Get hungry Nashville! What may be an ordinary Tuesday to you is actually an extraordinary day for Nashville CARES when the 2014 Dining Out for Life (DOFL) celebration takes place on April 22.
In 2013, Nashville restaurants and diners banded together to help Nashville CARES raise a record-breaking $150,000 for DOFL.
Last year, Arnold Myint's restaurants combined raised over $16,000. Collectively, they were the top fundraising restaurants for the 2103 DOFL.
This year’s event is aimed at surpassing that total. Spurred by a move last year to incorporate blvd nashville’s brunch sales into DOFL, many participating restaurants are opting in for an additional extended weekend component, making this year’s DOFL celebration the talk of the town all weekend long.
“Sometimes you just can’t make it out to dinner in the beginning of your week,” said local HIV/AIDS activist Josh Robbins. “The move to extend DOFL into the weekend— a Sunday Funday edition of DOFL— reaches an entirely new diner demographic, ultimately raises more money and spreads the message that Nashville _does_ care about the HIV/AIDS work to be done in Middle Tennessee.”
This year’s ‘Sunday Funday’ edition of DOFL sees Myint’s blvd Nashville reprising its role as trendsetter, donating 75% of their breakfast, lunch and dinner sales to Nashville CARES. Suzy Wong’s will also donate 75% of its new Drag N’ Brunch (see details below).
The Lipstick Lounge takes DOFL to another level with their weekend-long brunch participation. The ladies over at Lipstick will donate 50% of all brunch sales on Saturday and Sunday.
Also participating are East Nashville faves, 3 Crow Bar and Five Points Pizza.
Giving 100 percent
Gay-owned Castrillo's Pizza is one of two restaurants donating 100 percent of proceeds during this year’s DOFL on Tuesday, April 22. The Italian restaurant has two locations—one in the Inglewood neighborhood, the other in Sylvan Park.
Owner Mark Girardin said participating in the event wasn't a hard decision for him to make. He said his restaurants would be nothing without his customers.
"I think it's important to give back to the community," he said. "The community supports me. It's supporting my business. Both locations are very neighborhood-based. The community supports us."
He said people find out about his restaurant mostly from word of mouth, making it more important for him to show his appreciation.
Catch Mark Girardin and Nashville DOFL Co-chair Jay Matheney in a clip from Out & About Today, below.
The Perfect Brunch
Join your favorite PLAY Mates for the new Drag N’ Brunch every Sunday at Suzy Wong’s from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.. 2-for-1 mimosas and Suzy faves such as Katsu Chicken and Waffles and Suzy’s Steak Benedict make this a must for brunch.
“Nashville has a really vibrant food culture and brunch has developed into a sort of happening in Nashville,” said Suzy Wong’s manager Micah Bennet. “We see where we offer an experience that is unique and entertaining, and brunch is a great opportunity to feature that experience.”
Dine April 27, when Suzy donates 75% of proceeds to Nashville CARES.
LGBT ways to Dine Out for Life
Several other LGBT-owned and ally restaurants support Nashville CARES and Dining Out for Life. Download and save the image below as a quick, reference guide to DOFL 2014.
