Lakeside Dining Recommendation #1: Lakeside Restaurant and Tavern on Keuka Lake

The Finger Lakes Region is astonishingly beautiful and nothing can beat sitting by the water enjoying a glass of locally produced wine or beer – or partaking in a complete meal. Cascadilla Cat is on a quest to find lakeside dining on each of the Finger Lakes and here’s my first of several recommendations:

Lakeside Restaurant & Tavern

13807A West Lake Road

Hammondsport, NY 14840

607-868-3636

This is my all-time favorite place to have a meal and take in the gorgeous scenery on the west side of Keuka Lake. In fact, I try visit at least once a summer. Well, I didn’t get it together until fall this year, but three of us finally made the drive to Hammondsport two weeks ago. Lakeside is a seasonal operation, so be sure to call ahead if you’re hoping to visit in late fall. On the day that we visited, the inside bar and boat docks and lowest open deck were hopping with a large group of folks celebrating Halloween early as they toured the lake in their motor boats. A good time was definitely being had by all!

What makes this place so special?

First off, it’s situated directly on Keuka Lake, which is arguably the most breath-taking of the Finger Lakes. Seriously, when I drive down the hill on the east side of the lake and head towards Hammondsport, the stunning view can literally take my breath away! With the fall foliage nearly at peak, we surely picked a terrific day to make the trip. FYI, I get the same sensation when I visit Heron Hill Winery and Dr. Konstantin Frank, both of which sit high up overlooking the lake from the west side. (Please note: Neither of these websites are secure.) Both of these superb wineries are a short but steep drive from Lakeside. But I digress…

The good folks at Lakeside have really upped their game and expanded their seating options over the past few years. They have added more tiered deck seating outside and have also added an open air bar down by the dock, which has plenty of slips for those wishing to visit by boat. They also put on an addition with rooftop seating and a nice indoor seating area overlooking the water. The first year that we sat inside the new addition, we liked the open air dining. They’ve since added windows and, when we visited recently, they had a space heater going. So, you can dine in comfort here even when it’s rainy and/or chilly. They also have a lovely dining room inside the older part of the tavern, and a terrific indoor bar. Plus, their food is consistently excellent and the staff are friendly and attentive. They also serve a superb Bloody Mary! Oh, and there’s a friendly yellow lab occasionally on the premises, who hasn’t met a visitor he doesn’t like!

As you travel north, Lakeside will be on the right. Note that there is a very steep driveway with limited parking next to the business. It’s much easier to park directly across the road where there is ample, level parking. I’ve checked their website and have gotten a message today saying that the site has been suspended. But, they do have a presence on Facebook, so that link is provided above. This is definitely one place you don’t want to miss. Enjoy!

(C. Cat, 2:55pm, 11/3/19)