DeKalb | Come get a taste of DeKalb between April 23 and 29 in celebration of the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce’s Restaurant Week when local restaurants will hold sales and provide special meals to entice new customers.

This is the second year the Chamber of Commerce has put the event together, and Jessica Antonacci, event manager for the Chamber, said they are hoping for even more success this year. She said the event is great for students looking to try new foods.

“It’s a good opportunity to get out of your comfort zone if you’re always going to the same couple of restaurants,” Antonacci said. “It’s great for NIU students if they have not ventured out in the downtown or Sycamore area.”

Restaurant Week encourages the community to try new meals and restaurants while also giving local eateries a chance to create new dishes and showcase their menus to gain an increase in business, according to the Chamber of Commerce website.

“There was a restaurant last year that had been wanting to add a new dish to their menu,” said Antonacci. “They used Restaurant Week to test it out, [and] afterwards, they added it to their menu.”

This year, there will be over 20 restaurants participating in Restaurant Week, including Vinny’s Pizza, 221 W. Lincoln Highway, Fatty’s Pub & Grille, 1312 W. Lincoln Highway, and Pizza Pros, 1205 W. Lincoln Highway.

This is a week for students and locals to experience the tastes and smells of new, local food and a chance to catch favorite meals on sale. Pizza Pros is offering an $8.99 beef roll, and Fatty’s is featuring new burgers and beer selections along with many other participating restaurant specials.

“We expect publicity and for our customers to come in and enjoy the food that we serve,” said Dave Bradley, manager of The Huddle.

The Huddle, 817 W. Lincoln Highway, participated last year and said they had a great time and are expecting to do so again. The Huddle was awarded the Best Burger in DeKalb this year for the Best of DeKalb, so students can use Restaurant Week as an excuse to try some of their burgers.

As the end of the school year approaches, students may find themselves wanting to get out and experience something new. Restaurant Week provides a chance to get away from the campus dining halls and try local cuisine.