Dining Out For Life joins some of the world’s best restaurants with some of its most deserving nonprofits. For one night each year, civic-minded restaurateurs donate 25% of their sales to a local charity that provides crucial services for people living with HIV and AIDS, as well as education and prevention programs for the broader community.

Dining Out For Life takes place at different times of the year in different cities around the globe. Tomorrow, July 15, is New Orleans’ turn. If you’re in the area, check the details below and the (very diverse) restaurant list, then make plans to let someone else do the cooking tomorrow night.

This isn’t the first time I’ve extolled the virtues of eating out, and it probably won’t be the last.

NO/AIDS Task Force is asking locals to make a date to make a difference and dine out for its 15th annual Dining Out For Life fundraiser. NO/AIDS has teamed with over 60 area restaurants to raise funds for men, women and families affected by HIV and AIDS in Southeast Louisiana.

It’s simple. Dine at one of the more than 60 restaurants participating, order your favorite culinary delights, sit back, relax and enjoy! At the end of the day, those participating restaurants will donate 25% of the daily proceeds to NO/AIDS Task Force.

Additionally, as the oil spill continues to affect our tourism and restaurant industries, Dining Out For Life is not only an opportunity to help NO/AIDS Task Force, but also to give our area restaurants a boost in the typically slow summer months.

The full list of restaurants is available below, or at DiningOutForLife.com. There are a wide variety of eateries catering to any taste or budget.

Support of Dining Out For Life and NO/AIDS Task Force is now more important than ever. Just last week, the Centers For Disease Control released new stats about the state of the AIDS epidemic in the US. Currently, New Orleans ranks 3rd in the nation among major cities for AIDS case rates and the state of Louisiana ranks 4th .

Additionally the state of Louisiana has capped all new enrollments in the AIDS Drug Assistance Program due to a $7 – $11 million deficit. This means that anyone newly diagnosed, will have to go through other channels to access medications such as patient assistance programs, through individual drug companies.

2010 Participating Restaurants:

13
7 on Fulton
Acme Oyster House (French Quarter)
Acme Oyster House (Metairie)
Adolfo’s
Barcelona Tapas
The Barley Oak
Between The Bread
Bombay Club
Bywater Bar-B-Que
Cafe at the Square
Cafe Degas
Cafe Luna
Cafe Rani
Chad’s Bistro
Chateau du Lac
City Diner
The Country Club Restaurant
Eat New Orleans
Feelings Café
Flaming Torch Restaurant
Fresco Café
The Green Goddess
Iris
Italian Barrel
Jaegerhaus
Jamila’s
Joey K’s
Julie’s Little India Kitchen at Schiro’s
Juniper Restaurant
K-Joes Restaurant
The Kupcake Factory (French Quarter)
The Kupcake Factory (Kenner)
The Kupcake Factory (Old Metairie)
The Kupcake Factory (Uptown)
La Crepe Nanou
La Divina Cafe e Gelateria
La Divina Gelateria (Garden District)
La Peniche
Louisiana Pizza Kitchen – French Market
Louisiana Pizza Kitchen – Uptown
Marigny Brasserie
Mark Twain’s Pizza Landing
Martinique Bistro
Mat & Naddie’s
Maximo’s Italian Grill
Maya’s Restaurant & Bar
Meauxbar Bistro
Mike’s on the Avenue
Mona Lisa Restaurant
Nirvana Indian Cuisine
Nonna Mia Cafe & Pizzeria
Oceana
Patois
Ralph’s on the Park
Restaurant des Familles
Rooba’s Crescent Spoon
Royal Street Deli
Sake Café
Slim Goodies
The Steak Knife Restaurant
Tomatillo’s
Upperline Restaurant
Vega Tapas Café
Vianne’s Tea Salon
Zoe Bistro at the W Hotel