(ABC 6 News) – After a successful first year of highlighting restaurants in Rochester, Experience Rochester is once again putting on Restaurant Week across the city.

Experience Rochester is serving up the second annual event to encourage people to try new places and discover your new favorite foods.

The week started as a way to entice people to leave their homes post Covid lockdown and once again, enjoy dining out.

More than 30 restaurants are participating in the event this week as a way to increase their presence in the city.

“The weather of this weekend is probably really the proof, all the proof someone needs to realize this is the slowest period during the year for restaurants,” said Experience Rochester President, Joe Ward. “So anything we can do to help tell their stories and get people out, I mean, who doesn’t need a good excuse to get out to dinner?”

With the helpful marketing push from Experience Rochester, it allows restaurants like the Red Cow more time to get creative with their menus.

During last year’s restaurant week, more than one thousand local diners flocked right here to Red Cow.
General manager Michael Wegseheider says the week proved very successful for business, and that’s why this next week, they’re doing it all over again.

“We have a lunch trio and then a dinner menu we’re going to do for restaurant week,” Wegseheider said. “Options for a $15 lunch and shake menu, along with a $30 three course dinner. We picked some really awesome stuff so I think people are going to be really excited about it.”

The week isn’t just to spark business for local favorites and restaurants. It’s also serves as a way to say thank you for those restaurants running day in, and day out.

“The hospitality employees and front line workers are really the heart of hospitality here in Rochester. If I was hiring in any business I would be looking for people who were servers in restaurants,” said Ward.

“We wouldn’t be where we’re at without our people. I mean the people are the most important part of this business, hands down. So we really appreciate the hard work everyone puts in here everyday to make this place what it is,” Wegseheider added.

What some typically aren’t excited about with this week is the parking.

Red Cow’s location isn’t ideal for parking availability off of 2nd Street, near St. Mary’s Hospital, but Rochester Public Transit is offering free rides with vouchers for anyone trying restaurant week.

Red cow is closed on all Mondays but those new burgers, shakes, and other special menu items are ready for Tuesday afternoon with $15 lunch specials and $30 dinner courses.