List of the oldest restaurants in the United States
This list of the oldest restaurants in the United States includes currently-operating restaurants that were founded prior to the year 1900. Most of the establishments are located in the Northeastern United States, many of them predate the Civil War, and a handful predate the Revolutionary War.
Disputes[]
In 2017, credible evidence was uncovered that indicates New York's legendary Katz’s Delicatessen might have been founded in 1911, rather than the popular claim of 1888.[1]
Closures[]
Samuel Cole opened the first tavern in America, Cole's Inn, on March 4, 1634. It was on Washington St. (now Downtown Crossing) in Boston MA. The building was destroyed by fire in 1711.[2]
The Jacob Wirth Restaurant founded in 1868 operated for 150 years before permanently closing on June 9, 2018, after a fire damaged the building.[3][4]
On January 12, 2019, another Boston landmark Durgin-Park closed its doors after operating for nearly 192 years, one of America’s oldest restaurants founded in 1827.[5]
Jules Maes Saloon, which had been open since 1888 and was possibly the oldest restaurant in Seattle, closed permanently in July 2020 as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.[6][7]
Buckman Tavern was built in about 1709–1710 by Benjamin Muzzey (1657–1735). With license granted in 1693, it was the first public house in Lexington, Massachusetts. At the time of the Battles of Lexington and Concord (April 19, 1775) it was owned by his great-granddaughter and her husband John Buckman. Several dozen militiamen gathered at the tavern to await the arrival of the British troops. It is now a museum.
Oldest restaurants in the United States[]
Year of opening | Age (years) | Restaurant | Opened by | City | State | GPS | Claim to fame | Sources |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1673 | 349 | White Horse Tavern | William Mayes, Sr. | Newport | Rhode Island | 41.491340, −71.313755 | Oldest restaurant in America | [8][9][10][11] |
1686 | 336 | The Wayside Inn | David Howe as "Howe's Tavern" | Sudbury | Massachusetts | 42°21′28″N 71°28′5″W / 42.35778°N 71.46806°W | Titular inn in Longfellow's Tales of a Wayside Inn | The inn's archive has documents from 1686 onward, including the official inn license granted to the first innkeeper, David Howe, in 1716.[12] |
1706 | 316 | Ye Olde Centerton Inn | unknown | Pittsgrove | New Jersey | 39.5254486,-75.167618 | Widely known as one of the oldest restaurants in NJ | [13] |
1716 | 306 | Concord's Colonial Inn | unknown | Concord | Massachusetts | 42°27′42″N 71°20′58″W / 42.46179°N 71.34954°W | One of the Inn’s original buildings was used as a storehouse for arms and provisions during the Battles of Lexington and Concord | [14] |
1742 | 279 | Black Horse Tavern & Pub | Ebenezer Byram | Mendham | New Jersey | 40.7760096, -74.6013081 | Started out as just an Inn | [15][13] |
1743 | 278 | The Clinton House | unknown | Clinton | New Jersey | 40.6352389,-74.9145386 | [15][13] | |
1745 | 276 | Rocky Hill Inn | Harrison family | Rocky Hill | New Jersey | 40.3997905,-74.636788 | [15][16] | |
1754 | 268 | The '76 House | Tappan | New York | 41.019666588, -73.941996232 | Oldest restaurant New York | "The '76 House". Fra. Retrieved August 8, 2021. | |
1762 | 260 | Fraunces Tavern | Samuel Fraunces | New York | New York | 40.703429, −74.011386 | Oldest standing structure in Manhattan | [8][17][18][11] |
1776 | 246 | The Griswold Inn | Sala Griswold | Essex | Connecticut | 41.351399, −72.386863 |
Oldest Inn in America | [8][19][20][11] |
1780 | 241 | The Cranbury Inn | unknown | Cranbury | New Jersey | 40.30811321249676, -74.51682993345747 | Built in 1750 and 1765 as a place to eat, drink, get horses and rest. | [21][15][22][13] |
1785 | 237 | Gadsby's Tavern | John Wise | Alexandria | Virginia | 38.805556, −77.043889 (second tavern on site built 1785, enlarged in 1792, first tavern on site Mason's Ordinary opened in 1749) |
