For the past couple of years, my friends and I have taken part in Philadelphia’s twice-yearly Restaurant Week. For two weeks, restaurants throughout the city offer three-course fixed-price lunch and dinner menus.

I recently read an article on Philadelphia food blog Phoodie that the last restaurant week in late January was the most successful one ever. The special menus generated $12.4 million and attracted almost 70,000 more diners than the year before.

Once again, in keeping with tradition, five friends and I dined during January’s Restaurant Week at Ristorante Panorama in the Penn’s View Hotel. The restaurant is quite large, with murals and stained-glass window decor. The true highlight, though, is the 120-bottle winekeeper behind the bar. The extensive wine selection is easily accessible, with each bottle hooked up to a pouring system. The restaurant is a Guinness World Record holder for this custom-built winekeeper.

Ristorante Panorama is definitely not a place I would have found on my own. Without Restaurant Week, I wouldn’t have experienced the winekeeper, beautiful décor or delicious authentic Italian food. I recommend taking part in specials around your home city, or any city you may be visiting, to find hidden gems like this one. Who knows what Guinness World Record holder you might stumble upon on your next trip!

And, should you be in Philadelphia this fall, the next Restaurant Week is scheduled Sept. 23–28 and Sept. 30–Oct. 5.

— Kimberly Krol, managing editor