Restaurant · South East Seneca

Stonecat Cafe

Farm-to-table regional organic cuisine since 1999 — pub nights, live music, and unforgettable sunsets over Seneca Lake.

Hector, NY
Wed–Sat Dinner
$$–$$$
80% Local Organic
Live Music Pub Nights
Catbana Outdoor Bar & Deck

Stonecat Cafe

Since 1999, Stonecat Cafe has been one of the defining restaurants of the Seneca Lake east shore — a relaxed, farm-to-table spot built in a former roadside produce stand on Route 414 in Hector. The 2024 season marked the Stonecat's 25th year, and the kitchen has never lost its founding belief: food is life, and what people eat reflects how they feel about it.

The menu leans regional and organic, sourced heavily from local Finger Lakes farms — cows, pigs, and chickens delivered whole and butchered on site. Daily blackboard specials sit alongside cult-favorite dishes like the duck confit, cornmeal crusted catfish, and McKenzie rye whiskey-cured salmon. Reservations aren't accepted; parties of 8 or fewer are seated first come, first served.

Seating spreads across an indoor dining room (capacity 70) and an expansive outdoor area (capacity 95), including the Catbana outdoor bar and a covered deck under a canopy of wild grape leaves. Many tables offer glimpses of Seneca Lake and the west shore ridgeline — especially magical at sunset, when the live music starts on Pub Nights.

Our Story

Twenty-five-plus years in, Stonecat is still the place locals send out-of-towners when they want the real Hector experience. It doesn't look like much from the road — that's part of the charm — but inside it's all warmth, good food, and a genuine commitment to the Finger Lakes table.

Thursday Pasta Night with live music is the move if you can swing it: house-made pasta, a jazz musician out back, and the kind of sunset over Seneca Lake that makes you forget you're waiting for a table. The cornbread bread pudding alone is worth the drive from anywhere on the lake.

— South East Seneca

What to Expect

$$–$$$

Organic & Local

80% local, organic ingredients sourced from neighboring Finger Lakes farms — whole-animal butchery on site.

Catbana Outdoor Bar

An open-air outdoor bar and covered deck under wild grape leaves — sunset views toward Seneca Lake.

Live Music Pub Nights

Regular live music on Pub Nights, including the beloved Thursday Pasta Night.

House-Made Everything

From blackboard daily specials to bread pudding — scratch cooking with a 25-plus year legacy.

First-Come Seating

No reservations — parties of 8 or fewer welcomed on a first come, first served basis.

Garden-to-Glass Cocktails

Craft cocktails alongside local Finger Lakes wine and beer — built around the seasons.

Tips for Visitors

  • No reservations — arrive early on weekends, especially Saturday, as it fills up fast with no waitlist system.
  • Thursday Pasta Night is a local favorite — house-made pasta, live music, and sunset views.
  • Sit outside if the weather allows — the Catbana deck has the best angle toward Seneca Lake.
  • Check the blackboard specials first — they change daily and often include the kitchen's best dishes.
  • Closed Sunday through Tuesday — plan your visit Wednesday through Saturday evening.
  • Easy stop on Route 414 between Watkins Glen and the east shore wineries.

Events & Happenings

Thursdays

Pasta Night

House-made pasta specials with live music — typically a jazz musician on the back deck. One of the most popular nights of the week.

Weekly

Select Nights

Pub Nights

Live music in the Catbana outdoor bar or on the covered deck while you take in a stunning sunset over Seneca Lake.

Recurring

Wed – Sat Evenings

Sunset Dinner

Outdoor seating toward Seneca Lake and the west shore ridgeline — request a table with a view at the door.

Nightly

Year-Round

25th Anniversary Legacy

Celebrating 25-plus years of regional organic cuisine in Hector — the menu continues to evolve while staying true to its farm-to-table roots.

Ongoing

Your Next Stop

More great food and drink just up and down Route 414.