Touting “Delectable Cuisine at a Delicious Value,” Restaurant Week will come to Bell Tower Shops May 20 through Memorial Day. Dining enthusiasts will enjoy special value prix fixe menus at all 10 Bell Tower eating establishments.
Taking cue from the popular New York City dining event that started in 1992, Restaurant Week at Bell Tower Shops allows diners to sample some of the best fare in Fort Myers at a fraction of the regular price. All of the establishments have agreed to provide an $18.87 prix fixe limited edition menu – a nod to the historically significant date 1887 which is when Lee County was incorporated.
“It’s a natural fit for Bell Tower Shops as we are considered the top destination for those in search of great food,” said Valerie Cope, director of marketing and sponsorships. “Now that season is over, we hope Restaurant Week will encourage locals to venture out and sample the gastronomical treasures right in their backyard.”
“Our customers are very excited about the latest additions of DaRuMa Japanese Steakhouse, Gracie’s Cupcakes and Grimaldi’s Pizzeria,” adds Cope. “With World of Beer opening this summer, we will have one of the most diverse and enviable collections of eating and drinking establishments in Lee County.”
In conjunction with the dining event Bell Tower Shops also is launching its inaugural “Summer of Support” whereby each month through August Bell Tower will join forces with a local nonprofit organization. Restaurants and merchants will accept donated items such as gently used clothing, school supplies and pet supplies to benefit each organization. In May, all restaurants and many merchants will accept nonperishable food donations for Community Cooperative Ministries Inc.
“It’s all about building awareness and Restaurant Week is an ideal time to promote an organization which has developed programs that effectively feed the hungry in our community,” said Cope. “We have also invited CCMI to join us for our May events to educate the public about the services they provide, including Meals on Wheels and the Soup Kitchen.”
CCMI provides more than 14,000 meals each month through its Soup Kitchen and Meals on Wheels programs. The nonprofit agency also educates 40 children in its Community Montessori Preschool, provides weekend backpacks full of food to more than 2,500 children each school year and oversees a mobile food pantry and everyday choice marketplace.
Establishments participating in Restaurant Week at Bell Tower Shops will include:
• Bistro 41
• Blue Point Oyster Bar & Seafood Grill
• Cantina Laredo
• Crü
• Courtyard Café
• DaRuMa Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Lounge
• Gracie’s Cupcakes & Ice Cream
• Grimaldi’s Pizzeria
• Mimi’s Café
• T.G.I. Friday’s
In addition to the restaurants listed above, the following merchants are accepting donations for CCMI:
• The Mole Hole
• Patchington
• Sunglass Hut
• Trader Rick’s
• Trini in Private Salon & Spa
• Williams-Sonoma
A full listing of Restaurant Week menu items and merchants accepting donations for CCMI is available at www.thebelltowershops.com or www.facebook.com/BellTowerShops.
Bell Tower Shops is an open-air lifestyle center, located in Fort Myers at U.S. 41 and Daniels Parkway, with more than 40 retailers, including Saks Fifth Avenue and The Fresh Market, 10 restaurants and Bell Tower 20 Regal Cinemas. The center’s sidewalk garden setting of lush landscaping, splashing fountains and covered walkways makes it a popular gathering place. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the center. To learn more about upcoming events and concerts, follow Bell Tower Shops on Facebook, visit www.TheBellTowerShops.com or call 239-489-1221.
CCMI serves Fort Myers and the greater Lee County area, including Bonita Springs, Cape Coral and Lehigh Acres. The Soup Kitchen serves a noontime meal six days a week to men, women and children. In addition, CCMI prepares and delivers nutritious packaged meals and beverages for the homebound hungry, offers customer choice food pantries and mobile food pantries that provide emergency groceries to families in need, serves two nutritious meals a day for the children in their Montessori Preschool and oversees a backpack program for local schoolchildren who would otherwise receive little to no food on weekends. For more information, visit www.ccmileecounty.com or call 239-332-7687.

Source: Bell Tower Shops