March 8, 2016 - Last night, Westchester County Executive Robert P. Astorino joined Janet Crawshaw, publisher of The Valley Table magazine, and Jim Sullivan, owner of Pearl Restaurant Group, at the Lexington Square Café in Mount Kisco to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Hudson Valley Restaurant Week (HVRW). From March 7 – 20, diners can sample different dining options from more than 230 restaurants across the Hudson Valley with nearly half of them right here in Westchester.

"Having been a part of Hudson Valley Restaurant Week since its inception, and with more than 120 of our restaurants participating, Westchester County is looking forward to another successful year," says Westchester County Executive Robert P. Astorino. "Westchester's food and beverage industry accounts for nearly $473 million in visitor spending, and events like this continue to help grow that number. Once again, The Valley Table has done an excellent job highlighting Westchester County and the entire Hudson Valley Region as the perfect destination for a culinary getaway."

Lexington Square Café offers a unique combination of spacious dining with an intimate feel. Its menu offers eclectic and interesting choices that will please the most discerning palettes. During the kickoff, Astorino helped prepare one of the restaurant's signature dishes, the Atlantic Cod Livornese.

"We are thrilled to be a part of Hudson Valley Restaurant week year after year," said Sullivan, owner of Pearl Restaurant Group. "Hudson Valley Restaurant Week brings new diners into our restaurants and offers a big boost to the Westchester economy."

HVRW celebrates top restaurants, giving diners the opportunity to enjoy exceptional dining at an approachable price point. Three-course, prix fixe dinners are $29.95 and lunches are $20.95 (plus beverage, tax and tip). Participating venues include well-known establishments, such as Crabtree's Kittle House and X2O Xaviars on the Hudson. This year's Westchester lineup includes more than 20 new restaurants across the county.

"We started Hudson Valley Restaurant Week with just 70 restaurants and the goal to build the region's reputation as a culinary destination. Now, with a record 230 participating restaurants, from Yonkers to Rhinebeck, a variety of cuisines and unique settings from historic to urban chic, riverfront to mountainside, the region truly is recognized as a great food destination. That's certainly reason to toast to the 10th," says Crawshaw, publisher of The Valley Table magazine, founding sponsor of HVRW.

A complete list of participating restaurants is available at HudsonValleyRestaurantWeek.com. For the latest events and happenings in Westchester, go to visitwestchesterny.com, like us on Facebook (facebook.com/westchestercountytourism), follow us on Twitter @westchestertour or call (800) 833-9282.

About Westchester County Tourism & Film
Tourism & Film is Westchester County's official destination marketing organization. Its mission is to generate economic benefits by enhancing the image and promoting Westchester County as a premier business and leisure destination in the Hudson Valley region. The Tourism & Film Office in Westchester County is a division within County Executive Robert P. Astorino's Office of Economic Development.

About Hudson Valley Restaurant Week
In 1996, Janet Crawshaw and Jerry Novesky took an eight-month sabbatical, traveling 35,000 miles across the country seeking authentic American experiences. They found that local farms, bakeries, fish markets, wineries and breweries were the key to understanding the country's distinct regions. Inspired by their trip and the Chefs Collaborative, an educational sustainable food movement, the couple returned to their home in the Hudson Valley with a mission to awaken the region's food consciousness.

In 1998, they launched The Valley Table, a colorful quarterly, magazine that celebrates the agricultural heritage and cuisine of the region, leading the development of the Hudson Valley's local food movement. Crawshaw and Novesky launched Hudson Valley Restaurant week in 2006 with a distinguished board of advisors, including chefs, restaurateurs and tourism leaders. The two-week culinary event premiered with 70 restaurants. Today, with more than 185 participating restaurants spanning seven counties, it is among the largest Restaurant Week events in the country. Participating counties include Dutchess, Westchester, Columbia, Orange, Putnam, Rockland and Ulster. It has become a successful collaborative effort involving farmers, growers, wine makers and chefs.