ITHACA, N.Y.—Ithaca Beer Company announced Monday that it will be opening a satellite restaurant in Collegetown, taking advantage of a new development at the corner of College and Oak Avenues in the popular stretch adjacent to Cornell University’s campus.

The announcement was short on details, coming on Twitter and Instagram from the company’s accounts. It doesn’t appear to impact Ithaca Beer’s existing location, outside of downtown Ithaca. According to the company’s posts, the restaurant will debut in August 2021.

“The new location sits on the corner of Student Agencies Building and features a large patio for indoor and outdoor seating,” the company said. The Student Agencies building is located at 411-415 College Avenue.

Other details were scant, but it’s easy to assume the restaurant will be modeled similarly to the type of American bar fare found at the company’s brewery headquarters and restaurant on Ithaca Beer Drive.

The location is part of a new development, a mixed-use project helmed by Student Agencies. That comes after a prolonged battle over the potential redevelopment of the location, commonly called the Chacona Block, which was nearly designated a historic landmark property, which would have significantly hamstrung any possibility of redevelopment. Collegetown Bagels moved out of the location in mid-2020.

“We will be opening in August if all stays on schedule,” wrote co-owner Mari Mitchell in an email. “We are very excited to be part of the vibrant Collegetown life that so many in our community and alumni value. (…) We know how important this corner is for the campus community. Our son Bryce Mitchell is currently a sophomore in hotel administration school at Cornell. It’s rewarding for us to be opening this while he can be a part of it and learn alongside us. We will be a full-service restaurant (with take-out options), serving a similar menu to our current location with a wood-fired pizza oven. Local ingredients will be a top priority.”

Matt Butler

Matt Butler is the Editor in Chief at The Ithaca Voice. He can be reached by email at mbutler@ithacavoice.org.