History
World's first restaurant
By JOE O'CONNELL,
Food Writer
First posted 25 August 2001 at 1525 GMT
Last updated 30 November 2003 at 1929 GMT
PARIS, France -- Understanding the history of
Delmonico's Restaurant in New York requires an understanding of
background information, which is provided here.
World's first restaurant
The very first restaurant in the world was opened in Paris in 1765.
A tavern keeper, Monsieur Boulanger, served a single dish -- sheep’s
feet simmered in a white sauce.
Boulanger's business was different from other food businesses, like
cafes and inns, because Boulanger's business was centered on food, not
alcohol (like taverns) or coffee and tea (like cafes). Customers
came to Boulanger's establishment primarily to eat, and this was a
novelty in the late 18th Century, where the population ate their meals
at home or, if they were away from home overnight on business, at an
inn.
Boulanger claimed that his dish restored one's health, i.e., that it
was a restorative. In French, the word restorative
is restaurant. A local food guild (a union monopoly) sued
Boulanger in court for infringing on its monopoly on the sale of cooked
foods, but Boulanger won and was allowed to continue. This victory
led to the rapid spread of these new restaurants across France.
See Portable Bistro's
Food History website.
U.S. first restaurant
The first restaurant in the United States was Delmonico's Restaurant,
which was opened in 1827 by brothers Giovanni and Pietro Delmonico.
More precisely, the brothers opened an ordinary cafe in 1827 and then,
in 1830, opened the "restaurant francais" in the building next to their
cafe.
Conclusion
Delmonico's Restaurant prospered in New York for almost 100 years.
An understanding of the history of Delmonico's Restaurant requires an
understanding of the background and times in which it operated.
Related information
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