Patrons can win big by supporting local during ‘Foodie February’

ROCHESTER — Members of the community can support local eateries this month for a chance to win one of three dining packages during Foodie February.

The promotion, which began Feb. 1 and runs through the end of the month, encourages patrons to dine in or carry out from any downtown Rochester restaurant and save their receipts for a chance to win.

Rochester Downtown Development Authority Events Coordinator Jenna O’Dell said Foodie February is a great way for the community to support the downtown restaurants and get rewarded in the process.

“Foodies, or people who just like to go out in downtown Rochester and dine at our eateries, can eat, save their receipt and enter,” she said.

Throughout the month of February, patrons can purchase an item, a meal or carryout from any of the participating restaurants for a chance to win $500, $250 or $100 dining packages.

“Whenever you dine — whether it’s a cafe, bakery, restaurant or a bar — here in downtown Rochester, just save your receipt and snap a photo of it and text our texting service,” O’Dell said. “You could just get a coffee and still end up winning the grand prize.”

The Home Bakery is one of many downtown merchants participating in the promotion.

Darin Asselin, the creative director of The Home Bakery, said some of the bakery’s most popular items this month include Valentine Kronuts, which are deep-fried croissant dough filled with vanilla bean pastry cream, tossed in vanilla-sugar, dipped in a vanilla bean glaze, and finished with a light pink drizzle and edible Valentine’s heart confetti; Valentine Love HomeNuts, raised doughnuts spread with Home Bakery buttercream and finished with some heart confetti; and a wide variety of pączki and sweet treats like king cake for Mardi Gras on Feb. 21.

“We have so much going on in February, with the Super Bowl, Valentine’s Day and Mardi Gras and Fat Tuesday all going on, so it’s a good time to celebrate all of those events with some special treats,” Asselin said.

Receipts from any of the participating restaurants can be brought to the Downtown Collaboration Studio, 431 S. Main St., through Feb. 28. Shoppers also have the option of texting FOODIE to (866) 603-4005, and they will be prompted to send in a picture of their receipts.

“We started our texting service last year with Foodie February, and we had well over 300 entries. … This year, we’ve already had several entries,” O’Dell said.

Each receipt earns one entry, eligible for a $500, $250 or $100 dining package. Winners will be announced and contacted on Wednesday, March 1.

Foodie February is presented by Love Local Rochester and the Rochester DDA.

For more information, contact the Rochester DDA at (248) 656-0060 or visit downtownrochestermi.com.

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Downtown eateries participating in Foodie February include:

Backdoor Taco

BakeHouse 46

Bangkok Cuisine

BAUS Bar

Bean and Leaf Café

Bologna Via Cucina

The Cheese Lady

Chicken Shack

Chomp Deli

City Tavern

Dessert Oasis

Dino’s Cookie Dough Bar

D’Marco’s Italian Restaurant

Domino’s Pizza

Downtown Café

The Flavor Lab Catering Co.

Give Thanks Bakery

Georgio’s Pizza & Pasta

Grant’s Pizza House

The Hemmingway Room

Hibachi House Bar & Grill

Holy Cannoli’s

The Home Bakery

Hungry Howie’s

iChillyn Café

Knapp’s Donut Shop

Kruse & Muer on Main

Kruse’s Paint Creek Tavern

Le Macaron

Lettuce

Lipuma’s Coney Island

Main Street Billiards

Main Street Deli

The Meeting House

O’Connor’s Public House

Park 600

Paul’s on Main

Penn Station East Coast Subs

Pure Green

Recipes

Red Knapp’s Dairy Bar

Rochester Bistro

Rochester Brunch House

Rochester Chop House & Kabin Krusers

Rochester Corner Bar

Rochester Mills Beer Co.

Sanders

Side Dish

Silver Spoon Ristorante

The SPice & Tea Exchange

Sumo Sushi

Sweet Island Creamery

Tonia’s Victorian Rose

Too Ra Loo