New York City is home to countless iconic restaurants and bars, but few have stood the test of time quite like these five establishments.
From a former carriage house on Staten Island to a Manhattan restaurant dating back to the 1820s, these spots have spent generations serving New Yorkers while becoming part of the city’s history.
Here are five historic restaurants and bars that have been around for more than a century:
The original Delmonico’s was founded in 1827 in Manhattan as a café by Swiss-Italian brothers Giovanni and Pietro Delmonico. After the original location was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1835, the Delmonico brothers opened a new restaurant in 1837 in a triangular building, pictured here, in the Financial District.(Getty Images)Delmonico’s
Delmonico’s was founded in 1827 in Manhattan as a café by Swiss-Italian brothers Giovanni and Pietro Delmonico
The brothers opened the café at 23 William St., serving French pastries, chocolate, coffee and Havana cigars, according to the restaurant’s website.
By 1831, the café expanded into the building next door and evolved into a full-fledged French restaurant, according to Eater.
After the original location was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1835, the Delmonico brothers opened a new restaurant in 1837 in a triangular building at the intersection of Beaver, William and South William streets in the Financial District.
The location became the restaurant’s most recognizable home and has been described as one of the country’s earliest fine-dining establishments.
Over the following decades, Delmonico’s expanded across Manhattan and became a prominent destination for fine dining.
By 1923, the original Delmonico family restaurant operation came to an end due to financial difficulties, changing dining habits and the effects of Prohibition, according to Eater.
The restaurant later returned to its historic Financial District location under different owners before Delmonico’s was revived again in 1999.
Today, Delmonico’s continues serving customers at its historic location and is known for its classic steakhouse menu, including its signature Delmonico steak.
Neir’s Tavern
Founded in October 1829 by Cadwallader Colden, Neir’s Tavern first opened as The Blue Pump Room in Woodhaven, Queens, according to Gothamist.
Colden also managed the Union Course Race Track, which was located across the street and attracted racegoers to the tavern.
Around 1835, the bar changed ownership and became known as The Old Abbey.
Louis Neir then took over in 1898, adding a bowling alley, ballroom and hotel upstairs and renaming the establishment Neir’s Social Hall. Neir also operated the bar as a speakeasy during Prohibition.
The tavern remained Neir’s Social Hall until new ownership took over in 1967 and renamed it the Union Course Tavern.
Decades later, the bar made its way onto the big screen when it was used as a filming location for the 1990 film “Goodfellas,” according to Tasting Table.
In 2009, Jamaican immigrant and New York City firefighter Loycent Gordon bought the struggling tavern and worked to restore the historic establishment, according to Epicenter NYC.
Gordon, who had been a customer at Neir’s, wanted to preserve the bar and prevent it from being turned into a convenience store.
He spent eight months refurbishing the establishment and brought back the Neir’s Tavern name.
More than 15 years later, Gordon continues to run Neir’s, which remained in business through the pandemic and continues serving customers in Woodhaven.
Peter Luger Steak House, pictured at 178 Broadway in Brooklyn, circa 1950. (Getty Images)Peter Luger Steak House
Peter Luger Steak House got its start in 1887 as “Carl Luger’s Café, Billiards and Bowling Alley” in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, according to the restaurant’s website.
German immigrant Peter Luger ran the establishment while his nephew, Carl, managed the kitchen.
Following the opening of the Williamsburg Bridge in 1903, the restaurant quickly became a popular destination for residents.
After Peter Luger died in 1941, his son Frederick Luger inherited and ran the restaurant, according to Falstaff.
The steakhouse remained under Frederick’s management until it fell on hard times and was sold at auction in 1950 to longtime customer Sol Forman.
The dedicated customer operated a family metalware business across the street from Peter Luger and frequently brought clients to the steakhouse.
Forman revived the struggling restaurant after purchasing it, and more than 75 years later, Peter Luger remains under the Forman family’s ownership.
Today, the steakhouse continues serving customers and is best known for its dry-aged steaks, particularly the porterhouse.
Mario’s Restaurant
The Migliucci family’s restaurant business started in Harlem when Italian immigrants Scolastica Migliucci and her son Giuseppe opened a pizzeria in 1915, according to the Pizza Hall of Fame.
In 1919, the Migliucci family moved the business to Arthur Avenue in the Bronx and opened G. Migliucci Vera Pizzeria.
The small pizzeria opened with just six tables and sold pizza for 5 cents a slice. As the restaurant grew, Giuseppe’s son, Mario Migliucci, joined the family business and helped expand the menu beyond pizza.
The pizzeria eventually became known as Mario’s Restaurant of Arthur Avenue, developing into a full-service Italian restaurant. It was passed down through generations of the Migliucci family.
In 2019, the restaurant celebrated its 100th anniversary on Arthur Avenue under fourth-generation owner Joseph Migliucci, but he died the following year from complications related to the coronavirus (COVID-19), according to The New York Times.
His daughter, Regina Migliucci-Delfino, continued the family legacy as the fifth generation of the Migliucci family to operate Mario’s.
More than a century after opening on Arthur Avenue, the restaurant continues serving customers today and is known for traditional Italian dishes, including thin-crust pizza, homemade pasta and classic Neapolitan specialties.
Today, Basilio Inn is owned by Maurizio Asperti, whose family has continued many of the restaurant’s longtime traditions. Staten Island AdvanceBasilio Inn
Basilio Inn was established in 1921 by Italian immigrant Basilio Giovannini in a former carriage house on Staten Island that dates back to around 1850, according to previous Staten Island Advance/SILive.com reporting.
The South Beach restaurant became a destination for Italian immigrants who spent their summers along Staten Island’s beaches, beginning a history that has now stretched more than a century.
Today, Basilio Inn is owned by Maurizio Asperti, whose family has continued many of the restaurant’s longtime traditions.
The property features gardens, fig trees, a bocce court, outdoor dining areas and a vineyard.
Asperti also grows ingredients on the property that are used in the restaurant’s dishes, with an emphasis on locally sourced food.
More than 100 years after opening, Basilio Inn continues to serve customers in South Beach and is considered the oldest restaurant on Staten Island still operating under its original name.