Historic Confederation/Federalist Period tavern & ballroom | [23] |
1795 | 237 | Bell in Hand Tavern | Jimmy Wilson | Boston | Massachusetts | 42.36166, −71.05712 |
Oldest continuously-operating tavern in US (except for Prohibition) | [1] |
1803 | 219 | The Golden Lamb | Jonas Seaman | Lebanon | Ohio | 39.433611, -84.208333 | Oldest continuously-operated inn and restaurant in Ohio | [24] |
1826 | 196 | Union Oyster House | Hawes Atwood | Boston | Massachusetts | 42.361264, −71.056972 | Oldest continuously-operated restaurant in America |
[8][25][11] |
1831 | 191 | Unknown | New Hudson | Michigan | 42.511601, −83.614844 | Oldest business in Michigan | [26] | |
1834 | 188 | J. Huston Tavern | Joseph Huston, Sr. | Arrow Rock | Missouri | 39.0675, −92.945 | Oldest continuously serving restaurant west of the Mississippi River | [27][28][29] |
1838 | 184 | Arnold's Bar and Grill | Susan Fawcett | Cincinnati | Ohio | Oldest continuously-operating bar in Ohio | [30][31] | |
1840 | 182 | Antoine's | Antoine Alciatore | New Orleans | Louisiana | 29.956685, −90.066437 | Oldest family-run restaurant in America | [8][32][33][11] |
1849 | 173 | Tadich Grill | Nikola Budrovich Frano Kosta Antonio Gasparich |
San Francisco | California | 37.793401, −122.399463 (moved here in 1967) |
Oldest continuously running restaurant in San Francisco | [8][34][11] |
1852 (August 23) |
170 | Breitbach's Country Dining | founder unknown | Balltown | Iowa | 42.639032, −90.869178 | Oldest restaurant in Iowa | [8][35][11] |
1854 | 168 | McSorley's Old Ale House | John McSorley | New York City | New York | 40.728860, −73.989610 | [36] | |
1856 | 166 | Old Ebbitt Grill | William Ebbitt | Washington | District of Columbia | 38.897996, −77.033393 (moved here in 1983) |
Oldest saloon in Washington | [37][11] |
1857 | 165 | Gluek's Restaurant & Bar | Gottlieb Gluek | Minneapolis | Minnesota | 44.979311, −93.274256 | Oldest continuously-operated business in Minneapolis |
[38][11] |
1860 | 162 | McGillin's Olde Ale House | Catherine McGillin William McGillin |
Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 39.950271, −75.162615 | Oldest bar in Philadelphia | [8][39][11] |
1861 | 161 | The Old Clam House | founder unknown | San Francisco | California | 37.743160, −122.404898 | Oldest restaurant in San Francisco continuously-operated in the original location | [40][41] |
1864 | 158 | Pete's Tavern | founder unknown | New York | New York | 40.736475, −73.986755 | Oldest continuously-operated bar in New York City |
[42][11] |
1866 | 156 | Scholz Garten | August Scholz | Austin, Texas | Texas | Texas | Oldest restaurant in Texas | <It was 1866 when German immigrant and Civil War veteran August Scholz opened his public bar and café over an old boardinghouse. He had purchased the building and surrounding property for $2400. Scholz Garten soon became a favorite meeting place for the German population in and around Austin. /> |
1870 | 152 | Claudio's | Manuel Claudio | Greenport | New York | 41.101850, −72.358967 | Oldest restaurant continuously-owned by the same family (until 2018) |
[43][11] |
1885 | 137 | Tivoli Bar and Grill | San Diego | California | Oldest bar/restaurant in San Diego | [44][45] | ||
1885 | 137 | Keens Steakhouse | Albert Keen | New York | New York | 40.750799, −73.986423 | Only remaining business of what was the Herald Square Theater District |
[46][11] |
1886 | 136 | Fior d'Italia | Angelo Del Monte | San Francisco | California | 37.8062223, -122.40789 | The current restaurant at the San Remo Hotel (2237 Mason St.) is the seventh location for the former bordello and eatery, including a tent operation for nearly a year after the 1906 earthquake and fire. | [47] |
1887 | 135 | Browne’s Irish Market & Deli | Ed and Mary Flavin | Kansas City | Missouri | Oldest Irish business in North America Oldest retail business in Kansas City |
