Westmain Tavern

This place is a rare find in such a small lake community. The owners are super nice and work hard to win your business. They are a tasteful mix of old school charm with incredible food and a really smart beer/​wine selection. I highly recommend you stop here!

If you live in Syracuse, or are just visiting, Westmain is the best go-​to spot for dinner or drinks. The vibe, the flavor, Jason & Emily (and crew) are divine. While waiting for a table, you can sit outside and have a cocktail, or inside at the bar. Once seated, you’re faced with wonderful choices. My favorite is the salmon special if available… it literally melts in your mouth. The Brussels sprouts are excellent as well. We love the dessert specials, & they change often offering a sweet variety to your palette.

I agree with previous posters. The atmosphere, hospitality, and excellence of food are quite rare and extremely energizing. I was alone in my experience, but am looking forward to sharing the experience with my wife.

Easily the best restaurant in Syracuse. The family that owns it is delightful. Very friendly service. We arrived 20 minutes before closing time and they could not have been more gracious.
I’ve had the mussel special twice. Somehow they get better mussels than most of the restaurants I go to in Chicago. My only complaint is they use way too much parsley. The other appetizers were good.
My pasta was also good.

So nice to have this fabulous restaurant nearby. The food is amazing! Everything we’ve had here has been 5***** quality. It’s a cozy, intimate charming atmosphere with the best service and attention to every detail. If you havent tried it, you should!

We visited the Westmain Tavern on March 25, 2016. We were spending a couple nights at the Oakwood Resort and wanted to have a nice dinner. Westmain exceeded all our expectations. We read a number of online reviews of Westmain and several other local restaurants. Westmain was the clear favorite.
When you enter the restaurant, you find yourself in a narrow hallway, a space to queue up for a spot at the bar (it seats 6 people) while you wait for one of the seven tables in the small restaurant. On this Friday night, there were three people ahead of us in the queue, but Emily came out to greet us warmly and offer us a glass of wine. She told us it might be 20 to 30 minutes for a table. We told her that we were on vacation and that the time didn’t concern us.
Shortly after we got our glasses of wine, there was some movement, and we were seated at the bar. It’s a short «L» shaped bar. Four stools on the long side, two on the short. Behind the bar are shelves to the ceiling, stocked with bottles of wine and premium liquor — Grey Goose, Hendrick’s Gin, Jack Daniels. No well brands here. There are taps for five or six draft beers, including several from Upland in Bloomington, Indiana (our back yard). A window high above the bar holds a large vase and smaller stained glass pieces with the IU and Purdue logos. Mary was pleased to find purse hooks under the bar. (Emily told us later those were her idea.)
Emily gave us menus to read while we waited. There were about four appetizers, three or four salads, and a half dozen entrees, including a beef filet, a local pork dish, chicken thighs and two pasta dishes. All of it fit on one page. Perfect. From where we sat at the bar, we could see directly into the kitchen. It was a compact U-​shaped layout, 8′ x 12′ if I’m being generous — just big enough for the chef and an assistant. One leg of the U was a large commercial range next to a large pizza oven. The other leg was a long counter for prep and finishing. A wire rack with spices and supplies connected the two legs.
The décor is simple and elegant. The walls are a mix of original brick and painted planks. The main dining room wall is accented with a metal sculpture of a fish, which was reproduced on the backs of the staff’s shirts. The ceiling was covered with corrugated metal siding, the floors were polished hardwood. It was a warm and comfortable place. We could have been in any of dozens of small restaurants in northern California.
When we were seated at our table, my wife asked Emily what dish on the menu was her favorite. She replied that picking one was like picking your favorite child. She gave us a quick but thorough summary of each of the entrée choices and then mentioned their specials for the evening. One was Chiopino, a fish stew with salmon, calamari and mussels in a spicy tomato broth. The other was salmon with a sweet and spicy rub. We were intrigued. When our waitress came a few minutes later, we asked her for more details on both. Without hesitation, she confidently described each dish. She hadn’t memorized the details, she knew what the dishes were about. We ordered one of each special and a small wedge salad.
Jason, the owner and chef, delivered our salads and welcomed us to the restaurant. The salads were served on narrow plates, with the wedge of lettuce at one end. A piece of radish sat in the center of the plate and a wedge of cucumber balanced out the other end. The lettuce was crisp, with a creamy roquefort dressing. Not too much of anything — just right.
Shortly after we’d finished the salads, our entrees arrived, also delivered by Jason. Both were beautifully presented. My wife’s salmon sat opposite a serving of roasted new potatoes on a narrow white plate. My chiopino was served in a large funnel-​shaped bowl, with a large piece of crusty bread sitting atop the stew.
The salmon was delicious. It was was cooked perfectly, with a spicy brown sugar glaze. (I’m not doing it justice with that description.)
The chiopino stole the show, though. I’d never had it before and wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but could not have imagined the delightful meal that I got. The tomato broth was rich and fragrant. The bowl was heaping with mussels. For the first few minutes I enjoyed alternating mussels and rings of calamari, each complemented by the rich broth and the crusty bread. And then, underneath the mussels, I found the salmon. In most stews, you run out of «stuff» before you run out of soup. This stew had a bit of goodness in every bite, clear to the end. Years ago I ate the French stew cassoulet and thought it was one of the best things ever. Jason’s chiopino raised the bar.
We went to Westmain because of the reviews. Having been there, we’ll go back for the excellent food and wonderful service.

