Our entire team is focused on delivering excellent meals, and a great experience to each guest who visits us. We love to take advantage of the bounty offered by local farmers, as well as our own gardens.

The Hole in the Wall wine list is carefully curated with the same local-focus philosophy that we apply to food. Finger Lakes vintners produce almost half of the wine selections offered on a daily basis.

The Hole in the Wall hasn’t always been the kind of place it is today. It hasn’t always lived in its present location, and though its offerings have grown and changed, the quick and warm welcome remains the same. Along with that, there is one tradition in particular that today’s team is especially pleased to be able to honor and carry forward.

George “Papou” Dovolos, the original owner, established the business in 1932. It wasn’t long after that the United States got involved in World War II, and the nation came together to support the war effort. George would not allow any servicemen to pay for a meal during World War II in the hopes that his two sons, Nicky and Peter, might also be treated to such a kindness while overseas serving the country.

During the war, 2,933 servicemen received complimentary meals courtesy of the restaurant.

When giving directions to the then named “Perry Sandwich Shop” people would explain that it is “just a little hole in the wall on Main Street in Perry, NY; if you blink you will miss it.” This story was told to Papou so many times that he decided to rename his coffee shop “The Hole in the Wall” Restaurant. It served the community and many more for seventy plus years in that spot.

In 2001, Anita Billings bought The Hole in the Wall. In 2004, the restaurant moved to a new home, where it is found today on Standpipe Road, in Perry, NY – close to both Silver Lake and Letchworth State Park.

We are proud to retain the name “The Hole in the Wall” and continue to treat any uniformed serviceman or woman to a meal to show our gratitude for their service and recognize it’s significance, both yesterday and today.

Chef Travis Barlow blends a desire to experiment with familiar flavors, a need to elevate overlooked ingredients and a love of locally sourced foods to create dining experiences that satisfy and excite an audience that includes traditional Sunday dinner lovers, foodie fanatics, and hungry travelers alike.

Travis completed the Culinary Arts program offered by BOCES Belmont before earning an Associate’s degree in Culinary Arts from Paul Smith’s College near Saranac Lake, NY.

He has been the Executive Chef at the Hole in the Wall since 2006, where he works with his wife, Jacquie, and her parents, Bruce and Anita Billings, under the direct supervision of Travis and Jacquie’s daughter, Anna and their son, Sebastian.

The restaurant sits on a picturesque three-acre site which provides plenty of space for vegetable and herb gardens, and Travis’s honey bee yard.