The Chanticleer Restaurant & Gardens

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Century in the Making

What began as a small tea house at the turn of the last century in the quiet village of Siasconset has grown into one of Nantucket's most celebrated dining destinations. The Chanticleer Restaurant & Gardens occupies a rose-covered cottage at 9 New Street, surrounded by lush gardens that supply the kitchen with herbs, flowers, berries, and vegetables throughout the season. The setting is unhurried and genuinely beautiful — guests choose between several thoughtfully designed interior rooms and the open-air Rose Garden, where lunch stretches lazily under the island sky.

Stewardship and a New Chapter

Susan Handy and her partner, Chef Jeff Worster, took the helm in 2006, spending nearly two decades preserving the romantic, Old World character of the Sconset landmark while making it more approachable as a fine-dining destination. As The Chanticleer marked its 20th season in 2025, Executive Chef Andre Miller stepped into the kitchen with a perspective grounded in sustainability, seasonality, and global technique. Miller brings over a decade of Nantucket experience — including seven years at Straight Wharf — and his arrival signals a vibrant new chapter without breaking from the French tradition that has always defined the restaurant.

What's on the Plate

The menus reflect a kitchen that takes French cuisine seriously while letting the island's larder lead. Dinner opens with Nantucket Oysters & Pearls finished with Lillet blanc, elderflower, and Champagne, or a Black Bass & Local Lobster Bouillabaisse with Maine mussels, baby fennel, and saffron. Pasta dishes — an Oxtail Agnolotti "Bourguignon" with chanterelle, bone marrow, and truffle butter — sit alongside Day Boat Scallops with white asparagus velouté and hazelnut persillade. The Grill Room offers nightly Bistro Classics: Moules Frites, Duck Confit Poutine, and American Wagyu Steak Frites with béarnaise or truffle butter au poivre. Desserts stay true to the French roots — a Mille Feuille with butterscotch crème pâtissière, and the signature Gateau Chanticleer with black cherry mousse and crème fraîche ice cream.

Recognition and the Room

Wine Spectator has recognized The Chanticleer with its Best of Award of Excellence, a fitting distinction for a restaurant whose wine program matches the ambition of its kitchen. Beyond nightly service, the property hosts weddings, rehearsal dinners, and private celebrations in the Rose Garden and private dining rooms — each event shaped around the particular beauty of Sconset. The combination of Susan Handy's seasoned hospitality and Chef Miller's seafood-forward, French-inflected cooking makes every visit feel considered rather than routine.