The summer Boston Restaurant Week is about to commence, and is sure to bring out fabulous food fanatics from around the area, ready to take advantage of all of the great deals. From August 15-20 and 22-27, the summer 2010 specials include 2-course lunches for $15.10, 3-course lunches for $20.10 and 3-course dinners for $33.10, throughout Boston, Cambridge, the suburbs and beyond. Over 225 restaurants are participating, though reservations are a must, and can be made online or by calling your dining destination.

In celebration of the 10th anniversary of summer Boston Restaurant Week, sponsors are offering extra incentives for diners, like giveaways and deeper discounts. For patrons that spend at least $150 at three or more different participating restaurants, American Express is offering $20 American Express gift cards for diners, as long as they register their American Express card ahead of time. Additionally, both American Express and the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau will donate $.25 per transaction, for a grand total of up to $5000, to the Women’s Lunch Place, which has been helping homeless women and their children in the community for over 28 years.

To make it easier for out of town guests to partake in the foodie festivities, area hotels are offering packages with discount rates on rooms when guests also make dinner reservations at their restaurants. A number of parking garages are also offering discounted validated parking.

Each year, restaurant week has evolved to include more establishments both in Boston and the surrounding areas, as well as more events and promotions. This year, in the spirit of environmental awareness and greener living, the Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau has asked participating restaurants to strongly consider using local foods and ingredients in their specials. Each participating restaurant will be displaying the “Mass Grown Logo” on their websites and menus.