Oldest Restaurant in your City
 

Right now in Chicago, I believe Daley's is the oldest (after Schaller's Pump closed a few years ago), apparently founded in 1892. It recently has moved across the street from where it was as part of some redevelopment:

https://chicago.eater.com/2019/3/5/1...est-restaurant

Despite working fairly close to it and walking past it a few times, I've never tried it. The oldest restaurants I've actually been to in Chicago are Valois (1921) and Lou Mitchell's (1923).

https://sf.eater.com/2020/7/28/21345...ncial-district

I've eaten there once. It's in the Financial District so that's mostly what it gets: Business lunchers.

I've eaten there too. I remember wanting to eat there because it's the oldest restaurant in San Francisco, but the excitement wore off when I learned that it's not in its original location.

In the City of Los Angeles, the oldest restaurants still in operation are Cole's and Philippe the Original, both opened in 1908.

However, Cole's has the distinction of being in its original location since it first opened.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...sFrenchDip.jpg
Wikipedia.org

I've eaten at both Cole's and Philippe's many times over the years; both claim to have invented the French dip sandwich. I much prefer Cole's to Philippe's.

The oldest restaurant still in operation in Los Angeles County is the Original Saugus Cafe in Santa Clarita, which has been in business since 1886, and has been in the same location since 1905: Original Saugus Cafe

Pittsburgh

The Original Oyster House (1870)

https://www.visitpittsburgh.com/imag...97af625206.jpg

http://www.originaloysterhousepittsb...ter-Photo6.jpg

I think the oldest bar/restaurant in Cincinnati is Arnold's. It was established in 1861 and is still operating in the same location (downtown). They have a neat little interior courtyard with a stage for live music. I think they were technically a tavern before becoming a restaurant, so the claim for oldest restaurant is disputed.

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.1050...4!8i8192?hl=en


https://cdn.citybeat.com/files/base/...ba8d7c439e.jpg


The other place that could lay claim for the oldest in Cincinnati is actually outside of Downtown, up in Coryville. It's a German restaurant called Mecklenburg Gardens, and it has a cool vine-covered biergarten outside. It's been in operation in its current location since 1865.

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.1324...4!8i8192?hl=en

Oldest restaurant in NY is Fraunces Tavern, which opened in 1762, and has been in the same building (dating from 1710 or thereabouts) ever since. George Washington ate there, among other luminaries. It's a pretty cool place and the food is good (and not surprisingly colonial-era oriented).

It's still a total godamn shame that Schaller's closed. :(

I wish I lived closer so that I could've helped them more often, but Bridgeport is a fucking trek for us northsiders.

I thought it would be easy but no.
I can't tell exactly and for sur what is the oldest restaurant in Paris.

La Tour d'Argent claims to have been founded in 1582.
But there are many doubt about the date if it existed it wasn't at its current location (this part wasn't even built at that time).
It only appears on document in 1860 at this place.

La Tour d'Argent, Quai de la Tournelle, Paris

La Bouteille d'Or opened in 1630
This restaurant is protected as a historical monument
It's currently closed. Looking for a buyer.
La Bouteille d'Or, Quai de Montebello, Paris

A La Petite Chaise opened in 1680 but there are some different claims (1700) and it wasn't a restaurant at that time but a wine cellar and grocery shop.
A La Petite Chaise, rue de Grenelle, Paris

Café Procope opened in 1686.
But the current Café Procope isn't the original exactly the one that closed in 1890 but it stand at the same place.
Café Procope, rue de l'Ancienne Comedie

What weird is about those is that there're all on the Left (south) bank of Paris when the most commercial part of the city is the Right (north) Bank. It is logically there that the first restaurants developed, especially when the main market of Paris was at Les Halles.

So I can't give for sure a specific restaurant and a specific date.

What I know is that the oldest (still existing) Japanese restaurant is Takara of Paris opened in 1958. :haha:
Takara, rue Moliere
...And the oldest (still existing) Chinese restaurant of Paris the Empire Celeste opened in 1953
1Empire Celeste, Rue Royer-Collard953
20 years ago, I would have said the CHOU CHEN that served food between 1929 and 2003 until it's closure. It wasn't that far away.

Let's remember there was a little fire in 1906 and lots of stuff had to rebuild/reopen but usually the same staff was in the kitchen cooking the same food.

Sam's Grill is another one from 1867 but it also moved.

https://urbandiningguide.com/wp-cont.../08/samssf.jpg
https://urbandiningguide.com/city/sa...san-francisco/

Claims to be the 5th oldest restaurant in the US. I guess that makes Tadich one of the 4 oldest. But you won't find much downtown from pre-1906 because, well, sh*t happens.

Why's that "wierd". Old stuff tends to get torn down and replaced in the most commercially active areas . . . at least until recently. It's only fairly recently that we all started to have nostalgia for the historic. It used to be just "old".

In Buffalo city limits, its Ulrich's Tavern dating to 1868.

Just outside the city it is Eagle House in nearby Williamsville, which dates to 1827.

Another contender for San Francsico, if 1849's Tadich Grill doesn't count because it moved, is the Old Clam House on Bayshore, in the same location since 1861.

Cool thread idea.

Denver's oldest restaurant would be Buckhorn Exchange. It's been there in the same location since 1893.

https://www.milehighhappyhour.com/wp...e-1000x500.jpg
https://www.milehighhappyhour.com/sa...horn-exchange/

Often, when I see one of those crappy slide-show articles on Forbes or whatever, where they choose a particular food to represent each state, they go with "rocky mountain oysters" for Colorado. Well, I've lived here most of my life and I don't think I've ever met anyone who's actually ever had rocky mountain oysters. We're all about green chili here (which is different and better than New Mexico style). Anyway, the only place I know of that actually has rocky mountain oysters on their menu is Buckhorn Exchange (but you should probably just order a good steak).

Toronto's oldest is generally considered to be the Wheat Sheaf Tavern, operating in the same location since 1849.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1...1020/image.jpg
https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/mobile/to...-day-1.4832281


However, the Black Bull - opened in 1833 or 1838 - also claims this. But since it changed its name for a few decades (before reverting back to the original) some would argue that disqualifies it.

https://live.staticflickr.com/2946/3...3f28d269_b.jpg
https://www.flickr.com/photos/57156785@N02/32866055254

Some buildings survived that quake and fire (like Old St. Mary's) or were rebuilt (Fairmont Hotel).

Now that's what *I'M* talkin' about.

I've never eaten there before; if it ever reopens for dine-in again post Coronavirus, I will definitely make it a point to go there. Unfortunate name, though. Sounds like it'd be a lesbian bar, with an old big lesbian bouncer called Moe or something.

https://www.theoldclamhousesf.com/img/home/aboutus.jpg
oldclamhousesf.com

https://www.theoldclamhousesf.com/im...t/thestory.jpg
oldclamhousesf.com

Detroit's oldest is Amore da Roma (formerly Cafe Roma), which dates back to 1890 and is located just north of Detroit's Eastern Market: https://goo.gl/maps/7FojgxhnuFbUiJPd7

It's definitely McGillin's Old Ale House--opened in 1860--for Philly. Technically, however, an argument could be made for City Tavern, which opened in 1773. The original City Tavern was demolished in 1854, but a historically-accurate replica was erected in time for the Bicentennial. Ever since, a restaurant operator has been running it using recipes similar to those used at the original City Tavern.

schallers pump closed? i walked in there once the day after i cut my head open on a stop sign over a chewing-related muscle in bridgeport or something and couldnt chew at all so i just got drunk while trying to turn french fries into mashed potatos

good times