Delmonico’s Restaurant

Delmonico’s, in Lower Manhattan, is not only one of New York City’s most historically significant restaurants, but it is often identified as the first restaurant in the United States to offer the fine-dining features common to the European aristocracy in the early 1800s.

The iconic eating establishment was established in 1837 by two Swiss immigrant brothers, Peter and John Delmonico. The original location was at 23 William Street, way down in the southernmost, winding streets of Manhattan. 

The restaurant quickly became famous for its innovative cuisine and luxurious décor, but it was the “dining out” concept that really made Delmonico’s name. It was among the first to introduce a la carte menus, dining rooms where even women could dine, and professional chefs. Up until then, these were luxuries reserved only for the ultra-wealthy.  The brothers also hired chefs who created famous dishes like Lobster Newberg, Delmonico steak and Baked Alaska, which are still found on menus today.

These radical and appealing concepts immediately attracted the rich, famous (and infamous) trend-setters who spread the word. Some notable patrons of the day include: Mark Twain, Oscar Wilde, J.P. Morgan, Napoleon III, Diamond Jim Brady and Lillian Russel, Prince Edward VII and J.P. Morgan.

It was at Delmonico’s on a cold January night, that Jose Marti, Cuba’s statesman and freedom-fighter, celebrated his last birthday before heading to his death in the final fight for Cuba’s independence from Spain.

Some of the U.S. presidents who dined at Delmonico’s include: Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, Grover Cleveland, Teddy Roosevelt, Harry Truman, and Richard Nixon.

Delmonico’s was instrumental in defining and refining American dining culture. It set the tone and established the foundation for sophisticated cuisine and impeccable service.

As New York City’s fortunes grew and became an industrial, economic and cultural phenon, so too did Delmonico’s.  It soon became the favorite eatery for the city’s elite.

Delmonico’s closed several times since its founding; first due to Prohibition, then during the Great Depression and, most recently, Covid. It changed hands as well as locations, but, like a phoenix rising from its ashes, it always reemerged, better than ever.  

Today’s Delmonico’s reopened in 1998 at one of its original locations at 56 Beaver Street. Post-COVID in 2023, it reopened with a brilliant refurbishment under new ownership. But it remained faithful to its 1800s splendor.

Delmonico’s is true New York City history. So much so that the restaurant’s founders, the Delmonico family, are buried in the catacombs of the original Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, just a short distance from the iconic restaurant they helped establish.

The restaurant celebrates classic American cuisine, attracting all who appreciate its culinary artistry and historical legacy. And the country appreciates the standards Delmonico established centuries ago