For food lovers of all makes and models, springtime in the Rockies is synonymous with the Spring Dine O’ Round, Salt Lake City’s annual “Restaurant Week,” sponsored by the Downtown Alliance. Except that this year—the fourth for Spring Dine O’ Round—restaurant goers have the entire month of May, not merely a week, to do bargain grazing at some of this city’s premier eating establishments.

The formula for the 2009 Spring Dine O’ Round is any easy one to remember: 30 restaurants/30 days/$30. For the next 30 days, 30 downtown SLC restaurants will participate in the Spring Dine O’ Round, where three-course dinners will be priced at $30 per person.

Well, sort of. Actually, some restaurants are pricing their three-course meals as low as $15, and some will also offer a two-course lunch for a mere $10. But you get the idea. It’s an opportunity to try out new downtown restaurants you’ve had an eye on—or for that matter, old favorites— virtually risk-free. Except, that is, on Mother’s Day, May 10, which is excluded from the Spring Dine O’ Round. Sorry, dutiful sons and daughters—you’ll just have to pay full price for Mom.

Newcomers like J. Wong’s Asian Bistro, The Wild Grape, Este Pizzeria downtown and Eva join stalwart Dine O’ Round destinations such as The New Yorker, Metropolitan, Red Rock Brewing Co., Caffe Molise, Martine, Squatters, Sage’s, Bambara, Vienna Bistro, Settebello (pictured above) and many more as participating restaurants in this year’s Spring Dine O’ Round extravaganza. I suggest making reservations early and often.

Spring Downtown Dine O’ Round @ various downtown Salt Lake City restaurants, May 1-31. DowntownSLC.com