Burlington County Commissioners and State Senators Troy Singleton and Dawn Addiego celebrate kickoff of Burlington County Restaurant Week

More than 40 restaurants from across the county participating in a week of delicious dishes, specials and promotions

BORDENTOWN CITY – Burlington County Restaurant Week is off and running with dozens of restaurants from all over the county participating.

Organized by the Burlington County Commissioners and State Senators Dawn Marie Addiego and Troy Singleton, the weeklong event is designed to showcase and promote Burlington County’s restaurants and encourage residents from throughout the region to support them.

The week officially kicked off Monday with more than 40 restaurants, representing a variety of cuisines ranging for pizza and wings, to fine dining, sushi and Thai.

Throughout the week, the County Commissioners and Senators plan to highlight these eateries with visits and posts on social media, and many of the participating restaurants are also featuring special menus, dishes and discounts.

Burlington County Commissioner Director Felicia Hopson and Commissioner Tom Pullion helped kick off the week with a visit to Marcello’s Coal Fired Restaurant and Pizza in downtown Bordentown City, where they celebrated the contributions that restaurants make to local communities.

Marcello’s is family-owned and has been one of the stars of the county’s dining scene for the last 17 years

“Restaurants are more than just a place to eat, drink or relax. They are the places we gather as families and meet friends and neighbors. They are employers and job creators, and they attract people to our downtown Main Streets and commercial districts. These businesses also give back and support their neighbors and communities,” said Hopson. “Burlington County is blessed to have so many wonderful restaurants and we want to support them and their employees.”

“You don’t have to travel far to find an outstanding restaurant and a great meal in Burlington County, and we want to make sure these businesses not only recover from the pandemic but thrive again,” added Pullion. “Whether its breakfast, lunch, dinner or desert, we want to encourage residents to support their favorite local restaurant and to give a few others a try this week. You won’t be disappointed.”

The Commissioners organized the first Restaurant Week in Burlington County during the fall of 2019 as an economic development initiative. This year, the Board opted to bring back the event at the start of summer to assist local restaurants still recovering from the COVID-19 and the challenges the pandemic posed to their operations.

State Senators Dawn Marie Addiego and Troy Singleton also joined up this year as co-sponsors of the event, and both senators have joined the commissioners in actively promoting the participating restaurants.

“Restaurants are more than just small businesses. They are places where friends, families and community members come together. We’ve been apart for so long, now with growing numbers of people vaccinated, it is the perfect time for us all to enjoy a relaxing night out with great food and great atmosphere, and Burlington County has plenty of places to choose from.”

“We know COVID-19 has been a challenge for all of us, but it’s been especially difficult on many restaurants, which have had to navigate shutdowns and social-distancing restrictions for well over a year now. Many are still fighting for their survival, and some have made large investments to create comfortable and safe indoor and outdoor dining spaces,” Singleton said. “Partnering in Burlington County Restaurant Week is another way we can help them recover and rebound. We’re thrilled to help spread the word about all the great dining choices located right here in Burlington County.”

For a full list of participating restaurants and specials, visit the Burlington County Restaurant Week website at www.co.burlington.nj.us/1844/Restaurant-Week-2021 and follow the Commissioners and Senators on Facebooks for posts and videos featuring some of the delicious dishes and specialties local restaurants are preparing.

A map featuring the participating restaurants is also available at http://bit.ly/BurlCoRestaurantWeekMap

Both senators and the Commissioners have also encouraged local restaurant owners to register for available state assistance from the New Jersey Economic Development Authority’s Phase 4 Small Business Emergency Assistance Grant Program.

More than $200 million in grant funding is available for small businesses impacted by the pandemic, including $20 million reserved solely for restaurants and bars.

Businesses have until Wednesday, June 30, to pre-register with the Economic Development Authority. The form to pre-register is available at https://www.njeda.com/njeda-announces-reopening-of-pre-registration-for-phase-4-of-the-small-business-emergency-assistance-grant-program/

Grant applications will be made available only to businesses that pre-register.

Zero-interest loans are also still available to Burlington County businesses through the County’s Health Emergency Loan Program, or HELP loans.

For more information, on the HELP loans, go to www.bcbridges.org/covid19-resources/