[48][49][50] | |
1887 | 135 | Peter Luger Steak House | Peter Luger | Brooklyn | New York | 40.709863, −73.962486 | New York’s top-rated Zagat steakhouse |
[51][11] |
1888 | 134 | Katz's Delicatessen | Morris Iceland Hyman Iceland |
New York | New York | 40.722324, −73.987324 (moved here in 1970) |
New York’s oldest deli | [52][11] |
1893 (November 17) |
129 | Buckhorn Exchange | Henry Zietz | Denver | Colorado | 39.732268, −105.005193 | First liquor license in Colorado | [8][53][11] |
1893 | 129 | Commander's Palace | Emile Commander | New Orleans | Louisiana | 29.928764, −90.084240 | Oldest continuously-operated restaurant in Uptown New Orleans |
[54][55][11] |
1898 | 124 | Louis' Lunch | Louis Lassen | New Haven | Connecticut | 41.306439, −72.930445 | Inventing the hamburger | [8][56][11] |
1895 | 127 | The Berghoff | Herman Berghoff | Chicago, Illinois | Illinois | 41.879252,-87.628406 | German Restaurant | <Herman Berghoff opened the 100 percent family-owned German restaurant in 1898. Berghoff came to New York at 17 and took over a brewery, where he made a signature lager that became very popular. He failed to get a liquor license in the city, so instead opened The Berghoff as a café. He sold beer for a nickel and they came with a free sandwich on the side /> |
See also[]
References[]
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- ^ Madeline Bilis (2016-03-03). "TBT: When the First Bar in America Opened in Boston". Boston Magazine. Retrieved 2022-01-22.
- ^ Hurwitz, Marc (June 9, 2018). "Jacob Wirth Restaurant in Boston's Theater District Closed After Fire in Building". BostonRestaurants.blogspot.com. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
- ^ Stendahl, Max (August 21, 2018). "Jacob Wirth, billed as Boston's second-oldest restaurant, is being sued for eviction". BizJournals.com. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
- ^ Choe, Jonathan (January 3, 2019). "Historic Boston Restaurant to Serve Last Customer". NECN.com. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
- ^ "Best Burgers that Go Beyond the Beef". Seattle Magazine. 2011-12-06. Retrieved 2020-08-02.
- ^ Guarente, Gabe (2020-07-13). "One of the Oldest Bars In Seattle Is Closing Permanently After 132 Years [UPDATED]". Eater Seattle. Retrieved 2020-08-02.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Top 10 oldest restaurants in America". Fox News. November 21, 2016. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
- ^ Jefferys, David (August 3, 2017). "An Evening at the Oldest Bar in America". CNTraveler.com. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
- ^ "America's Oldest Tavern". WhiteHorseNewport.com. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Ashraf, Syjil (May 2, 2012). "America's Oldest Restaurants". The Daily Meal. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
- ^ Historic Homes and Genealogical memoirs of Early New England pg 281-283 publ 1909 by Ellery Bicknell Crane
- ^ a b c d Aprill, Meg (2021-08-06). "Here Are The 10 Oldest Restaurants in NJ". New Jersey Digest Magazine. Retrieved 2021-10-12.
- ^ "History of Concord's Colonial Inn". Retrieved 2021-11-03.
- ^ a b c d Makin, Bob. "Central Jersey's 10 oldest restaurants offer fine food served with region's rich history". MyCentralJersey.com. Retrieved 2021-10-11.
- ^ "About". Rocky Hill Inn. 2020-05-18. Retrieved 2021-10-11.
- ^ "Fraunces Tavern". FrauncesTavern.com. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
- ^ "Fraunces Tavern Museum". Retrieved February 2, 2019.
- ^ "The Griswold Inn (1776)". HistoricBuildingSCT.com. 4 February 2010. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
- ^ Libov, Charlotte (September 21, 1986). "Two Ancient Inns Claim to be the Oldest". New York Times. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
- ^ "The Story Behind One of New Jersey's Oldest Restaurants". New Jersey Monthly. 2019-10-28. Retrieved 2021-10-11.
