Looking for something to do this weekend? Here are five choice dining events going on around the city:
1) New York Oyster Week
When: Starts Today
Where: Various restaurants and locations around the city
What: The first ever New York Oyster Week kicks off today and will run through September 29. Throughout the week, restaurants like Lure, Blue Fin, and Monument Lane will be serving oyster specials, and there will also be various oyster-themed events taking place around the city. Today, check out the Stone Street Oyster Festival, the city's biggest oyster fest featuring fresh oysters to shuck, pints of beer, and live music. Tomorrow, Aureole will host the Oyster Social, an event benefiting Citymeals-on-Wheels. There will be endless oysters paired with wine, beer, Bloody Marys, and champagne.
2) OctoberfestNYC
When: Starts Today, 12 p.m. to 12 a.m.
Where: 1 Penn Plaza
What: Today marks the first day of a massive 16-day Oktoberfest celebration in a pop-up German beer hall in Chelsea. The event will take place inside a 6,000-square-foot outdoor plaza and tented beer garden, complete with long tables, German beers, and German food platters, including bratwurst sandwiches, würstl (German sausages), brezeln (hot Bavarian pretzels), and traditional German potato dumplings. There will also be a brunch menu featuring with German brunch fare served on weekends for the duration of the pop-up event.
3) Roast Duck Dinners
When: Sunday, first seating is at 5:45 p.m.
Where: Alison Eighteen
What: This weekend, Alison Eighteen kicks off their Sunday Night Roast Duck Dinner for Two. The meal costs $75 and includes a soup or salad, a whole roasted duck, a side of seasonal vegetables, and a fruit cobbler for dessert. Snag a reservation by calling the restaurant at 212-266-1818.
4) The Brooklyn Local
When: Today and tomorrow, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Where: Pier 1 in Brooklyn Bridge Park
What: City Harvest is hosting The Brooklyn Local this afternoon under the Brooklyn Bridge. Over 75 vendors, including Baked, Steve's Authentic Key Lime Pies, The Brooklyn Kitchen, and Sixpoint Brewery, will be serving food, beer, and wine all day long. There will also be a Tasting Tent with food from over 15 Brooklyn restaurants, including Mile End, Momofuku Milk Bar, Gran Electrica, and Pies 'n' Thighs, and a Happy Hour Tent featuring beer, wine, and special tastings. Proceeds from the event will go towards helping City Harvest feed hungry New Yorkers. Tickets will be available at the door, but check out the City Harvest site for more information.
5) Saturday Night Wine Tastings
When: Today, 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Where: The Tangled Vine
What: The Tangled Vine Wine Bar & Kitchen, a wine bar on the Upper West Side, launches their new monthly Saturday night wine tasting series tonight. Each month, the class will focus on a different type of wine and how it pairs with food. This month, the class is centered around rose wines and there will feature roses from France and Spain paired with snacks like grilled market vegetables, chorizo pizzettas with fresh mozzarella, and smoky crispy chickpeas with lime. The class is $24 per person, and can be booked by calling the bar at 646-863-3896.
Also of Note: Both locations of Smorgasburg are on for this weekend. The Hester Street Fair and The New Amsterdam Market are both open for business as well. Madison Square Eats makes its 2012 debut this weekend in Worth Sqaure with food vendors like Roberta's, Red Hook Lobster Pound, and Momofuku Milk Bar. Looking to try a new restaurant this weekend? Check out the Brooklyn exclusives on the menu at Paul Grieco and Marco Canora's new wine bar, Terroir Park Slope, the stylish new dining room of Cesare Casella's Salumeria Rosi Upper East Side, or The Pines, the highly anticipated new restaurant from the Littleneck Team. If you're in the mood for brunch, check out Eater's recently updated Brunch Heatmap. Or, if it's a sandwich you're after, consult Eater's guide to 20 Epic New York Sandwiches to Eat Before You Die.
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