Delmonico's Restaurant
Encyclopedia
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. The original and most famous was operated by the Delmonico family during the 19th and early 20th centuries, closing due to a Prohibition-era slowdown in 1923. Since that time restaurants using the Delmonico's name have reopened in one of the historic locations in lower Manhattan
Lower Manhattan
Lower Manhattan is the southernmost part of the island of Manhattan, the main island and center of business and government of the City of New York...
under different proprietors.
The original Delmonico's began in a rented pastry shop at 23 William Street
William Street (Manhattan)
William Street is a city street in the Financial District of lower Manhattan in New York City in the United States of America. It runs generally southwest to northeast, crossing Wall Street and terminating at Broad Street and Spruce Street, respectively. Between Beaver Street and Broad Street,...
in 1827, appearing listed as a restaurant in 1830. Relocating several times before settling at 2 South William Street for eighty years, it is credited with being the first restaurant in America to allow patrons to order from a menu à la carte
À la carte
À la carte is a French language loan phrase meaning "according to the menu", and used in* A reference to a menu of items priced and ordered separately, i.e. the usual operation of restaurants * To order an item from the menu on its own, e.g...
, as opposed to table d’hôte
Table d'hôte
Table d'hôte is a French loan phrase which literally means "host's table". It is used as restaurant terminology to indicate a menu where multi-course meals with only a few choices are charged, at a fixed total price. Such a menu may also be called prix fixe . The terms "set meal" and "set menu"...
. It is also claimed to be the first to employ a separate wine list..
As the decades passed this Delmonico's reputation spread, being widely regarded as one of the nation's top fine dining establishments and birthplace of the universally imitated Delmonico steak
Delmonico steak
Delmonico steak refers to a method of preparation from one of several cuts of beef prepared Delmonico style, made world-famous by Delmonico's Restaurant in New York City during the mid-19th century....
. At the peak of "Delmonico's" fame the family operated four restaurants under the name simultaneously, and a total of ten during their tenure.
Six years after they closed the doors of their final iteration restaurateur Oscar Tucci opened a revived Delmonico's at 2 South William Street, which stayed in business until 1977. Other Delmonicos have operated in the space from 1981–1992 and from 1998 to present.
Origin
The restaurant was opened by the brothers John and Peter Delmonico, from TicinoTicino
Canton Ticino or Ticino is the southernmost canton of Switzerland. Named after the Ticino river, it is the only canton in which Italian is the sole official language...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. In 1831, they were joined by their nephew, Lorenzo Delmonico, who eventually became responsible for the restaurant's wine list and menu. When the William Street building was opened on a grand scale in August 1837, after the Great Fire of New York
Great Fire of New York
The Great New York Fire was a conflagration that destroyed the New York Stock Exchange and most of the buildings on the southeast tip of Manhattan around Wall Street on December 16–17, 1835....
, New Yorkers were told that the columns by the entrance had been imported from the ruins of Pompeii
Pompeii
The city of Pompeii is a partially buried Roman town-city near modern Naples in the Italian region of Campania, in the territory of the comune of Pompei. Along with Herculaneum, Pompeii was destroyed and completely buried during a long catastrophic eruption of the volcano Mount Vesuvius spanning...
.
Expansion and closure
Beginning in the 1850s, the restaurant hosted the annual gathering of the New England Society of New YorkNew England Society of New York
The New England Society of New York is one of several prestigious lineage organizations in the United States and one of the oldest charitable societies in the country. It was organized on May 6, 1805 to commemorate the landing of the Pilgrim Fathers on Plymouth Rock...
which featured many important speakers of the day. In 1860, Delmonico's provided the supper at the Grand Ball welcoming the Prince of Wales
Edward VII of the United Kingdom
Edward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...
at the Academy of Music
Academy of Music (Manhattan)
The Academy of Music was a New York City opera house, located at East 14th Street and Irving Place in Manhattan. The 4,000-seat hall opened on October 2, 1854. The New York Times review declared it to be an acoustical "triumph", but "In every other aspect .....
on East 14th Street. Supper was set out in a specially constructed room; the menu was French
French cuisine
French cuisine is a style of food preparation originating from France that has developed from centuries of social change. In the Middle Ages, Guillaume Tirel , a court chef, authored Le Viandier, one of the earliest recipe collections of Medieval France...
, and the pièces montées represented Queen Victoria and Prince Albert
Prince Albert
Prince Albert was the husband and consort of Queen Victoria.Prince Albert may also refer to:-Royalty:*Prince Albert Edward or Edward VII of the United Kingdom , son of Albert and Victoria...
