Flint Restaurant Week Kicks Off Amid Lead-Tainted Water Crisis
FLINT (WWJ) - The city of Flint is still dealing with the lead tainted water crisis, but restaurants are moving forward with a very special week to highlight their menus.
The first-ever Flint Restaurant Week kicks off Tuesday and runs through Saturday.
Nearly two dozen restaurants in and around Flint have developed special menus that showcase their signature dishes at a discounted price. In addition, several restaurants have scheduled special entertainment and events to complement the full week of activities.
Spencer Ruegsegger, general manager of Blackstone's Restaurant, said yes -- the water is safe at the restaurants.
"All of the restaurants in the area have put the right foot forward and did everything that they can to make sure that they have clean, safe drinking water," he said. "That's from getting weekly test to monitor their lead levels, as well as putting in additional filtration systems to make sure that we've got consistent, safe drinking water."
"Passports" will be available at each participating restaurant during the event, which guests can use to track the number of establishments they have visited. If a guest visits enough restaurants during the week, they will qualify for a special prize that can be picked up Saturday, the final day of the event.
Participating restaurants are: Soggy Bottom Bar, Blackstone's, The Lunch Studio, The Torch Bar & Grill, Table & Tap, Merge, Flint Crepe Co., Luigi's, The White Horse, Cork on Saginaw, The Local Grocer, The Farmers Market, Steady Eddy's Café, Café Rhema, 501 Bar & Grill, Hoffman's Deco Deli, Churchill's, El Potrero, and Tenacity Brewing.
"The restaurant community in Flint has been a beacon of light, showing true leadership during a difficult time," Justin Winslow, president and CEO of the Michigan Restaurant Association, said in a statement. "I encourage everyone to travel to Flint and have a great meal, a great time, and to support an industry that plays an important role in so many lives."
For more information, visit flintrestaurantweek.com.
