When you walk into the cozy Finger Lakes restaurant called Here, a chalkboard sign over the counter pretty much sums up the ethos:
"Welcome! You made it from way over there to here. Everything is housemade (even the hot sauces, breads, hot cocoa mix, et al). Relax, grab some local cawf and eat deliciously."
The almost three-year-old restaurant is the creation of Jen Irwin and Stan Walton, life partners for the past 35 years.
They owned Just a Taste, a popular tapas restaurant in Ithaca, from 1994 until they sold it in 2019. Their plan was to retire, which they did through the COVID-19 years. "And then we got bored," Irwin said.
That led to them opening Here, a cozy spot that seats 14 people inside, with 15 picnic tables around the property outside.
It serves hearty breakfast and lunch fare, with a new menu published each week.
Generally you'll find breakfast items like French toast, breakfast sandwiches, a spicy scramble, huevos rancheros and biscuits with gravy. Among the more unique breakfast dishes are a smoked bologna and egg sandwich served on focaccia with Creole mayo, mustard, sauteed onions and cheddar, and smoked rainbow trout served with two eggs, focaccia and garlic fries.
Lunchtime offerings include barbecue, such as Stan's pulled pork, unless the weather gets too cold for Stan to be working the outdoor smoker.
When the harvest is in full swing, Jen makes the rounds to local farms to gather ingredients for its many veggie-forward side dishes. On a recent visit some of the options were beets in sherry vinaigrette; roast cauliflower in sesame vinaigrette; roasted radish in chive-tarragon vinaigrette; slow-cooked greens and beans; and charred cabbage and sweet potatoes with feta. You may order a sampler of five sides plus a hearty chunk of focaccia; it's a heaping plate of food for $14.
Each week you'll find something new on the menu, like a seasonal strata, sandwich or a soup.
If you're on the go, the restaurant also offers grab-and-go baked goods, including breads, desserts and cookies. On my first visit, I had limited time between stops. I grabbed a large slice of its focaccia, which that day was studded with perfectly ripe cherry tomatoes and a smear of something green and garlicky. That was followed by a perfectly chewy chocolate chip cookie studded with pecans.
On my second visit, this time with a colleague, we noshed on Sam's ribs, which were perfectly tender, and served with spicy baked beans (they were indeed spicy), coleslaw and cornbread. And the okra gumbo was a classic, with chicken, shrimp and slices of spicy homemade hot link sausage, ladled over rice and served with a wedge of cornbread. Everything was delicious, no notes.
If you go
Here is at 5646 Route 414 in Hector, on the southeast side of Seneca Lake.
It is open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday through Monday in the summer and early fall. After Columbus Day weekend it switches to cold season hours: 9-3 Saturday and Sunday. Find the weekly menu at hereinhector.com; for takeout orders call 607-546-2872.
If you're traveling from Rochester, it's a 90-minute drive, so I would advise combining a visit with stops at nearby wineries. Some of my favorites nearby − bear in mind that my wine tastes run bougie − are:
∎ Hillick & Hobbs Estate, 3539 NY-79 in Burdett, hillickandhobbs.com.
∎ Ryan William Vineyard, 4156 NY-414 in Burdett, ryanwilliam.com.
∎ Forge Cellars, 3775 Mathews Road in Burdett, forgecellars.com.
∎ 1487 Heritage, 5705 NY-414 in Hector, 1487heritage.com.
Food and drink reporter Tracy Schuhmacher has a level 3 award in wines from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET). Send winery and Finger Lakes news to tracys@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Cozy Finger Lakes eatery serves hearty homemade breakfasts and lunches
