Thanks to Everyone for Coming to Dine Around Downtown!

A big thank-you to everyone who came out and supported the restaurants that participated at Dine Around Downtown. Also: A round of applause to the 35 Lower Manhattan kitchens for keeping people fed and happy all afternoon long. 

Tuesday’s community food festival was met with overwhelming enthusiasm, as 35 local restaurants and nearly 10,000 New Yorkers descended on Fosun Plaza (28 Liberty Street). It was the nineteenth time for Dine Around to occupy Fosun but the first time in three years for residents and workers of Lower Manhattan to chow down at the fest. 

The event drew so many people who were eager to get out and try it all, that many restaurants sold out of their signature dishes — Industry Kitchen’s ahi tuna nachos went fast — and everyone was asking when the next festival will be held.

The event’s zero-waste initiative was also a success with partner Common Ground Compost. An estimated 1,750 pounds of organic materials and 1,050 pounds of recyclables were diverted from landfills, and the organization reported that, while about 700 pounds of landfill waste was generated, it was low for an event of this size.

Host Rocco DiSpirito effortlessly emceed the event, and Kelly Green and the Shades treated everyone with righteous tunes to accompany their lunch. Special thanks also goes out to co-presenter Fosun and sponsors Bike Rent NYC and the Howard Hughes Corporation.