Sonia Jozajtis is bringing a new year-round restaurant and bar to the former Local Table & Tap space on Horseshoe Lake Road, combining seasonal food, cocktails, live entertainment and lake views under one roof.

Lakeland opened shortly before Memorial Day weekend and has remained busy through its first summer. Jozajtis said the goal is to create a place that works throughout the day and throughout the year, rather than relying solely on Sullivan County’s summer tourism season.

“I wanted to have that kind of a place where we’re open,” she said.

Jozajtis took over a space formerly occupied by Local Table & Tap, which had a darker, rustic bar atmosphere. She said the transformation required less construction than its new appearance might suggest.

“I wanted something light. I wanted something fresh,” Jozajtis said.

Much of the work involved paint, décor and brightening the existing space rather than rebuilding it. The bar sits prominently near the entrance, while the dining room and deck look out toward Kauneonga Lake. A small retail section along the front wall offers cheeses, condiments, snacks, produce and other curated goods.

“Everyone always loved this building,” she said. “Everyone always loved the location of it. You get a beautiful sunset, so when it was available, we jumped on it right away.”

Lakeland also draws heavily from Jozajtis’ previous experience in the restaurant business.

She previously operated two High Voltage locations in Asbury Park, New Jersey, including a boardwalk coffee shop serving breakfast and lunch. She later opened High Voltage in Mountaindale, where the concept evolved toward dinner, drinks, brunch and live music.

Lakeland, she said, combines those experiences.

After having a son, Jozajtis stepped away from restaurant ownership for several years and worked for other businesses. She had told herself she would not return to owning a restaurant, but, “Once you’re in it, you’re in it,” she said. “That’s what I did my whole life.”

Lakeland’s menu does not fit neatly into a single cuisine.

“It is a cultural mix of different foods,” Jozajtis said. “I’m not really stuck into anything. What feels right will be on a menu.”

Japanese flavors appear throughout, including miso, furikake, yuzu, sesame and soy glaze. Jozajtis said rice bowls are among the restaurant’s best sellers, while her personal favorite is the Caesar schnitzel, a breaded pork cutlet topped with Caesar salad and anchovies.

Weekend offerings also include sashimi and other raw preparations, with hand-roll pop-ups planned for winter.

The bar program features seasonal cocktails, including a yuzu-blackberry margarita that Jozajtis said has been a top seller. Nonalcoholic drinks include kombucha and social tonics.

Lakeland also hosts live music on Saturdays and open mic nights on Sundays. Jozajtis said brunch, coffee, smoothies and juices are being added or expanded as the business develops its year-round schedule.

Customers have come from across Sullivan County, including Callicoon, Liberty and Livingston Manor, as well as from Bethel Woods concerts and tourism traffic.

Asked what success would look like a year from now, Jozajtis said she wants a steady team, happy customers and enough business to remain busy throughout the year.

Then she offered a more personal measure.

“Have a weekend off with my son,” she said. “That’ll be success.”