Delmonico's

In 1827, at the beginning of New York City's evolution as the financial center of the world, the genesis of what would become a world renowned culinary institution, Delmonico's Restaurant, was set. A small shop selling classically prepared pastries, fine coffee and chocolate, bonbons, wines and liquors as well as Havana cigars was operated by the Delmonico brothers. Its success led them to purchase a triangular plot of land at the intersection of Beaver, William and South William Streets where, in 1837, they opened the first fine dining restaurant in the country. Delmonico's offered an unheard of luxury – the availability of private dining rooms (located on the third floor) where discriminate entertaining was the order of the day. The basement held the restauranteur's treasure, the largest private wine cellar in the city, holding an impressive 1,000 bottles of the world's finest wines. It was during these early years that Chef Alessandro Fellippini began to develop the restaurant's culinary identity with the house special, Delmonico Steak.