Ë®¹ûÅÉAV

What was previously Route 20 Grill & Tap, and perhaps most famously the Pioneer Restaurant, is now At Long Last. The freshly remodeled space offers breakfast and brunch fare described to Ë®¹ûÅÉAV by owner Robin Long as "a little step up from what normal diner fare might be." Signature meals include shrimp-and-grits eggs Benedict, and chicken and waffles with sriracha maple and bacon jam.

For Long, the name of the business is more than a pun. Its Feb. 15 opening was the culmination of a career that began about 30 years ago at the Old Erie Restaurant in Weedsport.

She went on to a few chain restaurants and then the Sherwood Inn, where she was general manager for six years. During COVID-19 she suddenly had to work as the historic Skaneateles establishment's line cook, takeout coordinator and outdoor seating manager, adding even more experiences to a career that began with washing dishes and hosting. She credited the Old Erie's Dave and Eileen Gibson and the Sherwood's Bill Eberhardt for teaching her the work and giving her the confidence to do it well. But she's wanted to be her own boss since falling in love with the industry on her first day in it. 

"I think it's everybody's dream in this industry to have their own place. I think once that's in your blood, it doesn't ever leave," she said. "I love customer service, the guests, the hustle and the bustle." 

A few years ago, after Route 20 Grill & Tap closed due to a fire, Long found her opportunity. The restaurant was purchased by Auburn developer Matteo Bartolotta, who reached out to her husband, Jason Long, about leasing it. She was unsure at first. The space was a wreck, she recalled, stripped down to the studs in the more damaged areas. But Bartolotta sold her and Jason on the possibilities.

"This whole project wouldn't have been possible without Matt and Anthony Bartolotta having a vision of what this run-down building could have been," she said. "We owe them a lot for this beautiful spot."

The location was important to Long as well. She was born in Sennett, where her family owns a large dairy farm, and she continues to live in the town with her husband. Likewise, she drew from her experiences at local restaurants while devising At Long Last. At the Sherwood she learned the importance of quality ingredients and preparation, she said, and she looked to a former colleague there to help her apply that lesson to the upscale breakfast and brunch fare she wanted to serve: Zach Piraino, who also worked at The Krebs in Skaneateles. He's now executive chef of the new business.

Piraino told Ë®¹ûÅÉAV the menu consists of classic meals reinvented into unique ones. The already popular house-made bacon jam does that to the chicken and waffles, and the smash burger.

"Zach has a super funky brain," Long said. "I could see that he had a creativity that maybe didn't pair well with the Sherwood Inn menu or the Krebs menu. But I think it pairs really well here."

Long said she gave her executive chef a blank slate to engineer the menu, and the decor of the space reflects that mindset. The walls are completely white, save for a few accent spots that will feature wallpaper from A&M Graphics in Auburn with the cartoon toast, bacon and egg in the restaurant's logo. The morning sun through the many south-facing windows only accentuates Long's clean, minimalist ambitions. She thanked of Syracuse for its design help, and Bartolotta for building the wooden bar and booths by hand. The bar seats about 15, and the whole dining room about 90.

The second floor of the restaurant, once the subject of a lengthy court battle, was sealed off during its remodeling and will be used as an Airbnb, Long said. But she plans to use the patio area for outdoor seating during warmer months. She also wants to expand the drink menu, as her mimosa flights have been "selling like hotcakes," and possibly add dinner if she can find the staff that would require.

"It's been a fun ride so far," she said of the restaurant's first week. "At Long Last I had the courage, and my kids are a little bit older now, and I can just pour my heart and soul into this business."