Sushi, samosas and flan, oh my!
Once again, DineOut Riverdale announces Riverdale Restaurant Week — a semi-annual event featuring discounts and prix-fixe menus across eateries in the Riverdale, Kingsbridge and Van Cortlandt sections of the Bronx.
Modeled after NYC Restaurant Week (no affiliation), Riverdale Restaurant Week was created by locals Laura Levine Pinedo of the 4 Bronx Project and Michael Gabert of Flexis Media, to mitigate the lack of Bronx representation in the week-long foodie bonanza. While the city-wide version features hundreds of restaurants, year-over-year, Bronx restaurants barely break a dozen on the list.
Created in October 2022, the fifth iteration of Riverdale Restaurant Week, kicks off Saturday, Oct. 26 through Nov. 2, showcasing the goods of more than 20 diverse eateries, including mainstays and some new faces, like Bokagua.
Bokagua, a tropical restaurant that opened in July 2024 at 3541 Riverdale Ave., derives its name from the Spanish compound words for “mouth” and “water,” perfectly capturing the mouth-watering essence of its Dominican-Asian fusion dishes. From mofongo dumplings to Caribbean oxtail samosas, the dishes are carefully curated by consulting chef, Paulette Tejada, who has more than 50,000 followers on Instagram. And in the three months Bokagua has been open, its Instagram, @bokaguanyc, has amassed more than 20,000 followers.
“I brought here what I, as a resident, wish Riverdale had,” owner Gemmy Quelliz told the Bronx Times. “It was missing that vibe.”
The vibe? Warm lighting set against wood furniture and brown leather bar seats with birdcage-looking light fixtures and vines of artificial plants hanging overhead.
“Being connected to nature, as a Dominican, means a lot to me, especially living in the concrete jungle,” said Quelliz. “I want people to feel like they are dining in a tree.”
Another new face is not in the Riverdale area at all. This year, restaurant week expanded to Woodlawn, adding The Rambling House to its list of participants. The expansive bar with a large party room and plenty of TVs offers popular Irish dishes and traditional bar fare. According to Levine Pinedo, success of the week-long event spread across Van Cortlandt Park and business-owners wanted in on the action.
“We’re very excited and they’re very eager and I think it’s nice to have the vibe of a different community,” said Levine Pinedo. “It’s nice to have that crossover.”
The Kingsbridge Social Club at 3625 Kingsbridge Ave. has been with Riverdale Restaurant Week since day one and boasts a casual, neighborhood atmosphere where regulars gather several times a week and dine on craft pizza, craft beer and Italian specialties.
“It’s a local community event that I will always want to be a part of,” co-owner, David Lindsey, told the Bronx Times. “Even if it only brings in a few new faces – that can be a new customer forever.”
Business owners pay $100 to participate in the week-long event with funds going directly into operations such as marketing, printing and live entertainment.
Several locations will present musical acts and either prix-fixe menus ranging from $25 to $50 or 10-20% discounts on the check.
For a full list of participating venues, menus and musical acts, visit DineOutRiverdale.com.
Reach ET Rodriguez at etrodriguez@gmail.com. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes
