Cornerstone Restaurant & Bar

Cornerstone in Pawling is a great spot. From the moment we walked in, the hostess was friendly and welcoming, setting the tone for the night. The food was excellent, the service was smooth and attentive, and the space itself felt cozy and comfortable without being cramped.

We were there celebrating our anniversary, and they surprised us by comping a dessert, which was a really thoughtful touch and much appreciated. Little things like that make a place stand out.

Overall, a great experience and an easy recommendation. We’ll definitely be back.

We (six of us) had the opportunity to visit this new restaurant for dinner on December 27, 2025. It was "unofficially open" that night, with limited reservations and a limited menu, prior to the full opening on January 1. For a place just getting their feet under them they did an excellent job.
It was clear that the head chef/kitchen staff were well-versed in creating a top-of-the line experience with excellent choices. Small touches like the olives on the table and garnishes on the plates made that evident (and of course the great flavors of the dishes). I had the prime rib, which came with outstanding, local, onion rings which frankly couldn't have been better. A few other highlights were the rice balls and creamed spinach. The fact that many of the items are locally sourced was great as well. For me, this assures freshness as well as support for the local community.
The ambiance was outstanding....from the entryway to the dining area. The fireplace was just so cozy. I particularly liked the fact that they had hightop tables near the bar if you wanted to just stop in for drinks and appetizers.
The staff went out of their way to make sure we were happy with the food and service.
If I had to say something negative - it would be that the bar wasn't fully stocked yet, but the alternatives we chose were great. This wasn't enough of an issue to bump down the rating!
If you get the opportunity to go, you should...

Overall: Just okay, but disappointing.
When we walked in there was a noticeable sewage smell. After checking Yelp, others have mentioned the same issue, so that was a rough first impression.

The food was very bland. We had the burrata, pizza, and baked pasta—none had much flavor. The sauce wasn’t good, the pizza crust was strange and very dry.

They also had drink issues. Sangria was listed on the menu (with a current date) but was unavailable right when they opened. Then a spicy margarita was asked for and that was not available either. My drinks were fine, but nothing special.

We didn’t finish our food and were asked how everything was. The manager kindly offered to comp it, which we declined—we weren’t looking for free food, just better food. We ordered the cookie and milk for dessert, and they also brought a tiramisu we didn’t order. While we assumed it was a goodwill gesture, we were still charged half price for both desserts. That actually cost us more than what we originally ordered, which was frustrating and felt poorly handled.

The space has potential, but between the smell, bland food, drink availability issues, and billing misstep, the restaurant clearly needs work

We ate there last night, I personally enjoyed all of the things we ordered down to the espresso potent tiramisu. The menu seems "limited" but how it was told to me that they're a very heavy farm to table kind of restaurant. The menu will change depending on things available. With that being said pizza was simple yet very good, the rice balls are crunchy with a nice soft cheesy center,served with a red sauce that screams homemade(delicious).They had a prime rib (hudson valley beef) seasonsed well and melted like butter served with onion rings(locally sourced) 2 sauces,a steak sauce and a dill leek sauce,finished off with mashed potatoes drizzled in olive oil and dusted with salt and pepper. They were on point,literally just mashed potatoes. No dairy incorporated. Now onto the burger, probably the most farm fresh burger I've had,you could just tell flavor of the meat is distinct,seasoned to not mask it. Served with fresh made pickles,and house made ranch sauce and of course lettuce onion and tomato on the side. Service was attentive and very accommodating. For the first night actually open, everything was pretty smooth and portions were satisfying. We will be going back to try other things,and probably get a burger to go! Lastly the price point is fair and surprisingly "cheap" considering how much product they source from surrounding farms and shops. Give em shot, I see a successful place forming.

Food was absolutely incredible. Prices are unbelievably good for the high quality of food, the staff is knowledgeable and very friendly! Farm to table fresh. Excellent bar, great ambiance and a wonderful place to eat!