Patio season has a way of reshuffling habits along the lakeshore. The weather turns, doors open, and familiar places start to feel worth another look. In downtown Holland, Waverly Stone is one of those spots—especially if it’s been a while.
With the patio now open for June, the restaurant settles easily into the season: white wine, shared plates, and long, unhurried meals outside as downtown moves between beach days, errands, and early summer evenings.
Inside, Waverly Stone has the feel of a place in steady motion. Actor-bartender Michael Rene Walton moves between bar and dining room with practiced ease, while a mix of regulars and newcomers fills the space. Around them are the parents of the owner, once proprietors themselves; a local regular; and visitors in town for a nearby swim meet. At one table, conversation drifts in what sounds like French before settling more likely into Dutch—an easy fit for Holland.
The current mix of diners reflects a larger shift that has taken place over the past year. Once operating as Waverly Stone Gastropub after the Westerland family took it over seven years ago, the space leaned heavily into house-made brews and a traditional pub identity. In late 2024, that era came to a close, replaced by a more focused, food-driven restaurant with a cleaner, more intentional direction.
That change shows most clearly in the menu. Mediterranean influences now anchor the offerings: dolmas, kofta meatballs, stuffed artichokes, gyros, pastas, salads, orzo risotto, and a range of fish dishes. A smash burger remains on the menu as a quiet holdover from the past identity.
Owner Andrew Westerland describes the approach as straightforward, home-style cooking—less about reinvention than refinement: no seed oils, plenty of fish, and liberal use of beef tallow. “Almost everything here is now made with that in mind,” he said. “More like we eat at home.”
The result is less a reinvention than a clearing-out—something pared back, more deliberate, and noticeably different from what came before.
On a recent visit, the walleye and chicken shawarma stood out among the offerings, while behind the bar Walton suggested a cocktail called “Sweater Weather,” a strong, tonic-like drink that fits an unhurried afternoon. The ribeye special arrives with Hasselback potatoes and crisp confit Brussels sprouts, rounding out a menu that leans into comfort without excess.
The interior still carries echoes of its past, but with a lighter touch. Margaret Westerland’s design work keeps the room warm and welcoming, balancing Mediterranean accents with the building’s older bones. The original tin ceiling remains, grounding the space in history even as its identity has shifted.
For those who tried it years ago and moved on, Waverly Stone is no longer quite that place—and that’s the point.
