Restaurant Delmonico’s in New York City has a long and rich history and is known as one of the oldest restaurants in the United States.
It was opened in 1837 and has since become famous for its high-quality food and service. Delmonico’s is considered one of the pioneers of American gastronomy and is renowned for popularizing many American dishes, such as the Delmonico steak and dishes like Lobster Newberg and Baked Alaska.
The ambiance in the restaurant is elegant and traditional, with classic decor that reflects the restaurant’s history. The staff provides excellent service, and the atmosphere is sophisticated. We also met a waitress from Čakovec. The prices at Delmonico’s are reasonable considering the restaurant’s reputation, the quality of food, and the services they offer. Additionally, it is recommended to make a reservation in advance, especially for dinners and special occasions, as the restaurant is often very popular and can be full.
Overall, the restaurant is known for its excellent food, tradition, and reputation and is often a destination for those seeking an authentic and elegant dining experience in the heart of New York City. I had the Wagyu Burger, which was one of the best in America ever, and highly recommend it.
We had lunch with Darko Matošić, who is the manager and co-owner of the restaurant, who stated:
The partners at Delmonico’s are – Dennis Turcinovich, Joe Licul, and myself.
We get our bread from Boogie Lab in Zagreb – regular and Mediterranean focaccia, sourdough, and brioche for the burger. The plans are to open a few more Delmonico’s in other parts of America, and the most likely chance currently is in Greenwich, CT. I think it’s the richest small town in America. We were in negotiations. There is an older, smaller hotel from the 19th century that is being completely renovated, and the owner wants Delmonico’s inside.
What was your journey to becoming the manager of one of the most famous restaurants in New York?
I graduated from the Faculty of Tourism in Ika, Croatia. The idea was to work in accounting, but that didn’t happen. I also spent some time at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in NY for management training for a few months.
I like to say that I’ve worked in very bad restaurants, or rather simple ones, like Caffe Napoli in Little Italy—my first job in NY, which was in 2001. I started as a busboy, then worked at Patsy’s on 56th Street – where the late Frank Sinatra often came. His daughters, Nancy and Tina, used to organize his birthday celebration there every year on December 11th. After that, I went to Le Bernardin, a French 3 Michelin star restaurant. I was a captain there for 7 years. It’s the only restaurant in New York, and maybe even in the USA, that has never lost a star. It always holds 3 Michelin stars and 4 from the New York Times. That’s where I learned everything about this business.
After that, I was a manager at the Italian restaurant Marea, which had 2 Michelin stars, but when Chef Michael White left, the stars disappeared too. An interesting thing about that restaurant is its location. It’s on Billionaire Road. Probably the most popular Italian restaurant in New York. There’s always a waiting list of about 15 people for dinner, and it’s very expensive.
Right next door to the restaurant is officially the most expensive apartments in the USA. The penthouse was bought by Kenneth Griffin, which was then the most expensive apartment in America.
Darko lives in Queens and commutes to work every day by subway, about forty minutes. In this city, few people drive or own their own cars because there aren’t many parking options. The restaurant is located in the heart of the Financial District, near the stock exchange on Wall Street.
The address is 56 Beaver St, New York, NY 10004, United States. Reservations are preferable,
