Staff Picks
Our Best Bets for local dining

Delicious pasta, salad
with salmon and a great view

Larissa Ryan,
Business Manager
Lakefront Restaurant
Dine by the lake in style at the Lakefront Restaurant. It’s a wonderful spot for lunch or evening dining, and it has some great views of the lake. How could it not, the name says it all. They offer a variety of seafood, including lobster and trout. However, I, being something of a creature of habit, went for a pasta dish. This time I chose the Chicken Breast Florentine Fettucini which came with a side of seasonal vegetables and was served with garlic bread. This fettucini was made with spinach pasta and chardonnay creamed garlic sauce on top which made it a bit tangy compared to an alfredo sauce but was absolutely delicious. I would definitely have this again.

Lakefront Restaurant
10 Fair Street, Cooperstown
607-547-8188
lakefrontcooperstown.com

Tara Barnwell,
Publisher
Hawkeye Bar and Grill,
Otesaga Resort Hotel
There is nothing quite like sitting on the patio at the Hawkeye Bar and Grill at The Otesaga having a
delightful lunch overlooking the lake. My go-to there is the
Caesar salad with grilled salmon. Not everyone knows how to cook salmon, but Chef Jim Perillo certainly does. It’s moist and juicy and pairs well with the Caesar salad. I branched out a bit last week, and if you like
pizza and mushrooms, you need to try the stone-fired thin crust 12″ pizzas. The wild mushroom has tons of mushrooms, some peppers and pesto mascarpone. The combination will make you keep coming back!
Don’t forget to take a walk down to the lake after your meal. Sit on a bench and soak up the beauty!

Hawkeye Bar and Grill
60 Lake Street, Cooperstown
607-544-2524
otesaga.com/dining/the-hawkeye-bar-grill

Greg Klein,
Editor
Cooper’s Barn
One place that quickly gained a
sentimental place
in my family was Cooper’s Barn on State Route 28 in the town of Hartwick, a mile or three south of Cooperstown.
Locals may remember this place as The Penguin, but the one carryover is great ice cream. Two years ago, after the new ownership rebranded the place, it seemed like a place to go for DreamsParkers. My mom was pre-nursing home then and I would pick her up and take her and my son out to eat and they often wanted ice cream, before, after, or sometimes instead of meals. I think this was when my then 13-year old was in his, “I’ll just have nachos” phase and my mom was in her “I’ll just have a hot dog” phase, so the limited menu worked with their limited desires. We would sit around at the end of the extended summer days and watch the out-of-towners play corn hole. It seems like a simpler, happier time to me now.
Whatever else is on the menu, the star at Cooper’s Barn is the ice cream with what they call mix-ins, and they helpfully give you some sample mixes to make favorite combinations. I like the “I want s’more” option, which is a chocolate ice cream with graham cracker, marshmallow and chocolate chip adds ins. The apple pie, with apples, cinnamon and graham cracker is popular in my family as well.

Cooper’s Barn
4833 State Hwy 28, Cooperstown
607-282-4365
facebook.com/coopersbarnicecream/

Kevin Limiti,
Reporter
Indian Grill
In Oneonta, the Indian Grill is right on Main Street and so convenient to everything. I tried their Lamb Korma and it is top notch.
Unlike a lot of Indian curries, which tend to be spicy, korma is actually sweet and creamy, so if you tend to avoid Indian food because of the spices you might give this a try. A lot of kormas tend to have raisins and nuts in them but this one didn’t, which I liked. When you mix the korma in with the rice, it makes for a very hearty meal.
The naan was also very good. Usually you can judge an Indian restaurants quality on its naan alone and I think that they pass this test with full colors. It was cooked correctly and was nice and fluffy, as all naan should be. I highly recommend this place and would encourage everyone to try it out and help support this local business.

Indian Grill
214 Main St., Oneonta
607-433-6666
oneontaindiangrill.com