, the Great Eastern
SS Great Eastern
SS Great Eastern was an iron sailing steam ship designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, and built by J. Scott Russell & Co. at Millwall on the River Thames, London. She was by far the largest ship ever built at the time of her 1858 launch, and had the capacity to carry 4,000 passengers around the...
and Flora's Vase. The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
reported, "We may frankly say that we have never seen a public supper served in a more inapproachable fashion, with greater discretion, or upon a more luxurious scale". In 1862, the restaurant hired Charles Ranhofer
Charles Ranhofer
Charles Ranhofer was the chef at the famous Delmonico's Restaurant in New York from 1862 to 1876 and 1879 to 1896...
, considered one of the greatest chef
Chef
A chef is a person who cooks professionally for other people. Although over time the term has come to describe any person who cooks for a living, traditionally it refers to a highly skilled professional who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation.-Etymology:The word "chef" is borrowed ...
s of his day.
The business was so successful that from 1865 to 1888 it expanded to four restaurants of the same name. At various times, there were Delmonico's at ten locations. Delmonico's vacated the six-story Delmonico Building at Fifth Avenue
Fifth Avenue (Manhattan)
Fifth Avenue is a major thoroughfare in the center of the borough of Manhattan in New York City, New York, United States. The section of Fifth Avenue that crosses Midtown Manhattan, especially that between 49th Street and 60th Street, is lined with prestigious shops and is consistently ranked among...
and 26th Street in 1899. The edifice was sold to John B. Martin, owner of the Martin Hotel, in May 1901.
In 1919, Edward L.C. Robins purchased Delmonico's. Its grand location at Fifth Avenue and 44th Street closed in 1923 as a result of changing dining habits due to Prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
. That location was the final incarnation of Delmonico's with continuity to the original.
Almost immediately after the closing of the last Delmonico's, a number of imitators opened "Delmonico's" restaurants. The Delmonico family attempted to retain exclusive rights to the name, but a court ruled that with the closing of the last restaurant the name had passed into the public domain.
| Location | Dates | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| 23 William Street | December 13, 1827 – December 16, 1835 (destroyed by fire) | “Delmonico & Brother, confectioners” small cafe and pastry shop |
| 25 William Street | March, 1830 – December 16, 1835 (destroyed by fire) | “Delmonico & Brother, confectioners and Restaurant Francais” |
| 76 Broad Street | February 23, 1836 – July 19, 1845, (destroyed by fire) | |
| 2 South William St. | August, 1837 – July 10, 1890. Rebuilt and reopened July 7, 1891, closed 1917 | “Delmonico's Restaurant," informally called “The Citadel.” |
| 25 Broadway | June 1, 1846—1856 | The Delmonico Hotel |
| Chambers Street and Broadway | 1856 – October 26, 1876 | |
| East 14th Street and 5th Avenue | April 9, 1862 – September 11, 1876 | |
| 22 Broad Street | 1865—1893 | |
| Fifth Avenue and 26th St. | September 11, 1876 – April 18, 1899 | Lobster a la Newberg invented here in 1876 |
| 112–114 Broadway near Pine St. | October 26, 1876—1888 | |
| Fifth Avenue and 44th Street | November 15, 1897 – May 21, 1923 | The final Delmonico-owned restaurant |
Later revivals
In 1929, Oscar Tucci opened a "Delmonico's" popularly called "Oscar's Delmonico's" at the former Delmonico's location at 2 South William Street (sometimes listed as 56 Beaver Street) in New York. The Tucci incarnation adopted the original menus and recipes, and became distinguished in its own right, continuing to attract prominent politicians and celebrities. It was open continuously until it closed in 1977.In 1981, a new Delmonico's was opened at the location by Ed Huber, which operated until 1992.
The building was vacant until 1998, when the Bice Group acquired the property and again opened a Delmonico's, with Gian Pietro Branchi as executive chef. In 1999, the restaurant was sold to the Ocinomled partnership, which continues to operate Delmonico's at the South William Street location.
Signature dishes
Lobster Newburg, and Delmonico Potatoes were invented at Delmonico's restaurant, and possibly Chicken à la KingChicken à la King
Chicken à la King is a recipe consisting of diced chicken in a cream sauce, and often with sherry, mushrooms, and vegetables, served over bread or pasta.-History:...
, but it was most famous for Delmonico steak
Delmonico steak
Delmonico steak refers to a method of preparation from one of several cuts of beef prepared Delmonico style, made world-famous by Delmonico's Restaurant in New York City during the mid-19th century....
