Parasole Rolling Out Loyalty Campaign, Lunch at Mozza Mia

Edina's own Parasole Restaurant Holdings ushered in two fresh ideas earlier this week: a marketing concept made for local eaters and lunchtime hours at its new pizza joint, which previously had only offered dinner service. 

"We want everyone to understand the connection between our sister restaurant brands and more importantly, we want to reward guests for their loyalty to our brands," Kip Clayton, Parasole's vice president of business development and marketing, said of the new Passport to Edina promotion.

In the interest of encouraging diners to see the different places as sisters, the company's latest program rewards those who visit each of the restaurants. Through May 31, diners can get one free appetizer or dessert from either , or when they show their Parasole passport has stamps from each of the three establishments.

Additionally, savvy diners can earn double rewards points on their Parasole Dining Club accounts through the end of May. Normally, each dollar spent at one of their many Twin Cities venues equals one point placed on their card. 150 points accrued earns the cardholder $10 to spend at any of the Parasole restaurant.

Phil Robert's empire includes the three Edina spots, plus several more across the metro, including Manny's Steakhouse, Chino Latino, Burger Jones, Il Gatto and Mufuletta.

A second bit of Parasole news comes from at 50th & France. Lunch was always part of the pizzeria's plan, but the chef and staff wanted to wait until they had dinner firmly in hand before tackling anything else ().

As of Monday, April 11, the popular pizzeria now opens each day at 11 a.m., with a midday menu of sandwiches, soups, pastas, personal-sized pizzas and small desserts. They're even offering a scaled-down version of the housemade mozza tasting (fresh and smoked mozzarelly, burrata, ricotta, rolatini and crostini) to serve 2-4 people for $12.

The chain's feisty combo of food, fun and innovative advertisting has met with great success in Edina. Parasole made de rigeur at the holidays and added spice to billboards uptown.

At the moment, the home office has its hands full—they are getting the word out about Good Earth, Salut and Mozza Mia's patios opening for the season, as well as preparing for Pittsburgh Blue's opening in the Galleria in the late fall and advertising the private group dining rooms coming available in summer and winter.

All of this action and news is part and parcel of Parasole's growing relationship with Edina.

"The main message for the community is that we're committed to Edina," Clayton said. "Our corporate offices are located in Edina at Salut Bar Americain on France Avenue. And we're opening a fourth restaurant (Pittsburgh Blue) in the fall of 2011."

Expect to see the patios and dining rooms of Salut, Good Earth and Mozza Mia busy this spring—full of drinking, eating and yes, passport stamping.