New Batavia Restaurant Gets Committee Approval on Liquor License

A new downtown Batavia restaurant moved one step closer to its kickoff.

The Government Services committee on Monday approved a liquor license for the restaurant, which will be located at 35 N. Water St.

The three partners behind the business—Rob Piton, Anne Marie McConnaughay and Jennifer Piton—want to open in about 60 days. They are excited about their new venture and stress that it will be different from Fox Grill and Outpost. Fox Grill was the last restaurant to occupy that Water Street site.

The family restaurant plans to make as many of its dishes from scratch as they can using fresh produce, not frozen foods, said Rob Piton, the Lodge's general manager. The menu will likely include barbecue pulled pork and chicken, Italian beef, steak and fish, Piton said.

Anne Marie McConnaughay, co-owner and executive chef of the restaurant, added they will have homemade desserts, such as Key Lime Pie, Piña Colada Cheese Cake and Fudge Pecan Pie. The desserts on the menu will be based on what’s in season, McConnaughay said. 

McConnaughay said she has been in and out of the restaurant business for the past 30 years.

“Ann has extensive restaurant experience in that the building formerly housed Firebarn Pizza, a successful family restaurant during the 80s,” City Administrator Bill McGrath said in a memo.

McConnaughay and Piton will also run the restaurant with Jennifer Piton, Rob's wife and McConnaughay's daughter, McGrath said.  

Every week, they also plan to create a different dish from around the world. Piton wants to hear feedback and change the restaurant’s menu to cater to the needs of the customers.

The restaurant's exterior is already repainted. Inside the partners plan to create an atmosphere similar to that of an outdoor lodge for biking or hiking, but they will leave the interior walls the same.

McConnaughay may also transform the screened porch area into an all-seasons room to add more seating, according to McGrath’s memo.