The Left Bank Restaurant Reno
For decades, The Left Bank Restaurant and Bar, which gets its namesake after a famed Parisian restaurant on the Seine River in France, has been one of York County’s most reputable restaurants. From the fresh flavorful dishes to the attentive staff and unprecedented dining experience, it’s no wonder The Left Bank is a busy downtown restaurant.
We spoke with Mandy Arnold, Co-Owner and wife to Owner, Chef Sean Arnold about the renovations they made to the Left Bank, including a fresh feature wall of Candice Olson's Network wallpaper!
YW: What was your goal for renovating this space?
LB: We wanted to update the space to elevate our dining atmosphere while still feeling like The Left Bank. As the longest standing restaurant in downtown York, we’re considered an institution. Our intention was to widen our appeal to the next generation of diners while continuing to appeal to our mature guest who is the most familiar with our restaurant.
YW: How did you manage to keep the restaurant open during the renovations?
LB: Our team was very organized, working on an efficient workflow chart in 24-hour cycles. My husband and I came in after our light night open and cleaned out everything. When our contractor arrived, they couldn’t believe how much we got done, allowing them to start the moment they walked in – they said that’s never happened before.
Our entire team cleaned every day at 3 pm to open at 5 pm Monday through Saturday in the bar. When we were seeking contractors for the project, many would not touch it. They said it was not possible, but we felt that it was very doable. After some pushing and negotiating, we had 13 very dedicated vendors working as one orchestrated team. At one point, we had 40 people working at once, painting, putting up wallpaper, updating electric and lighting, and gutting bathrooms. The entire team involved was very proud of the accomplishment, especially when the renovation was such a success. We see our contractors bringing in their clients all the time now to show off their work.
YW: Why did you choose our Candice Olson, Network wallpaper pattern?
LB: York Wallpaper came to our restaurant and walked us through a variety of samples. We tested lighting, color matching and discussed the atmosphere we wanted to achieve.
We also put wallpaper in the bathrooms, using it as a design element to compliment that dimensional tile and lighting. The wallpaper adds
YW: What do you feel wallpaper adds to this space?
LB: The feature wall in our dining room was something we wanted to create depth by having a visual attraction that stood out without being distracting. The wallpaper we selected has received so many compliments.
YW: What has been the reaction to the renovation?
LB: We’ve received an overwhelmingly positive response. Our guests have commented that the design is something you would see in Manhattan, but it still feels like The Left Bank. We’ve heard consistently that we hit the mark in elevating the atmosphere to contemporary fine dining in York.