The Story Behind The Oldest Operating Steakhouse Restaurant In America
America ranks at the very top of the world's yearly meat consumption, rivaled only by Portugal. Although chicken remains the most popular choice for Americans, Statista reports that 59.1 pounds of beef were consumed per person in 2022, so it's safe to say that popular steakhouses across the country don't have to worry about going out of business anytime soon. This includes the Old Homestead Steakhouse, the oldest steakhouse in America that first opened its doors in 1868 and still remains in business well over 150 years later.
Although steakhouses feel quintessentially American, they actually originate from Europe. Before they were called steakhouses, they were known as "chophouses" in the U.K., originally only serving working-class men. Eventually, the concept of serving large portions of meat made its way overseas to America, and, before long, modern steakhouses were born in the Meatpacking District of New York City. It was there that The Old Homestead Steakhouse planted its roots. Although the neighborhood has significantly changed in the century since, the steakhouse is still standing in the same location on Ninth Avenue.
About 70 years ago, a man named Harry Sherry bought the steakhouse after staring out as a dishwasher; and thus began the legacy of the Sherry family. Harry's grandsons, Greg and Marc, are the current owners of the place. They, too, started from the bottom and worked their way up the ranks, all while learning the ropes from their grandfather.
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The Steakhouse Has Kept Its Old-Fashioned Charm (And Added A Few Modern Twists)
The spirit of the Old Homestead Steakhouse hasn't changed much since the 19th century. The philosophy behind keeping the place traditional and old-fashioned is explained by Greg Sherry — "Why change something that has worked for 150 years?" he's quoted saying on the restaurant's official website. The interior of the steakhouse is rustic, full of red leather sofas, carpeted floors, and a fairly quiet ambiance that's in stark contrast to the sensory overload you might experience at, say, Texas Roadhouse. Oh, and did we mention the big cow sculpture out front, hanging right above the entrance? It has been there since Harry Sherry's days and goes by the name Annabelle.
The restaurant did have to modernize in some aspects, though. Wine and dessert options are presented digitally, on iPads. The prices are in the higher range. What used to be a space with only five tables and a bar has grown into three floors and up to 800 customers per night. The Sherry brothers have also been the pioneers behind the USDA lifting its ban on imported Japanese Kobe beef and have exclusively brought Wagyu beef to their customers. As one of the oldest NYC restaurants, the Old Homestead Steakhouse has clearly found the ideal balance of growing with the times while staying true to its 19th-century spirit.
Read the original article on Tasting Table.