We came to Westmain Tavern on the recommendation of my niece. We were NOT disappointed. Great staff, nice ambience and the food was superb. Starters of Brussel sprouts, and baked guiggisberg cheese. We could have stopped there but we didn’t. The pork chops and asparagus were prepped to perfection. If you haven’t been here yet, you ought to put it on your list of places to visit.

Amazing food. the first time we went happened to be octoberfest night… traditional german menu was amazing… we will go back and would recommend to all… location is difficult to find but it is across from the movie theater…

I tried this place after reading the reviews and I have to say it lived up to all the great reviews. Décor was very nice, staff was friendly and personable. Specifically, Emily (co-​owner with her husband/​greeter/​server). She was super sweet. She explained the menu and seemed genuinely thankful for her patrons visit. Judy was also very nice and attentive.
Now for the food. Very tasty and generous portions. To start, I had the Spinach salad with pickle red onion, goat cheese and raspberry vinaigrette. For my main dish I had Emelias pasta which consisted up spinach, tomato onion sausage with gouda. It was delicious.
This was great dining experience. I highly recommend this place.

We were in Syracuse, IN visiting from Boston, and sought out this local place after hearing from locals it’s the place to go. It’s in the old downtown district, and they’ve redesigned the interior of this old building to make it feel open, yet still preserve turn of the century appeal. We were very impressed, and loved the ambience, which is sometimes lacking in Boston restaurants.
Emily, one of the owners, met us at the entry, and made us feel immediately welcome. They had a selection of local area beers and great wines, including a good wine ecommendation for pairing with our filet and spicy sausage pasta. We had the spinach salad, as well as the tomato and mozzarella for an appetizer, and the freshness of the vegetables was amazing.
If you get there early, there is a great bar inside and place to drink outside. And it’s a good idea to get there early, as it was packed by the time we left. We will definitely come back next time we are in town!

Got there with a party of 6. It was too busy to be seated. Quick service but didn’t get the job done tonight. would return

Emily is so polite and such a great addition to Syracuse we wish them all the best and success! With a menu and quality of food they serve, they should have no problem attracting and keeping people coming back.
Emily greeted us at the door and explained the menu and specials throughly. Our server was equally helpful and prompt.
We ordered the olives/​feta and papas appetizers which came out to our table on just a few minutes.
Next was the halibut special, amazing prep and seasoning! It was like butter melting in your mouth. The side were also very good, a shaved brussel sprout side was an new and delicious take on this under appreciated vegetable.
A chocolate cake a la mode finished an amazing dining experience, top notch quality of food and service, this place has brought high end dining to Syracuse.
The décor is modern but not cold, it looks like there are some locally made metal work art pieces along the walls which blend in with the dark stained wood table and chairs nicely. It’s an attractive place to dine and yet cozy due to the friendly attitude and attention the whole staff gives its customers, keep up this incredible level and you’ll be around forever!!!

