After successful events in 2021 and 2022, Southside Dining Week is making a return for 2023.

The week-long celebration of international cuisine will take place Sept. 30 through Oct. 7, featuring more than 20 restaurants from a variety of South Side neighborhoods.

The event, which is organized and presented by North Shore Bank, will feature a delicious slate of signature dishes from a wide variety of participating restaurants for $15 or less. Guests can also participate in a special dining week kickoff event on Sept. 30 and Hand Pie Fest on Oct. 7.

Restaurants participating in Southside Dining Week include: MobCraft Beer, Zócalo Food Park, Hot Box Pizza, AsianRican, Orenda Cafe, McKiernan's, Steny's, Transfer Pizzeria, Karma Cafe, Crafty Cow, Faklandia Brewing, Cafe Corazon, Purple Door Ice Cream, Ruby's Bagels, Modern Maki, Cocina Filipina, Gold Rush Chicken, Sprocket Cafe, The Saucy Swine, Scratch Ice Cream, Tsunami, Los Gemelos Tacos, El Tlaxcalteca, El Atoron and Tres Hermanos.

But there's more.

Southside Showcase at Zócalo

Festivities kick off on Sept. 30 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. with the Southside Showcase at Zócalo Food Park. 

During the event, food and drinks will be available from all the food trucks at Zócalo, plus free ice cream and churros for the first 50 guests. 

There will be live dance and music performances with Wolf Studios, commemorative Polaroid photos to take home, games and interactive classes including yoga, dance and salsa making. A makers market will also be featured showcasing goods from a variety of local creatives.

Guests who’d like to attend are asked to register for the event online.

Hand Pie Fest

Guests can also look forward to a showcase of delectable hand pies during Hand Pie Fest, which will take place on Oct. 7 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the new Mitchell Street Arts Collective (MiSA), 710 W. Historic Mitchell St.

During the event, guests can sample hand pies from a variety of Southside Dining restaurants and vote for their favorite. During the event, there will be live music, tours of the new MiSA space and drinks available for purchase.

Tickets are $35 per person and can be purchased online.  Admission is available for two sessions. The first is between 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.. The second is between 12:45 and 2:15 p.m. Be sure to select your preferred time when purchasing tickets.

North Shore Bank bonus

During the event, North Shore customers who spend $15 or more at participating restaurants with their North Shore Bank Debit Mastercard® will be eligible for a $5 statement credit (restrictions may apply). 

To learn more about the event, visit southsidediningweek.com.