The first thing you need to know about Excelsior’s prettiest new restaurant

“I have Johnnycake FOMO,” said my dining companion, craning her neck as one of the plate-sized flappers was paraded through the dining room. A prior visit had yielded no cornmeal griddle cake, and this was a chance at redemption.

Sometimes summer feels like the season of Fear of Missing Out, or FOMO. There are bodies of water to explore, small towns to meander and patios to enjoy as the sun makes its lazy descent. And Layline in downtown Excelsior can be a destination for most of those experiences.

The new restaurant is the latest collaboration from InnerBloom Hospitality and chef Daniel del Prado, the same group that opened Wayzata’s Macanda and Josefina. (InnerBloom also runs Lost Bay on Lake Minnetonka.) Layline is situated on Water Street, the charming main street that does indeed end at the water. There’s plenty of indoor/outdoor seating, and a staff that nearly equals the number of diners.

The menu boasts many fish and shellfish options, but there are enough meaty counterparts to satisfy those who eschew seafood. Cocktails come with face-burying bouquets of flowers and boundary-pushing garnishes, like mushrooms and squid ink.

On the night we visited, the weather was glorious and the place quickly filled to capacity.

The location: 301 Water St., Excelsior, laylinerestaurant.com. Open 4-9 p.m. Sun.-Thu., 4-10 p.m. Fri.-Sat.

The vibe: Just as suited to a day coming off the lake as it is to a special occasion dinner, Layline works hard to cover all of the city’s dining desires. The former Gary’s First Class Car Care has been crafted into three separate dining areas: a streetside patio with umbrella-covered tables, a window-filled four-season porch and an interior dining area and bar surrounded by bold wallpaper and cane-backed furniture.

Acoustics were boisterous; as the dining room filled up, conversation volume adjusted accordingly.

The food: Starters highlight seafood with chilled oysters ($24 for six) and calamari fried with rock shrimp and red bell peppers ($15), mussels and a pair of crudos. Perhaps the most incongruous and popular starter is the Johnnycake ($12), served with whipped honey butter and chives with a side of maple syrup. Upgrading to Neptune style ($10) adds smoked arctic char, lime yogurt and caviar. Nearby tables could be heard raving about the crispy, sweet/savory plate-sized cornmeal pancake, and orders were streaming out of the kitchen.

Salads include a seasonal watermelon, basil, feta and chili ($14), and out-of-season beets were dressed for summer with a rhubarb mix ($15).

Sandwiches offer a towering fried chicken thigh on a bun ($17) or a cheeseburger ($18). The $30 lobster roll arrives in a butter-crisped hot dog bun, filled with rosy-white meat tossed in a light tarragon sauce. The mains are rounded out by rib-eye steak ($48), grilled fish ($28-$36) and seared scallops served atop a grilled sweet corn succotash ($28).

Sides include duck fat French fries, which are an extra $10 for those ordering sandwiches, and a couple of veggie options ($14).

Desserts seemed to draw from Asian inspiration with five spice-seasoned s’mores ($12) and mango sticky rice ($12). Other options include a summery lemon verbena panna cotta ($12) or housemade ice cream and sorbet ($4/scoop).

The drinks: Cocktails give a through-the-looking-glass twist on classics with unexpected additions. A white peach Aperol Spritz ($14) is served with a rectangular prism of clear ice that appears then disappears in the collins glass, and is topped with a pile of pebble ice and a prodigious amount of baby’s breath. A Negroni Sour ($16) gets a bittersweet upgrade with balsamic vinegar and squid ink that swirls into a mesmerizing garnish in a white-foam top. A rum Old Fashioned ($16) is served with Lion’s Mane mushrooms; our table wasn’t adventurous enough to sample the dill and white chocolate gimlet.

The wine list is well-appointed with plenty of affordable ($12 and up) by-the-glass options and occasion-worthy bottles. There’s a handful of beer options, too.

Getting there: There’s a small adjacent parking lot with limited handicapped availability. Availability of street and public lot parking depends on the activity in downtown Excelsior on any given night. It might be wise to wear walking-friendly shoes.