An annual food extravaganza sees a record number of participants for its 2023 event, with proceeds benefiting a local non-profit that addresses child hunger.

Sizzle Dining runs from Sept. 7 to 27 and gives participants the chance to sample Southwest Florida flavors and delectable cuisines. This year, foodies will have the opportunity to dine at 95 restaurants throughout the month, for less.

Sizzle Dining features a set-price menu at $19 or $29 for two-course lunches, and $29, $39, or $49 for three-course dinners.

The charity-driven promotion gives residents the experience of new restaurants, hidden gems to be discovered, and established favorites around Bonita Springs, Cape Coral, Estero, Fort Myers, Marco Island, Naples, Sanibel Island and Babcock Ranch. Each participating location will offer special Sizzle Dining menus, so customers can try different types of food may normally be outside their comfort zone price-wise.

“This is a special event that takes place in the restaurant where everyone from the dishwasher to the valet, hostesses, cooks, chefs, and owners participates,” said Sizzle Dining founder Guy Clarke. “It’s a way for them to give back and do something.

“It’s heartwarming,” he adds. “To get the kind of positive feedback we receive and to see the donation checks each restaurant sends to the charity, knowing how hard everyone is working. That’s why Sizzle Dining is a success.”

For every Sizzle Dining lunch or dinner meal purchased during the three-week event, each restaurant donates $1 directly to Blessings in a Backpack of Southwest Florida, a local chapter of a national 501c3 charity that feeds 7,500 food-insecure elementary-aged students every weekend in Lee and Collier Counties during the 38-week school year.

“Blessings in a Backpack is an obvious choice,” Clarke said. “We’re in the industry and we feed people every day. But there are children in our community who don’t have access to food on a daily basis.”

Last year’s hurricane-shortened Sizzle Dining event raised more than $20,000 for the non-profit.

“It’s been a wonderful partnership in the sense that we are able to pull together the restaurant community and give back to help support children,” said Cecilia St. Arnold, Blessings in a Backpack executive director, in a prepared statement.

Created to cater to every type of palate and diner, options range from small, independently owned specialty restaurants to high-end dining establishments. Sizzle Dining provides customers with the opportunity to discover and try new things, while restaurants get to showcase their best menu items. The menu is what tends to be the deciding factor when customers are choosing what restaurants they want to visit, Clarke said.

Deciding what the menu will feature, isn’t always easy for participating restaurants. Factors to consider include staying within budget, adjusting portion-size, and keeping true to the brand of the establishment.

“I consider our existing production load, the seasonality of local products, and the feel of the group of items within our existing culinary identity,” said General Manager Marcus Preece of Cielo on Sanibel Island, in a prepared statement. He noted that one of Cielo’s $49 Sizzle Dining dessert course selections will feature a classic caramelized vanilla bean custard, served with the bounty of fresh fruits and berries from South Florida this summer.

Sizzle Dining was founded in Naples in 2016 by Clarke, who also is the creator of BaconFest Naples along with his wife Erin Clarke, a culinary school-trained chef and restaurant management consultant. The promotional event originally launched with 26 restaurants as dinner only. Today, Sizzle Dining has grown into a 21-day event that draws thousands of visitors to restaurants.

“Last year, we really focused on the power of collaboration,” Clarke said. “Through Sizzle Dining, restaurant owners see that the best way to pivot is to pivot together instead of seeing the restaurant down the street as a competitor.”

To see the list of the record-breaking 95 participating restaurants (menus added daily), visit sizzledining.com and make your reservation directly with each restaurant.

For more information on Blessings in a Backpack, visit swfl.blessingsinabackpack.org.