We’ve been back and the food was even better the second time around. Incredible ambiance for a small town. Eclectic menu that’s simple but very enjoyable. Love the West Main!

This is one of the best meals I’ve ever been served in a restaurant. Since I live on a farm and grow most of my own food, my standards for «farm-​to-​table» are high. But they bring out the best in every ingredient. The garlic bread was the best I’ve ever had — fresh garlic on a crusty bread that was light and steamy inside. I had the penne pasta with pulled sausage and spinach in a tomato Gorgonzola sauce. Perfect blend of flavors. I also had a side of shaved roasted brussel sprouts that were perfect. The staff was all considerate and friendly without being in the way. I felt the portions were generous but my husband could have eaten more. We were in Syracuse for a conference but I will gladly drive the hour from home to eat here the next time I want a special meal!

As my profile says, if momma greets you and papa is cooking, good food is being served.
And West Main fills that perfectly.
In an area affluent, yet starved for upscale kitchens, this fills the senses, the palate and my hunger all in one.
The menu is linited, yet filled with great options. Something not on the menu, as during our last visit, we ask if the chef/​owner/​papa would make some spinach for a side. It was 6 stars good!!!
Great beer and wine and friendly service makes this a must due when visiting the area.

(Re-​posting my review here that I had posted here:
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West Main is a brand new restaurant in downtown Syracuse and is easily the best cuisine in town. Emily and her husband have truly upgraded the food of Syracuse. I love every local eatery (Sleepy Owl, Frog, Channel Marker, Oakwood, etc) but West Main really does bring class to Syracuse.
West Main offers local brews and great food. They offer Man Cave brews (local) as well an array of dishes like high-​end pizzas, shrimp scampi, steak, great pasta, and the unreal rosemary chicken. The guggisberg (spelling?) appetizer is spectacular.
The interior is a bit small so I would advise going early on Friday/​Saturday nights, but it is absolutely worth it.
If you are looking for a dining experience while at Wawasee, you really cannot do better than West Main.

Love that we have something like this locally; Jason and Emily have added a gem to our community! Fresh ingredients for the imaginative fare, attentive service, very good choice of wines, and craft beer. what more could you want? The size of the place makes for an intimate setting without feeling cramped. I HIGHLY recommend it.

Owners were very nice but the waitress left much to be desired. Food was extremely over priced for what you received. They were out of many items on the already limited menu so some of us had no choice but to select the more expensive items. The waitress was very rude and short with us. The craft beer tasted watered down. I wanted to like this place but I wouldn’t recommend it and don’t plan on visiting again

This place is small but they pack a real punch. The vibe is really cool. They had a really interesting wine list and several craft beers on tap.
The food menu is not huge but it is clear that every offering is top quality.
As an appetizer, I went with the heirloom tomato salad special and it was so amazing, I could have eaten another one. For my entrée, I had the salmon with caper sauce special and it was also superb. The salmon was fresh and prepared just as I requested. The sauce was not your typical lemon caper sauce.
My table mates all enjoyed their entrees as well.
They don’t take reservations but we waited no more than 20 minutes on a weekend night.

Would have tried this place based solely on its Farm-​to-​Table approach, and it offers so much more! We were greeted with warm smiles and friendly but not overwhelming conversation. The décor is tasteful. Our server was prompt and knowledgeable, and steered me toward a great wine. The pork and asparagus were cooked to perfection! My dining mates all had the tacos. Not a morsel was left on any of our plates. If I ever find myself in Indiana again, I will eagerly revisit this fabulous little find.