Oldest Restaurant in NYC

[Holly Moore]

1. What is the oldest, continuously running restaurant in New York City?

2. Has its status as oldest led to it evolving into a tourist trap sort of place or is it still a staple for locals?

3. Is its menu traditional - what it was 50 years ago - or has it been forced to follow culinary trends?

[vengroff]

I don't know if Delmonico's is the oldest, but it's been around since the mid 1800's. Many of the menu items currently served have been around for years. It tends to get very mixed reviews from modern diners.

[Lisa1349]

It's taught in culinary schools that Delmonico's is the oldest. Once again I'm embarrased to say I've n ot been there though. They were one of the first for that cut of steak too - Delmonico, NY Strip, Kansas City Strip - all the same breed.

Why ya askin?

Lisa

[slkinsey]

I don't know if Delmonico's is the oldest, but it's been around since the mid 1800's.  Many of the menu items currently served have been around for years.  It tends to get very mixed reviews from modern diners.

AFAIK, Delmonico's is not continuously running, per Holly's question #1 above. My understanding is that it was open from 1834 to 1923, closed for some number of years, and then reopened -- possibly not even in the original location. The new place is a rather pedestrian steak house wanna-be, and not the ultra-fine-dining establishment of the old days.

Interestingly, Delminico's at one time issued its own currency.

Delminico's is credited with the first examples of Baked Alaska, Chicken a la King, Eggs Benedict, Lobster Newburg, and other famous dishes.

Edited June 27, 2003 by slkinsey (log)

[vengroff]

You're right slkinsey--it wasn't continuously open.

It may be hard to find many places that made it through prohibition intact. The '21' Club perhaps?

[EJRothman]

Gage & Tollner on Futon Street in Brooklyn has been continuously operating since 1879. I know it's the oldest restaurant in Brooklyn, not sure where it ranks on the list of oldest in the city.

Pete's tavern on E. 18th Street has been continuously serving food and drink since 1864. Does this count as a restaurant?

-Eric

[CathyL]

If Pete's does count, the honors go to Fraunces Tavern - operating since 1762.

[Peter B Wolf]

......- Delmonico, NY Strip, Kansas City Strip - all the same breed.

Why ya askin?

Lisa

Here is that 'Heini Immigrant' !

......was under the impression that a "Delmonico" is not of the same breed as 'NY Strip, Kansas City Strip.'

All you cognoscenti out there is the 'Delmonico' not cut from the NAMP # 112 (Beef Rib, Boneless Ribeye Roll, Lip off) ?

[alacarte]

I always thought the oldest restaurant was One if By Land, Two if By Sea.

what do we get if we answer one of these trivia questions correctly?

[elyse]

I thought it was something near Wall Street.

[Pan]

Is McSorley's up there for bars?

[Suzanne F]

1. What is the oldest, continuously running restaurant in New York City?

2. Has its status as oldest led to it evolving into a tourist trap sort of place or is it still a staple for locals?

3. Is its menu traditional - what it was 50 years ago - or has it been forced to follow culinary trends?

Some time ago there was a debate as to which was older: McSorley's or Bridge Cafe, which is in a pretty old building (built in 1794, according to Zagat). But whether businesses in either location have served continuously, I do not know.

The next oldest place on the Zagat list, Bayard's (1851) wouldn't count, because whatever eating places have been in that building (India House) have not been open to the public.

Next on the Z list is Old Homestead (1868). Now that's a good possibility. Is it only a tourist trap? I don't think so; it's still my first choice for a slab of prime rib. The decor, the last time I was there, was so charmingly 1950s -- although they may have redone the place recently? Traditional menu or trendy? Some of each, although aren't slabs of meat timeless? The tower of garlic breadsticks, however, is neither timeless nor trendy; THAT's touristy.

Gage and Tollner (1879) has not operated continuously. But if we're now just talking about OLD places, that's a place that has tried to be trendy as well as traditional. The trendy stuff just doesn't cut it; the traditional (clam bellies, she-crab soup, chops) is definitely the way to go.

(Delmonico's now has no relation whatsoever to the Delmonico's started in 1828 and many times transformed, other than the space it occupies. And One if by Land is in an old building [Aaron Burr's house?], but the restaurant itself is nowhere near that old.

Edited June 28, 2003 by Suzanne F (log)

[Chef Fowke]

Restaurant trivia;

Delmonico Restaurant NYC (http://www.cbbqa.com/delmonico/History.html ).

1. The first restaurant in the USA to serve food al a carte and have a full menu.

2. The term 86’ed comes from the fact that the menu item number 86 at Delmonica’s was the Delmonico steak

(http://www.cbbqa.com/delmonico/Steak.html )

that they ran out of every night, hence an item is 86’ed!

[anil]

If Pete's does count, the honors go to Fraunces Tavern - operating since 1762.

It closed temporarily a few years ago. Also it is not in its original location.

[Fat Guy]

Don't forget Billy's on First Avenue, since 1870. They bill themselves as the oldest family-run restaurant in New York. I believe they've been in continuous operation.

[Fat Guy]

According to this architect's page, Old Homestead is the oldest continuously operating restaurant in New York. That would likely make Old Homestead number one and Billy's number two. Neither is much of a tourist trap -- Billy's, especially, caters to a very local clientele of regulars. Both have traditional menus with some new-ish additions (Wagyu beef items at Old Homestead; a choice of bay or sea scallops at Billy's).

[Suzanne F]

Book recommendation on this topic: On the Town in New York, by Michael and Ariane Batterberry. First published in 1973, with a 25th anniversary (slightly updated) edition brought out in 1999 by Routledge. An excellent history of eating out and drinking from 1776 on. Put this one together with Patric Kuh's The Last Days of Haute Cuisine and you've got almost all you might need to know about fine dining (and not-so-fine) in NYC.

[elyse]

Is that the oldest book on the subject?