The Center City District is doing a free tasting at the corner of 19th and Market at noon today as a Restaurant Week preview. There’ll be food from Le Castagne and D’Angelo’s available.

University City’s Dining Days kick off today. The West Philadelphia equivalent to Restaurant Week has several bells and whistles to make it worth a look. “To diverse for one price” is the tag line and the truth. Diners can choose from $15, $25 or $30 menus at West Philadelphia restaurants. Among the highlights are the five items you can get at Distrito, a last chance for Marigold Kitchen and the salad, pizza and dessert for just $15 at Dock Street.

For the complete options check out the official site.

University City Dining Days [Official Site]

Center City’s Fall Restaurant Week will be two weeks this time around and there will also be a lunch option.

The three course dinner is still $35 and runs from September 13th to 18th and 20th to 25th. The new lunch will have more than 55 participants and will be $20 for three courses.

Notable newcomers to Restaurant Week include Chifa,  Noble: American Cookery, Sakeya, Smokin Betty’s, Supper and Varga Bar.

There are also several special events that will take place over Restaurant Week including cooking demos at the Reading Terminal Market, and food samplings at 19th and Market, Moorestown, NJ and the Shops at Liberty Place.

If you’re downtown at lunchtime today check out 18th and Walnut where the official announcement will be going down. You might even get some free food from Davio’s or the Prime Rib.

Get your reservations soon before all the Penn kids get back in town and snatch ‘em all up!

Center City District Restaurant Week [Official Site]

Save the date. University City’s Dining Days return in late July. 21 West Philadelphia restaurants will be offering three courses at three price points between July 23 and 30th.

As University City’s dining options have grown this becomes an even more compelling restaurant week.

Consider trying the the  new Gold Standard Cafe or Mary Oaks. Plus there’s nothing wrong with Distrito for just $30 or having one final meal at Marigold Kitchen for the same price.

Complete list of participating restaurants after the jump.

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This week the Bite spotlights what’s going on in the river ward neighborhoods of Port Richmond, Kensington and Fishtown including a new restaurant, Pickled Heron and a restaurant week.

River Wards Step Up [Metro Philadelphia]

There are plenty of tables out there for the first night of the extended Restaurant Week. In fact only Amada, Lacroix and Zahav are even a bit difficult to get into tonight.

Restaurant Week Tables for Four [OpenTable]

Note: The OpenTable listings have not been updated to reflect restaurants that aren’t participating in week two of Restaurant Week so cross reference your choices with the Foobooz Restaurant Week Guide.

It’s Friday night of Restaurant Week. Is there a diamond in the rough to try?

This year and in past we’ve heard good things about Ristorante Panorama’s take on Restaurant Week. The Italian wine bar has openings at 7 and 9pm.  Couple that with a movie at the Ritz before or after and you’ve got a classic date night.

Ristorante Panorama [OpenTable]
Ristorante Panorama [Official Site]

Earlier in the week we had some gripes in the comments about Restaurant Week but the feedback we’ve culled this week from emails, blog posts and Twitter has been largely positive.

So what do you think? Have any recommendations for week two?

Leap at this one people! Zahav has a 7:30 reservation available. Brog sums up what we experienced on Monday. Zahav is the best Restaurant Week meal we’ve ever had.

Zahav [OpenTable]
Zahav: Restaurant Week Report [Brog]
Zahav [Official Site]

Distrito may not be in Center City but that’s not stopping Jose Garces’ from offering a $35 tasting menu through February 6th.

The tasting menu is served family-style and includes a selection of Garces favorite dishes, daily specials and seasonal treats.

The Distrito deal comes with the added benefit of including this Saturday which is not included in the Center City Restaurant Week. And since Tinto and Amada are not participating in week two of Restaurant Week, Distrito will be the only $35 Garces deal in town next week.

Menu examples after the jump.

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