Because gourmet cuisine is the perfect antidote to unpacking

Twice a year, D.C.’s fine dining establishments take a week to collectively pander to the middle-class masses. During Washington’s semiannual Restaurant Week, you’ll be able to enjoy a meal at that swanky place that you’ve never had enough money in your bank account to patronize.

This summer’s Restaurant Week will be taking place from August 24th to 30th—right around the time Georgetown students will be returning to campus. That makes it the perfect chance to score a high-class goodbye dinner from your parents if they’re dropping you off, or a a great opportunity for a refined reunion with friends you haven’t seen all summer.

Meals during Restaurant Week are three-course, fixed-price affairs. Lunch will run you $20.09 and dinner will be $35.09.

Although Restaurant Week won’t be starting for a while, tables tend to fill up fast, so it’s a good idea to make reservations pretty far in advance. Of the 180 restaurants participating, 14 of them are in Georgetown.

After the jump, we’ve got a map of where to go for gourmet deals near campus!

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Looking for a way to make Georgetown retailers’ tough times into your personal gain? Well, you’re in luck.  About 60 stores, restaurants, bars and spas are joining together to have weekly Happy Hours every Wednesday this summer.

The deals vary from establishment to establishment, but here are some of the highlights:

• Bangkok Bistro (3251 Prospect St.): $1 per piece of sushi, $2 drinks from 3 to 6 p.m.
• Sugar (1633 Wisconsin Ave.): 15% off all clothing, plus complimentary “treats and sweets.”
• Peacock Café (3251 Prospect St.): Half-price burgers, calamari and nachos, $4 beers, $5 glass of wine, $6 cocktails, $7 martinis between 4 and 7 p.m.
• Contemporaria ( 3303 Cady’s Alley): Free prosecco and 15% off dining chairs.
• Garretts Restaurant & Tavern (3003 M St.): Half-price burgers, domestic beers, rail liquors and house wines.
• Poppy (3235 P St.): Free glass of Barefoot bubbly and the chance to enter the weekly raffle for a piece of silver jewelry from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Salon Rafik (3307B M St.): 15 % off any service or product.
• Paolo’s Ristorante (1303 Wisconsin Ave.): $3 classic cocktails, $3 house wine by the glass, $4 drafts (Stella and Guinness) from 4 to 7 p.m.

You can check out the full list of participating businesses at the Georgetown BID website.  The recession’s silver lining never looked so good!