- ^ "Historic Restaurant | Cranbury, NJ | The Cranbury Inn". www.thecranburyinn.com. Retrieved 2021-10-11.
- ^ "Gadsby's Tavern" (PDF). HABS #VA-100 HABS VA 7 Alex 19. May 6, 1941. Retrieved March 8, 2019.
- ^ "History of the Golden Lambt". Archived from the original on 3 April 2007.
- ^ "Union Oyster House". National Park Service. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
- ^ "New Hudson Inn represents Michigan on a distinguished businesses list". Deadline Detroit.
- ^ https://mostateparks.com/page/54070/dining
- ^ "In Arrow Rock, the Old Tavern Tradition Lives on • Missouri Life Magazine". 8 April 2019.
- ^ https://www.boonvilledailynews.com/news/20190816/indoor-dining-and-fried-chicken-are-back-at-j-huston-tavern-after-may-fire[dead link]
- ^ Restivo, Danny (April 2014). "Arnold's Way". Cincinnati Magazine. Archived from the original on April 8, 2016. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
- ^ Pennebaker, Holly (April 14, 2015). "Thrillist: Cincinnati's oldest bar is Ohio's most iconic". WCPO-TV. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
- ^ "History of Antoine's". Antoines.com. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
- ^ "Antoine's, New Orleans' Oldest Restaurant". LouisianaTravel.com. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
- ^ "Our Story". TadichGrill.com. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
- ^ Hutchinson-Schuster, Heather (January 1, 2017). "Breitbach's Country Dining". JuliensJournal.com. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
- ^ "History – McSorley's Old Ale House". Mcsorleysoldalehouse.com. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
- ^ "The Oldest Saloon in Washington". Ebbitt.com. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
- ^ Brooks, Jay (August 6, 2010). "No More Gluek Beer". brookstonbeerbulletin.com. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
- ^ "History". McGillins.com. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
- ^ "About The Old Clam House | 299 Bayshore Blvd San Francisco CA, 94124". www.theoldclamhousesf.com. Retrieved 2019-03-17.
- ^ Wilkey, Robin (2012-02-28). "The Old Clam House, San Francisco Restaurant, Turns 150 (PHOTOS)". Huffington Post. Retrieved 2019-03-17.
- ^ "The Urban Lens: Visiting Gramercy's Pete's Tavern, where O. Henry penned 'The Gift of the Magi'". 6sqft.com. December 21, 2016. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
- ^ Gianotti, Peter (March 28, 2018). "Claudio's in Greenport sold to new owners after 148 years". Newsday. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
- ^ Sauer, Kelly (9 May 2014). "East Village bar faves". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved 6 November 2016.
- ^ Maher, Mackenzie (23 October 2014). "6 Dive Bars That Have Been Around Longer Than 30 Years". Eater San Diego. Retrieved 6 November 2016.
- ^ "History of Keens". Keens.com. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
- ^ "About Us"""Fior d Italia"".
- ^ "The oldest Irish-owned business in America is right here in Kansas City". 16 March 2018.
- ^ "Welcome to Browne's Irish Marketplace, the oldest Irish business in America".
- ^ "Browne's Irish Market & Deli marks 122nd year - Kansas City Business Journal:". Archived from the original on 2009-06-08.
- ^ "Our Story". PeterLuger.com. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
- ^ Friedman, Noah (April 1, 2017). "The owner of New York's oldest deli explains how Katz's is able to sell 15,000 pounds of pastrami a week". Business Insider. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
- ^ "The unique history of the Buckhorn Exchange". 9News. November 15, 2016. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
- ^ Andserson, Brett (January 30, 2012). "Commander's Palace: The Times-Picayune covers 175 years of New Orleans history". NOLA.com. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
- ^ Cuter, Anne (November 23, 2015). "Famed New Orleans restaurant 'Commander's Palace' discovers century-old secret". WGNO. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
- ^ Rogers, Owen (12 May 2015). "Louis' Lunch and the Birth of the Hamburger". ConnecticutHistory.org. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
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