Newport-Mesa restaurants to participate in California Restaurant Month

Dozens of Costa Mesa and Newport Beach restaurants will be offering discounts as part of California Restaurant Month.

Participating restaurants will have prix-fixe menus at 25% to 60% less than regular menu prices, according to the Visit California website, the event’s sponsor.

While the event aligns with Newport Beach’s sixth annual Restaurant Week, 18 Costa Mesa restaurants will offer discounted fare all month long, according to the website.

The Costa Mesa Conference and Visitor Bureau introduced its own restaurant week for the city in August as a means to turn Costa Mesa into a culinary destination.

With Visit California positioning the state along the same goal, event organizers were quick to hop on board for the monthlong event, said Kim Glen, marketing manager for the bureau.

“Certainly, Costa Mesa is recognized as an international destination because of South Coast Plaza and the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, so we’re positioning ourselves to give people ever more reason to visit here,” Glen said.

The inaugural Costa Mesa Restaurant Week saw an increase of about 10% to 15% in business at local eateries, Glen said.

The event will return Aug. 17 to 24, and organizers hope to see even more participation from restaurants and patrons.

Costa Mesa was also a finalist in July in the Rand McNally/USA Today “Best of the Road” competition, in which the city was nominated for best food because of its diverse dining in a small-town setting.

Though the city didn’t win the title, the competition is what lead to the creation of the restaurant week, Glen said.

The Newport Beach Restaurant Assn. could not be reached for comment.

sarah.peters@latimes.com

Twitter: @speters01