It’s among the best of all dilemmas: planning your stops during Restaurant Week Toledo each year. What to choose? A smoothie and toast for breakfast … some barbeque or pizza for lunch … a stop for locally created coffee (or beer) … and delicacies from around the world for dinner.

Toledo is a great city for food, and especially for our plethora of locally owned restaurants. Restaurant Week Toledo (RWT), in its 12th year, celebrates these local businesses while supporting Leadership Toledo’s tuition-free youth programs. And this year’s event – from February 28 through March 6 – is especially important.

“It’s been a huge struggle for local businesses during the pandemic, and restaurants in particular,” explained Elizabeth Hoerner of Leadership Toledo. “We’re thrilled that Toledo restaurants are all in for this year’s program.”

Restaurants participating in RWT create and offer menus for the event, highlighting their own unique and exciting offerings (RWT menus will be available after Feb. 26). A percentage of each restaurant’s gross sales for the week (excluding alcohol) is donated to Leadership Toledo to support the organization’s youth leadership development programming. “These programs help youth to create community connections, develop leadership through service and gain the tools to develop their leadership muscle,” said Hoerner.

The 2022 Restaurant Week features 36 restaurants, including five first-time participants:

• Leaf & Seed – specializing in vegan comfort foods, Leaf & Seed is in downtown Toledo at 116 10th St. They also operate a popular food truck around the region.
• Brick Bar – located downtown at 413 Madison Ave., The Brick Bar specializes in craft cocktails and live music.
• Hannon’s Block – offering American Classics in a quirky downtown environment. At the corner of Monroe and Erie, 619 Monroe St.
• Charlie’s Homemade Ice Cream & Burgers – since 1984, this Sylvania restaurant has specialized in All American Burgers and other great food. But the ice cream is the star at this spot, at 6600 Sylvania Ave., Suite 31.
• Jera’s Heavenly Sweet – you’ll know these sweets from community events around the area, but now you can get these delectable items from her shop at 3059 W. Bancroft St.

Most of the participating restaurants will offer their menus for dine in or take out service. However, Sidon Restaurant will offer only take out service during Restaurant Week.

Get your passports ready

A new feature of Restaurant Week is the digital RWT Passport for checking in at the restaurants you visit. After you register for the Passport, which is sponsored by Destination Toledo, you’ll receive a pass by text and email, and can check in with the restaurants you’re visiting. Visitors who submit at least two check-ins during the week are entered to win gift cards (and the more places you check in, the larger your potential prize). “We upgraded the Passport from paper to mobile this year, and you’ll be able to get everything you need in one spot,” said Hoerner. “We’ve also added a map feature to the Passport, which will really help in planning your meals.”

And while you’re out around town, be sure to enter the RWT Photo Contest. Take your selfie or other photo while you’re dining and post it on Instagram or Facebook using the #RWT2022 or #RestaurantWeekToledo hashtags (and tag the restaurant you’re at and Restaurant Week Toledo while you’re at it). Three winners will be chosen to receive RWT items.

Heading all around the region

Another very useful feature heading into Restaurant Week Toledo is its website. In addition to getting background information and menus from all participating restaurants, the website organizes participants by location and type of meal offered. Restaurants for this year’s program can be found throughout the region, including Downtown, Holland, North Toledo, Oregon, Swanton, Waterville, West Toledo, South Toledo, Maumee, Perrysburg, Sylvania and Whitehouse. And select your restaurant based on the type of meal you’d like: breakfast, coffee, lunch, dinner or take out.

“We want our local restaurants to be around for a long time,” said Hoerner. “Toledo’s restaurants need you, and Restaurant Week Toledo is the perfect time to show your appreciation.” We need Toledo’s restaurants in our lives too!

Participants in the 2022 Restaurant Week Toledo include: Adams Street Café, Balance Pan Asian Grille, Basil Pizza & Wine Bar, The Blarney Irish Pub, BREW Coffee Bar, The Brick Bar, Charlie’s Homemade Ice Cream & Burgers, The Chop House, Ciao, Deet’s BBQ, Fowl & Fodder Downtown, Hannon’s Block, Home Slice Pizza, Inside the Five Brewing Co., Jera’s Heavenly Sweet, The Leaf and Seed, Local Roots Juice Co., Loma Linda, Maddie & Bella Coffee Roasters, Mancy’s Ideal, Mancy’s Steakhouse, Manhattan’s Pub ‘n Cheer, Nagoya Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi, Poco Piatti, Rayoka Japanese Steakhouse, Real Seafood Company, Registry Bistro, Rosie’s Italian Grille, Shorty’s True American Roadhouse, Sidon Lebanese Grille & Bakery, SIP Coffee, Souk Mediterranean Kitchen & Bar, Stella’s Restaurant & Bar, The Whitehouse Inn, Ye Olde Durty Bird and Zia’s Italian.