. Eggs Benedict
Eggs Benedict
Eggs Benedict is a dish that consists of two halves of an English muffin, topped with ham or bacon, poached eggs and Hollandaise sauce.-Origin:There are conflicting accounts as to the origin of Eggs Benedict, including:...
were also said to have originated at Delmonico’s, although others claim that dish as well.
Baked Alaska
Baked Alaska
Baked Alaska is a dessert made of ice cream placed in a pie dish lined with slices of sponge cake or Christmas pudding and topped with meringue. The entire dessert is then placed in an extremely hot oven for just long enough to firm the meringue...
's name was coined at Delmonico's as well.
Notable patrons
Among the many well-known people who patronized Delmonico's are Jenny LindJenny Lind
Johanna Maria Lind , better known as Jenny Lind, was a Swedish opera singer, often known as the "Swedish Nightingale". One of the most highly regarded singers of the 19th century, she is known for her performances in soprano roles in opera in Sweden and across Europe, and for an extraordinarily...
, who, it was said, ate there after every show, Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
, Mark Twain
Mark Twain
Samuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist...
, "Diamond Jim" Brady
James Buchanan Brady
James Buchanan Brady , also known as Diamond Jim Brady, was an American businessman, financier, and philanthropist of the Gilded Age.-Life and career:...
, Lillian Russell
Lillian Russell
Lillian Russell was an American actress and singer. She became one of the most famous actresses and singers of the late 19th century and early 20th century, known for her beauty and style, as well as for her voice and stage presence.Russell was born in Iowa but raised in Chicago...
, usually in the company of Diamond Jim, Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic...
, Oscar Wilde
Oscar Wilde
Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde was an Irish writer and poet. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of London's most popular playwrights in the early 1890s...
, J.P. Morgan, James Gordon Bennett, Jr.
James Gordon Bennett, Jr.
James Gordon Bennett, Jr. was publisher of the New York Herald, founded by his father, James Gordon Bennett, Sr., who emigrated from Scotland. He was generally known as Gordon Bennett to distinguish him from his father....
, Walter Scott
Walter Scott
Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet was a Scottish historical novelist, playwright, and poet, popular throughout much of the world during his time....
, Nikola Tesla
Nikola Tesla
Nikola Tesla was a Serbian-American inventor, mechanical engineer, and electrical engineer...
, Edward VII
Edward VII of the United Kingdom
Edward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...
, then the Prince of Wales, and Napoleon III of France
Napoleon III of France
Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte was the President of the French Second Republic and as Napoleon III, the ruler of the Second French Empire. He was the nephew and heir of Napoleon I, christened as Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte...
. Journalist Jacob A. Riis claimed to be a patron of a different sort: in his book, The Making of an American, he mentioned that when he was down on his luck, a kindly French-speaking cook at Delmonico’s would pass him rolls through the basement window.
Other Delmonico's
The New Orleans, LouisianaLouisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, Delmonico's, which opened in 1895, was purchased by Emeril Lagasse
Emeril Lagasse
'Emeril John Lagasse is an American celebrity chef, restaurateur, television personality, and cookbook author. A regional James Beard Award winner, he is perhaps most notable for his Food Network shows Emeril Live and Essence of Emeril as well as catchphrases such as “Kick it up a notch!” and...
in 1997. Lagasse refurbished the restaurant and reopened it as Emeril’s Delmonico.
The unconnected Delmonico's Hotel, at Park Avenue and East 59th Street, was a center of Beatlemania
Beatlemania
Beatlemania is a term that originated during the 1960s to describe the intense fan frenzy directed toward The Beatles during the early years of their success...
in August 1964, when the Beatles stayed there.
In popular culture
Delmonico's is mentioned in the movie Meet Me in St. LouisMeet Me in St. Louis
Meet Me in St. Louis is a 1944 musical film from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer which tells the story of an American family living in St. Louis at the time of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition World's Fair in 1904...
(1944), the story of a middle-class family in St. Louis at the turn of the century, as the place from which a well-to-do suitor places a long-distance call to a member of the family.
In the stage show and movie, Hello Dolly!, the restaurant is mentioned as one of the 'must-see' locations in NYC in the song, "Put On Your Sunday Clothes".
Delmonico's is also mentioned in the movie She Wore a Yellow Ribbon
She Wore a Yellow Ribbon
She Wore a Yellow Ribbon is a 1949 Western film directed by John Ford and starring John Wayne. The film was the second of Ford's trilogy of films focusing on the US Cavalry ; the other two films were Fort Apache and Rio Grande...
(1949), a John Ford
John Ford
John Ford was an American film director. He was famous for both his westerns such as Stagecoach, The Searchers, and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, and adaptations of such classic 20th-century American novels as The Grapes of Wrath...
western set in 1876.