Gelato café concept proposed for Route 6 site in Mahopac 

 A new kind of dining experience blending café fare, gelato and a full bar could be coming to Route 6, as plans for a restaurant called the Silver Spoon were introduced to the Carmel Planning Board on April 22. 

The proposal calls for a two-story restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating on a currently vacant parcel at 870 Route 6, located in the town’s Hamlet Mixed-Use Center zoning district, where restaurants are permitted. 

“This would be a gelataria café — a full-service restaurant specializing in café-style food,” said property owner Chris Surace, who has owned the site for about five years. “Gelato is going to be a big focus point on the desserts, and coffee is going to be a big focus area. I want to have a full bar so we can bring an adult feel to the restaurant.” 

Surace said the concept has evolved over time from an ice cream-style stand into a more expansive, year-round dining destination serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, with a bakery component and takeout options.  He said menu items would include sandwiches, wraps, salads and more.

Plans presented to the board show most of the restaurant operations on the main floor, including kitchen space, seating and a gelato station, with a second level featuring additional seating, storage and a rooftop-style outdoor dining area with a pergola. 

While board members responded positively to the concept, the project remains in its early stages and faces several zoning and design hurdles before it can move forward. 

Town Building Inspector Mike Carnazza said the project will likely require multiple variances from the Carmel Zoning Board of Appeals, including lot size, building coverage and parking layout. 

Among the issues identified were a lot area smaller than required by code, building coverage nearly double what is permitted, and slightly undersized drive aisles. 

Planning consultant Pat Cleary said the application needs additional detail before a full review can be completed. 

“We need a little bit of cleanup work on the drawings that were submitted,” Cleary said. “Floor plans and elevations don’t match, so it’s a little bit unclear.” 

Parking will be a key factor in the review. The number of required spaces is tied to seating capacity, which applicants estimated at roughly 90 to 96 seats. Current plans show 32 parking spaces. 

“That parking number drives a lot of things,” Cleary noted, adding that the applicant may ultimately need to seek relief from the ZBA if the numbers don’t align. 

Town Engineer Rich Franzetti outlined additional requirements, including referrals to state and county agencies, stormwater and wastewater permits, and more detailed plans for drainage, lighting, landscaping and retaining walls. 

“We need a lighting plan; we need landscaping details, and we need more information on the retaining walls — that’s probably the biggest one,” Franzetti said. 

Board members also encouraged the applicant to reconsider site layout, particularly the placement of parking. 

“The first thing you see on Route 6 should be a pretty building, not a parking lot,” Cleary said, suggesting the building be moved closer to the road with parking relocated behind it. 

Other operational details — including hours of operation, delivery schedules, and waste management — will also need to be clarified as part of the review process. 

Despite the outstanding issues, the applicant’s team, led by attorney Aldo Vitaliano, said they were seeking initial feedback to determine whether the concept is worth pursuing further. 

“I think once you hear the concept, you’ll understand what he’s trying to accomplish,” Vitaliano told the board. 

Surace, a Mahopac resident who operates several restaurants in Westchester County, said the project would be a personal milestone. 

“This would be my hometown establishment,” he said. “This would be a flagship store for me because it’d be different than my other locations.” 

The Planning Board voted to declare itself lead agency for environmental review and directed the applicant to revise plans and return with more detailed information.