Are you an aspiring foodie without the bankroll to sample some of the city’s culinary treasures? Now you’ve got no excuses. Over the next two weeks, two big opportunities will be taking place in the Southland to allow yourself to indulge with a little less guilt.

S. Pellegrino is beginning its 6th annual Dine Out America program on Sunday, August 19th, lasting through the 30th. For a $25 lunch or $35 dinner, you’ll get a three-course meal from some of the most highly regarded restaurants in LA like Lucques, Chinois on Main, and Crustacean. The water company is also donating $1 for every meal served during the program to Share Our Strength, a nonprofit seeking to reduce hunger in America. Watch the fine print, though; the program is only Sunday through Thursday, and some of the restaurants are serving one meal but not the other. For the complete list of the 27 LA restaurants and 20 OC restaurants participating, click here.

Meanwhile, South Coast Plaza is celebrating its 40th anniversary by running a week-long culinary extravaganza from Monday, August 20th through the 26th. During the seven days, the top restaurants in the South Coast Metro area will be offering a four-course prix fixe meal for $40. Participating restaurants include Pinot Provence and Turner New Zealand. Proposed menus can be found on the events section of the website.

Happy eating!

Flickr photo by Riz Ainuddin