Main Deck Restaurant and Tunnel Bar

Nestled on the shores of Keuka Lake’s east branch, the Main Deck restaurant was designed to surround guests with an immersive Finger Lakes experience. Inside and out, the history and scenery of this beautiful central New York region announce themselves in every aspect of this unique lakefront restaurant.

This transformative project began as the dream of a repeat client, a Penn Yan native whose love for the Finger Lakes summoned him back to the area years ago to build a lake home, and now to create a regional farm-to-table restaurant. A building that began life as an American Legion Post, and then changed into several different restaurants, would soon emerge as the pre-eminent fine dining location on Keuka Lake. For our client’s vision to emerge, the first priority was re-imagining the space with more modern, open spaces and maximizing the view to the lake.

The design challenge was to create a new and unique venue with waterfront access in little more than six months. For this short timeframe, Heather DeMoras Design Consultants (HDDC) worked closely with the restaurant owner, Architect Chuck Smith of Design Works Architecture, and Rodney Smoker, owner of Vine Country Builders.

HDDC produced 3D models to illustrate how interior spaces such as the bar, dining room, private dining area, and restrooms could be redesigned for greater seating capacity and better views within the restaurant, but also better views and connection to the lake. Exterior improvements called for extending the outside seating areas and providing additional covered seating.

Once the client’s vision was captured, HDDC created the detailed lighting and seating plans, woodwork details, and signage plans needed to turn the vision into reality. Meetings were held online or at the site, as needed. Steady communications were critical to opening the restaurant in time to catch the summer season.

A theme for the restaurant was easy to find – the client’s family had ties to the historic Penn Yan Boats company, which had been located less than a quarter mile from the site of the restaurant. Heather contacted the Finger Lakes Boating Museum in Hammondsport to find Penn Yan Boats advertising art to use as murals, wall art, and custom wallcovering. Interior finishes enhance this theme with warm white walls and natural wood tones reminiscent of wooden boat hulls.

HDDC designed the interior woodwork items and helped source local woodworkers to produce a boat-shaped bar, rope room dividers, and custom booth and banquette seating. Other local artists were contacted to produce the dramatic exterior signs and a mural of Penn Yan boats featured at the building’s entrance.

Previously underutilized, the lower level has become an indoor/outdoor entertainment space with outdoor seating and fire features in good weather, and a cozy private event area in the fall and winter.