Niantic Main Street is holding Niantic & East Lyme Restaurant Week from March 4 to 14 this year, featuring varying deals from more than 20 restaurants, pizzerias, cafes, delis and bakeries.

"With restaurants in need now more than ever due to the ongoing pandemic, Niantic Main Street felt the need to extend its annual Restaurant Week," the organization said in a news release. President Dan Walsh said this is "a great way to give thanks to the restaurants who keep serving through it all."

Eateries are offering prix fixe menus, discounts and free items with purchases, and diners also can win $500, $250 or $50 in gift cards to participating places.

To enter, download and print the passport at bit.ly/2PkkyGJ, visit any of the listed participating eateries during Restaurant Week and get a passport stamp. Each stamp equals one entry for the grand prize drawing of a $500 gift card.

After getting food from as many restaurants as you'd like, drop the passport into a box at one of the restaurants. Winners will be randomly selected on March 22.

So, what restaurants are participating, and what deals are they offering?

Castello of Niantic is offering a $21 prix-fixe menu including a glass of wine, entrée and dessert for dine-in, and an offer to buy one large pizza and get another half-off for takeout. The Black Sheep also has a prix-fixe menu special.

Boardwalk Pizzeria has a buy one, get one free pizza deal, Family Pizza is giving one free dessert with an entrée purchase, Yummy Yummy Pizzeria has a $4 lunch special, and Vincitori Apizza and Black Point Pizza are respectively offering a free cheese pizza with a $30 or $35 purchase.

Customers at Charlie's Place Restaurant can buy one dinner for $20.21 and get the second for $15.21, and entrees are buy two, get one free at Taza Grill. Giuliano's Bakery is selling 8-inch ham or salami grinders for $4.99.

Illiano's Grill is offering a bottle of wine or four cannolis with the purchase of any two entrees, dine-in or takeout, and Lillian's Café is offering a bottle of wine with the purchase of two $21 entrée specials.

For dine-in or takeout, Spice Club has a $5 tapas menu that includes Krapow chicken with jasmine rice, Hong Kong noodle with squid, spicy salmon roll and more.

At other places, a deal might involve a free coffee, chips and salsa, or clam chowder with certain purchases. The other participants are Café SoL, Deke's Bagels, East Coast Taco, Flanders Fish Market, Hartford Giant Grinder, il Pomod'Oro Restaurant & Pizzeria, Niantic Public House & Brewery, Scott's Meat & Deli, Village Bake House, and Village Café.

For a complete list of deals, visit nianticmainstreet.org.

e.moser@theday.com