dineL.A. Restaurant Week is back, offering takeout, delivery and outdoor dining

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Give home cooking a break. Expand your palate as dineL.A. Restaurant Week returns, showcasing Los Angeles' hottest summer menus at great values.

The 18-day culinary experience will be little a different this time around with new safety protocols and options due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Restaurants have had to pivot so much, with everything that's going on, and so we've had to obviously change Restaurant Week," said Stacey Sun, executive director with dineL.A.

For the first time, dineL.A. will offer carry out, delivery and physically distant dining choices.

Participating restaurants, such as Broad Street Oyster Company located in Malibu, are transforming their parking lots into outdoor dining areas.

"It's as if you were walking into a seaside shack with hard-partying, oyster-shucking pirates and we tried to hold on to that vibe as much as possible even though everyone's outside," said Christopher Tompkins, chef and owner of Broad Street Oyster Company.

dineL.A. organizers hope the new measures will encourage guests to dine out and help support local restaurants and surrounding communities.

"This is a great way to do it and it's a win-win for all of us," said Suzanne Tracht, owner and chef at Jar - a modern American chophouse located in Beverly Grove.

"We get to support our farmers. We get to support having our staff here and having employees," added Tracht.

dineL.A. Restaurant Week runs from September 1 through 18. Advance reservations and ordering are strongly encouraged.

For list of restaurants and menus, visit www.discoverlosangeles.com/dinela.