You pull up at beloved Charlotte restaurant Pelican’s Nest and some motorcycles are in the parking lot. But then a van with seniors drives up. And inside they are calling for more highchairs to seat a party of 20 with kids.
Later that evening, folks in their 20s to 40s looking for fun will arrive for live music. Each group lays a strong but different claim to this destination spot.
This is the scene at Pelican’s Nest north of Rochester every summer. The draw is the waterfront, the feeling, the food. The classic spot, starting its 29th season, opens April 19 for the summer. Atlas is the grand re-opening act playing Friday.
Rochesterians who are drawn toward Lake Ontario swear by the Pelican’s Nest for a good meal and good time. So we sat down with owner Terry Testa to find out what you need to know.
When did Pelican’s Nest get started?
“My original intention was to put the structure up, never having been in the business,” Testa explained. “I never washed a dish, never served a drink, never flipped a burger. I was gonna just build it knowing that it was needed — there was nowhere to go nearby really. I was pretty confident that it would do well. But my original, I guess, thought or intent was to build it and lease it out.