It's being done somewhat out of a sense of necessity, but East Providence nonetheless is finally jumping on the "foodie" freighttrain with the creation of the city's inaugural "Restaurant Week" to take place in June.

The event was established by City Council resolution approved in March of this year. The idea for the week eminated from discussion how the body could help those businesses struggling since the closure of the westbound side of the Washington Bridge on Interstate 195 in the city last December.

The first-ever East Providence Restaurant Week, to be exact, runs from June 16-22. To date, 23 establishments of all types throughout the city have signed on to be included. It aims to "showcase the wide variety of dining establishments and culinary adventures available in East Providence."

“We are excited to work with local restaurant owners and the administration to make East Providence Restaurant Week a resounding success,” said At-Large member and Council President Robert Rodericks. “This event not only highlights the incredible talent and creativity of our culinary community but also serves as a catalyst for economic growth and promotes the establishment and sustainability of restaurants in our city.”

Restaurant Week is an attempt to offer local residents and visitors "a unique opportunity" to become familiar with the city’s "vibrant culinary scene," which includes both casual and fine dining/cuisine

A quote attributed the entire body read, "The City Council recognizes the vital contributions made by the East Providence restaurant community in shaping the cultural, social, and economic fabric of the city. By hosting Restaurant Week, the Council aims to support and celebrate the rich heritage and outstanding culinary achievements of these establishments."

Ward 1 member and Council Vice President Frank Rego, operates a wine/liquor wholesale business, said he is keenly aware of the challenges facing small businesses and specifically those in the hospitality industry upon the chaotic shuttering of the bridge now five months on.

"We're looking for ways to reintroduce, reinvigorate the restaurant business in the city that has been impacted greatly by the bridge closure," Rego added. "And these aren't the only type of businesses we're going to highlight as we go along. We're also thinking about ways to help liquor stores, other parts of the service industry. We're going to try to help them regain some of their lost revenue."

Proprietors can still participate in the event. For more information about East Providence Restaurant Week, please contact Jill Seppa at 401-435-7596, jseppa@eastprovidenceri.gov or visit EastProvidenceFood.com.

Current participating restaurants are as follows:

• All Seasons Café, 365 Waterman Ave, 429-3186, Serving breakfast and lunch… sandwiches, unique plates, salads, bowls, and specialty coffee/drinks. allseasonscaferi.com
• Avenue N American Kitchen, 20 Newman Ave, 270-2836, Seasonal New American fare & craft cocktails in a refined, minimalist setting, avenuenamericankitchen.com
• China Gourmet, 656 Bullocks Point Ave, 433-6888, Traditional Chinese cuisine, featuring popular dishes like General Tso’s Chicken and catering options, chinagourmetri.com
• Davenport’s Restaurant, 1925 Pawtucket Ave, 438-3381, 30+ years of homemade comfort food, fresh cocktails, seasonal specials, and a family-friendly atmosphere, davenportsri.com
• Honeybird, 230, Massasoit Ave, 919-5885, Edgy, modern Southern fried chicken concept — a place where deep South meets hometown, honeybirdri.com
• IHOP (East Providence), 75 Highland Ave, 435-4467, We are a locally-owned and family-operated business in Rhode Island. Visit us for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!, ihop.com
• Italian Corner, 10 Boyd Ave, 431-1737, Authentic Italian food – Fresh sandwiches, deli items, house made sauces, pastas, soups, and prepared meals, italiancorner-ri.com
• Jeff’s Pizza, 127 Waterman Ave, 537-7500, Casual counter service pizzeria serving sourdough pizza & salads, https://order.toasttab.com/online/jeffs-pizza-127-waterman-ave
• Madeira Restaurant, 288 Warren Ave, 431-1322, Serving authentic Portuguese cuisine crafted with fresh local ingredients and cherished by Southern New Englanders for over 40 years, madeirarestaurant.com
• Miller’s Famous Sandwiches, 628 Warren Ave, 434-6678, Serving delicious sandwiches since 1972, featuring our famous roast beef, specialty meats, and savory sides, millersfamous.com
• Pazi’s Place, 380 Taunton Ave, 438-9783, 50’s style diner serving up classic American favorites… serving breakfast, lunch and ice cream treats!, pazisplaceri.com
• Red Bridge Tavern, 22 Waterman Ave, 438-3899, Proudly serving a variety of delicious home-cooked meals with an extensive beer, wine and drink selection, redbridgetavern.com
• Rosa’s Tavern, 92 Waterman Ave, 533-9467, A modern twist on Portuguese & Italian cuisine, rosastavern.com
• Sax’s Steak and Pizza, 208 Taunton Ave, 434-3523, Serving EP for over 50 years… Stop by and enjoy our pizza, subs, salads, fish and chips more, saxs.biz
• Skeff’s Pub, 507 North Broadway, 209-8571, Freshly made pub food sourced with local ingredients, featuring craft beer-centric menu, skeffspub.com
• Stevie D’s Riverside Tavern, 24 Monroe Ave, 383-1578, Full bar and grill featuring American fare, fresh burgers, 26 beers on tap, and local craft brews, stevie-ds.com
• Taconeando, 181 Willett Ave, 919-5114, Authentic Mexican cuisine, best Margaritas in town, and a renovated dining space where cooking with love is our legacy, https://online.skytab.com/b07a5247ab28e9bfd4cbf44ff40c0923/order-settings
• Teddy’s Candy Bar & More, 220 Willett Ave, 222-9938, Explore our delightful treats at our candy store, offering everything from ice cream and sundaes to truffles, charcuterie, and cotton candy, teddyscandy.com
• The Burrito Bowl 809, Broadway, 438-2695, Explore the best-tasting authentic Mexican food in the area, theburritobowl.com
• The Pantry at Avenue N, 20 Newman Ave, 228-6691, A unique lunch spot offering a wide variety of freshly prepared foods and locally produced items, avenuenamericankitchen.com
• Townies Feel Good Food, 324 Waterman Ave, 473-0011, Serving up pizza, calzones, spinach pies, ribs, fresh salads, steak sandwiches, and other hot grinders, towniesri.com
• Uncle Tony’s Pizza & Pasta, 260 Newport Ave, 438-4646, Serving East Providence with fresh, tasty homemade Italian recipes since 1974. Extensive gluten-free menu available, uncletonys.com
• Zoe’s Pizza and Seafood, 1022 South Broadway, 431-0000, Serving pizzas, calzones, grinders, kabobs, seafood, and more. Bold flavors including Greek and Middle Eastern options, zoes-pizzeria.com