The large dining room has an affluent equestrian theme, suited to casual lunches or white-tablecloth celebrations.
Chef Peter X. Kelly has raised New Canaan’s culinary bar. The James Beard Award-nominated, Bobby Flay-beating chef and restaurateur, has created a menu of high-quality comfort food, mostly New England in flavor, with a few delightful surprises. During our visit to the 100-seat restaurant a few weeks after its relaunch, Chef Kelly’s finesse, technique and experience were on full display, complemented by attentive hospitality and a sense of ceremony that honors both the ingredients and the care the kitchen takes with them. Chef Kelly’s acclaimed New York restaurants include X20 Xaviars on the Hudson, which recently closed, and Basso by PXK in Chappaqua.
The large dining room retains its Ralph Lauren–inspired polo theme, having been briefly known as Waveny Polo Bar and Grill and, before that, South End. Hunter green walls, adorned with framed illustrations and paintings of horses, create a classic, refined atmosphere. Waveny Tavern by PXK welcomes guests for any occasion, from ladies’ lunch to after-work drinks or full-scale celebrations.
Two dishes, standout starters from the dinner menu, reimagine classic dishes. The New Canaan Clam Chowder arrives brothless showcasing warm, tender chopped clams, brunoised potatoes and minced Nueske’s bacon. When the server pours the broth tableside, minced chives float to the surface, infusing the lightly creamy clam broth. No thick roux masking the fresh flavors of the sea. It’s one of the best takes on a traditional clam chowder I’ve ever had the pleasure of eating.
Chawanmushi is a surprising and elegant addition to the menu, inspired by the chef’s trip to Kyoto. A server lifts the lid from a bowl, revealing jiggling custard topped with pieces of shrimp, crab, lobster and uni. Dashi is poured over the bowl tableside, enriching the umami and seafood flavors of the soft custard. Paired with crisp, tempura haricot verts, each spoonful delivers a perfect balance of comfort, richness and blissful texture that lingers long after the last bite.
The show-stopper entree and a must-have for a celebratory dinner is the cowboy steak for two—a 40-ounce marvel that earned Chef Kelly an Iron Chef win over Bobby Flay. It is an impressive sight, coated with a blackened crust of brown sugar and cayenne that adds just the right note of flavor to each thick slice. Two sides come with the cowboy steak, the platonic ideal of what creamed spinach should be (baby spinach leaves melting into cream) and a frothy Béarnaise loaded with fresh tarragon. Guests can also order a side of rich truffled mashed potatoes or gingery sweet potato puree. Chef Kelly is a master at elevating the humble spud. Most impressive are the whisper-thin, crisp, translucent slices that sandwich a sage leaf. This edible garnish embellishes the steak and the truffled potatoes.
Lobster Pot Pie offers another indulgent, shareable (or not) feast. Beneath a puff pastry hat, a sherry-laced lobster sauce bathes seasonal vegetables and chunks of lobster. Every component was perfect—tender lobster, brunoised vegetables, a slice of curried turnip and little hon-shimeji mushrooms adding texture, umami and fun. This is comfy luxury
Lunch showcases lighter fare with equal care—like the Tuna Niçoise salad. Fast-seared bluefin tuna adorns this salade composée, where each of the vegetables—cherry tomatoes, haricots verts, boiled potatoes and salad greens—are separately dressed in a spot-on vinaigrette. The attention to detail and technique was visible in the perfectly hard-boiled egg, the white flawless and the yellow slightly fluffy. Niçoise olives give the salad punch. Faroe Island salmon “a la plancha” arrives golden-seared; the filets resting on watercress sauce, with thick, juicy spears of grilled asparagus, and gorgeously crusty wedges of roasted potato.
Desserts are equally impressive. The a la minute napoleon, with crisp caramelized pastry, lemon curd, and whipped cream, is ethereal. Chocolate daquoise is another winner, with layers of genoise, butter cream and ganache.
Yes, you can certainly pop in for a burger or a bowl of rigatoni. The tavern is ready for all moods. But what sets Waveny Tavern by PXK apart are quality ingredients, technique and presentation. With its inviting atmosphere, refined menu and standout flavors, the tavern is far more than a neighborhood hangout. It has the makings of a culinary destination—one that draws diners for both its elevated comfort food and its memorable, expertly crafted dining experience.