Lincoln ate at Delmonico’s Restaurant in New York City

[David Lockmiller]

Delmonico steak (or steak Delmonico) is a particular preparation of one of several cuts of beef (typically the ribeye) originated by Delmonico's restaurant in New York City during the mid-19th century. (Joe O' Connell. "Delmonico steak: a mystery solved") In addition to the steak, the original meal also included a potato dish, known as Delmonico potatoes, prepared by making a mashed potato dish topped with grated cheese and buttered breadcrumbs, then baked until golden brown and served steaming.

Source: Wikipedia

New York was a fine dining desert until the arrival of John (Giovanni) and Peter (Pietro) Delmonico, Swiss brothers who used $20,000 in gold coins they saved to open a cafe serving French pastries at 23 William Street called Delmonico. They opened, along with nephew Lorenzo, in 1827 and by 1831 they evolved into a full-fledged French restaurant by expanding into the building next door. The restaurant also represented a cultural shift toward French dining. At the time, all of the best home cooks were preparing traditional British fare, and American cookbooks were British in nature.

Lorenzo let the lease run out on the hotel and opened a flagship Delmonico's on Chambers and Broadway, just north of City Hall, in 1856. Six years later, he went further north still and opened a branch in a three story building overlooking Union Square on 14th Street and 5th Ave. Here, Lorenzo hired his nephew Charles Delmonico to run the show, who in turn hired chef Charles Ranhofer to helm the stoves. Ranhofer, considered one of the great chefs of the day, would go on to work for the restaurant group for 35 years, host thousands of banquets, create hundreds of dishes (Delmonico's credits Ranhofer with inventing Eggs Benedict, Baked Alaska, Lobster Newburg and Chicken A la Keene, all of which are still on the restaurant's menu today), and compile them into a book called The Epicurean.

Source: “Remembering Delmonico's, New York's Original Restaurant” published in EATER NEW YORK by Amanda Kludt Jun 29, 2011