Nearly two dozen Happy Valley restaurants are gearing up to show off their dishes this summer as part of a new initiative in the area.

Happy Valley Restaurant Week will encourage select restaurants in State College and the nearby area to showcase one special dish each from June 21 through 27.

Restaurants like URBN Flavorhaus, Doggie’s Pub, and The Corner Room, along with 19 others, will take part in the week, offering items ranging from soft shell crab sandwiches to coconut-infused strawberry milkshakes.

Maggie Anderson, who’s organizing the week, said Happy Valley Restaurant Week aims to celebrate Centre County’s growing food scene.

“We hope the dishes give you a new perspective on your favorite restaurant and also inspire you to visit a place you haven’t tried yet,” Anderson said.

Anderson and her collaborator, Matt Fern, a photographer and designer, conceptualized the week when approached by Happy Valley Adventure Bureau to re-envision the event previously known as Happy Valley Culinary Week.

“We looked around the county and saw all these creative, amazing chefs and thought, ‘What if we just let them run wild for a week?'” Anderson said in a press release.

Tory Glossner, a chef at Pine Grove Hall, loved Fern and Anderson’s creativity. And now that restaurants are returning to full capacity without COVID-19-related regulations, the local food scene is primed for a big-time return to normalcy.

“Having one thing to focus rather than a whole menu allows us to keep our attention on the dish at hand, the fine details,” Glossner said. “I think Happy Valley Restaurant Week is a great way to get people excited to get back into restaurant seats and try new things.”

More information about Happy Valley Restaurant Week, its restaurants, and its dishes is available online.