase an elevated dining experience.

For this year’s Restaurant Week, Marco’s is featuring a dinner pre-fix menu as one of its offerings, providing patrons a choice of appetizer, starter, entree and sweets for $75 a person. Customers will be invited to choose between items such as the black truffle burrata bruschetta and chorizo stuffed medjool dates wrapped in applewood smoked bacon. For entrees, a pistachio encrusted lamb, filet mignon medallion, pekin duck breast and mahi mahi are offered.

“You can sort of restaurant hop in La Grange because there’s just so much variety in food,” said Marco Conte, owner of Marco’s Kitchen. “We look forward to the broad audience and the atmosphere of serving a mix of regulars and new faces every year.”

Marco’s opened amid the pandemic and had to pivot its model several times. Post-pandemic, Marco’s Kitchen has settled into its original concept of focusing on providing patrons a romantic experience. Conte said he is proud to be located in La Grange where so many people have been supportive of his vision and have welcomed Marco’s Kitchen into the community.

It’s not just the newer restaurants that diners can get a taste. Established La Grange classics such as Palmer Place are participating in the event.

Palmer Place is offering a two-person special for $55 and a one-person special for $20, the former including an entree choice of lemon and chicken pasta, wild salmon filet in maple Dijon sauce or bourbon glazed beef tenderloin skewers. The one-person special is an ode to Palmer’s famous and award-winning burgers. Diners can choose between the Ultimate Gourmet Burger, a wagyu beef burger or the Benchmark Burger, a blend of prime chuck, brisket and short rib.

“The La Grange Business Association puts out a lot of great events and the town is just so active,” said Dave Tarman, owner of Palmer Place. “This is a great opportunity to get the Palmer Place name out and put something new from our menu in front of people.”