Discounts available at downtown Benicia restaurants for Restaurant Week

(Originally published in the 1/17/16 edition)

   The time has come again for Benicians to support their local downtown eating establishments at a lower cost for Downtown Benicia Restaurant Week. 

   This is the third year that Benicia Main Street has hosted Restaurant Week, which coincides with California Restaurant Month, put on by the nonprofit tourism organization Visit California. The month was designated for January to draw people to their local restaurants, whose patronage typically dwindles after the holidays. 

   “January is a rather slim month for restaurants, so it was a way to promote business for the downtown restaurants,” Susie Harper, administrative assistant for Benicia Main Street, said.

   Throughout the week, people can stop by Benicia Main Street’s offices to pick up a Dining Passport, or they can download it from the organization’s website. With this, they can enjoy discounts at Aroma Indian Cuisine, Dianna’s Cafe and Bakery, Double Rainbow, First Street Cafe, Got Plate Lunch, Kinder’s BBQ, Lucca Bar & Grill, Mai Thai, Rosanna’s Bakery, Sailor Jack’s, The Rellik Tavern, Union Hotel and Venticellos Ristorante Italiano. The discounts are typically 15 percent off a patron’s meal with a minimum purchase of $10, but Venticellos will be offering a 20 percent discount. Some of the deals will exclude purchases of beverages or alcohol.

   Additionally, Benicia Main Street will be holding a Dine Downtown Contest through its Facebook and Twitter pages where its followers are encouraged to take a picture of their meals and email the picture to info@beniciamainstreet.org for the opportunity to win $100 in Downtown Dollars, which can be redeemed at a large number of downtown businesses. The pictures can be taken at any downtown restaurant, not necessarily just the ones participating in Restaurant Week. The contest will run through Jan. 31, after which a winner will be chosen by random. 

   “The goal is to bring in business and help support the restaurants downtown,” Harper said. “It’s a rather quiet month after the holidays are over.”

   Restaurant Week begins today and will run until Saturday, Jan. 23. For more information, to download a Dining Passport or view discounts, visit BeniciaMainStreet.org.