Call me a curmudgeon but I don’t think the fact that the Super Bowl is coming to the area is going to make or break too many local restaurants. Sure, a few will profit from corporate buy-outs and private events, but for the most part the majority of small independent restaurants will suffer. Why? Because many locals don’t give a flip about football and the last thing they are going to do is go out to dinner when they think every restaurant in town is booked with rowdy out-of-towners.
I’m sure the “Gentleman’s Clubs” and Kent, Dean, and Stephan will do well. Good for them. However, how many Cheeseheads are going to head to Scardello’s or Mozzarella Company to sample local, artisanal cheese? How many Iron City Beer guzzlers will sample a Texas beer flight at the Meddlesome Moth? Hey Jay-Z, are you there? We’d love to hear your plans. The rest of us are either fleeing the city or hunkering down at say The Grape, Local, Cadot, or Suze. Restaurants, make your pitches below.
Don’t be afraid to dine out at your favorite local hang next weekend. Make it Minorities Rule weekend. The lunatics will be elsewhere. That’s my 5 cents. Your ball.