BERKELEY RESTAURANT WEEK TIPS OFF MARCH 21 FOR “MARCH MUNCH MADNESS”

The 12th annual Berkeley Restaurant Week (#BRW24) tips off Thursday, March 21 with a basketball-inspired theme, “March Munch Madness,” and creative offers from more than 75 of the city’s culinary players. As a bonus, the tasty theme of March Mushroom Madness will be highlighted, in honor of the Bioneers Conference happening concurrently in downtown Berkeley March 28-30 with renowned fungi expert Merlin Sheldrake, Ph. D, among the keynote speakers.

Restaurants, wineries, breweries, and other locations are set to “hoop it up” March 21-31 with special value menus and offerings, many featuring mushroom dishes. Berkeley Restaurant Week “March Munch Madness” will offer tiered pricing options with basketball themes. “Lay Up” offers range from $10-$20; “Jump Shot” offers go from $20-$30; “Three Pointer” offers range from $30-$40; and “Full Court Press” offers are $40+. For the full list of participating restaurants and menus see BerkeleyRestaurantWeek.com.

“The BRW campaign has pivoted and evolved over the years to align with the needs of our culinary community. Incorporating partnerships with local shops, unique venues and non-profits like the Berkeley Food Network validates Berkeley’s robust food and libations scene,” said Jeff Church, Visit Berkeley’s Director of Partnership Development.

In addition to daily Berkeley Restaurant Week menu specials, a trio of special events will highlight this year’s edition. The official #BRW24 Kickoff Event happens on Wed., March 20 at Berkeley Bowl West. A pop-up celebration showcasing the BRW menu of La Marcha Tapas Bar happens from 11 am to 3 pm, with all sales going to the Berkeley Food Network. A ticketed event will follow the kick-off from 4 pm to 6 pm, also at Berkeley Bowl West, to further support the Berkeley Food Network and its mission to end hunger and poor nutrition, supporting 6,500 people weekly with no-cost, healthy groceries through pantries and partnerships.

“Far too many struggle to afford healthy food in our community. Berkeley Food Network is excited to partner with Visit Berkeley and local restaurants for Berkeley Restaurant Week to raise awareness about the important issue of food insecurity and build support for community-based solutions,” said Molly Rosenthal, Development and Communications Manager for the Berkeley Food Network. “We're grateful for the generosity of Berkeley Bowl, our largest food recovery partner, who will help us kick everything off on March 20.”

A pair of official #BRW24 evening receptions will post-up during the event. On March 19, SWAY will host a Restaurant Week Partner Spotlight on March 19, from 6 pm to 9 pm. On Fri., March 29, Ciel Creative Space will hold a Sweet 16 Watch Party at its West Berkeley location starting at 5 pm. El Patio and The Grazing Company will team up at both events to benefit the Berkeley Food Network. For all menus, event details, and tickets, see BerkeleyRestaurantWeek.com.

Berkeley Restaurant Week “March Munch Madness” is presented by Visit Berkeley, with support from partners BARTable, Berkeleyside, Berkeley Bowl, and the Berkeley Food Network.