The Lakeside Lodge & Grille offers a slice of Adirondack atmosphere in the quiet village of Bolton Landing. Established as The Lakeside Lodge in 1945 by the Keating family, the restaurant (which then included guest rooms above) was purchased by the Scott family in 1972 and renamed The House of Scotts.

The Current owners,  Art and Nicole Baker, purchased the business in 2006 and returned to the name as The Lakeside Lodge & Grille. The Bakers are hands-on owners and active citizens in their community.

Although their menu offers a variety of selections – fresh fish, hand cut steaks, gluten-free options – two staples are the Spicy Corn Chowder and The Crown Island.  The bowl of the chowder is a meal unto itself, and the The Crown Island is one of my personal favorites. It features generous portions of turkey and pastrami with swiss cheese, cole slaw and thousand island dressing on panni pressed marble rye bread. It’s a knock out.

The new Executive Chef, Keith Wildey, is a Culinary Institute of America graduate who offers creative daily specials. When I visited The Lakeside last week I spoke with Chef Keith who was very excited about a new menu he recently introduced.  I tried the Knuckle Sandwich – Maine lobster tossed with bacon, red onion and peppercorn aioli on a herb-garlic parmesan ciabatta bread with lettuce and tomato.  I also had the 18 ounce bone-in choice rib eye with parmesan- garlic rub and asparagus and mashed potato.  The steak was massive and perfectly prepared. Both the sandwich and steak were absolutely delicious.

In addition to the dining area (with plenty of room for large parties), The Lakeside also offers a large bar with tables, and a covered patio featuring a few tables with a lake view.  The bar offers a variety of wines and specialty cocktails, along with local beers on draft, all served by bartenders Katie Person and Cody Kober, who are personable, attentive, and popular with the locals.

The Lakeside is a friendly restaurant located on Lake Shore Drive (Route 9N, Bolton Landing’s Main Street) with something for everyone.

Photos: Above, Executive Chef Keith Wildey; below, patio dining area.