Cornerstone, located at 146 East Main St. in Pawling, is set to open on New Year's Day, Thursday, Jan. 1, according to its owners.
The upcoming eatery was developed by Chef Harris Mayer in partnership with the Tomassetti family, Pawling residents who rebuilt the two-story building that houses the business.
The restaurant will focus on American cuisine with Italian influences, shaped by the region’s farms and the family’s Abruzzese roots.
Menu offerings include locally sourced meats, seafood, vegetables, and house-made pastas and pizzas prepared with grains milled by Wild Hive Community Grains in Clinton Corners. Ingredients come from regional producers, including farms in Pine Island, Wallkill, Ferndale, and throughout the Hudson Valley. Desserts will rotate seasonally and include items such as tiramisu cheesecake, warm chocolate cake, and fruit crostata.
The beverage program also emphasizes regional producers, with about 60 percent of the wine, beer, cider, and spirits sourced from New York State. Cocktails feature local distilleries, and the wine list highlights New York and American selections alongside classic international bottles.
Mayer, whose resume includes Five Points, Hundred Acres, Creamline, and Pulkie’s BBQ, said the opening carries personal meaning.
"After cooking in New York City for years, it feels meaningful for my first opening in the Hudson Valley to be one that is so deeply connected to the farms, producers, and community here,” Mayer said. said, adding, "This region is home for me, and Cornerstone is a chance to tell that story through food.”
The Tomassetti family said the restaurant was designed as a gathering place for the community.
"We wanted to create a place where our family, friends, and neighbors could gather around the table," the family said.
The main floor seats 86 guests around a semi-open kitchen and wood-burning pizza oven. An upstairs private event space can accommodate up to 100 people for weddings, celebrations, and private dinners.
Cornerstone will be open for dinner Wednesday through Friday from 5 to 10 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 4 to 10 p.m., and will be closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
Reservations will be available through Resy, with walk-ins and takeout also offered. The restaurant is fully accessible and offers vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options. Brunch service is planned for the future.
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