Baltimore Restaurant Week Summer 2012 is July 27-August 5 at a good number of restaurants in the City.

Again this summer, the participating restaurants are supporting “The Journey Home,” a program designed to end homelessness in Baltimore City within the next ten years. 2012 marks the fourth year of the program.

The participating restaurants will have prix-fix menus. Three course dinners will be $30.12 or $20.12, depending on the place (though I saw only six eateries that had $20.12 menus.) It appears that about half of the restaurants will also offer two course lunches for $15.12.

This summer, as a prelude to restaurant week, there will be a “First Course – Appetizer Challenge” on July 25 from 12-2pm on the lower level of the Light Street Pavilion at Harborplace. Three judges will vote, and you can be a part of the “people’s choice,” where you can sample the appetizers, and vote for your favorite! The focus is best use of locally grown ingredients.

Your best bet is to check baltimorerestaurantweek.com to see which restaurants are participating, who is serving lunch, which price structure the eatery is following, and to make reservations. (Definitely make reservations! Many of these places book up quickly!)

Visit Downtown Baltimore and enjoy some delicious food at terrific prices.

THEN, come outside the city the following week and enjoy Baltimore County Restaurant Week Summer 2012 from August 10-19!