Welcome to The Classics. America’s stories are told through restaurants. These are the places that, over decades, have come to define our communities, neighborhoods, and cities. These are the restaurants that have stood the test of time, and above all, the restaurants we love. And now is the time to honor and support them.
Midtown’s French Legends Are Gone, But La Bonne Soupe Ladles On
This week on Resy we’re exploring the many facets of French restaurants in New York. We unpack why New York…
Passing It Down: On Lois the Pie Queen and Soul Food Generations
Lois the Pie Queen just might be the oldest Black-owned restaurant in California. These days, it’s run by Lois’ son,…
How Spago Changed Everything
Spago opened on a chilly evening in January 1982. The first night, 21 Rolls-Royces jammed into the restaurant’s tiny parking lot…
At 50, Phoenicia Remains Detroit’s Icon Of Middle Eastern Cuisine
Time doesn’t always work against us. Sameer Eid and his Phoenicia restaurant in suburban Detroit are living proof — both…
At Lem’s Bar-B-Q, Comfort Comes in a Plaid Paper Boat
We zipped down 75th Street for an early dinner the day that indoor dining reopened in Chicago last year, but…
Moosewood, the Legendary Vegetarian Restaurant, Embarks on Its Next Chapter
This past summer, a chalkboard emblazoned with the message “WELCOME MOOSEWOOD!” with two columns of names written below hung outside…
Look to a Memphis Landmark to See the Future of American Restaurants
Geoff Davis is the chef and owner of the upcoming Burdell in Oakland. Follow him on Instagram at @geonate88. ***…
Soul Survivor: The Story of the World’s Oldest Soul Food Restaurant
Native and long-time Washington, D.C. residents link the words “Florida Avenue Grill” and “institution” much like they do with the…
Does Being a Classic Restaurant Mean You Can Never Change?
When El Parador Café opened in 1959, it was one of just a handful of Mexican restaurants in New York…
Once upon a time in Los Angeles, people thought the idea of combining fried chicken and a waffle as a meal was absolutely crazy. Herbert Hudson thought otherwise.— Adrian Miller tells the story of Los Angeles icon Roscoe’s House of Chicken & Waffles.
Sylvia’s in Harlem Still Stands For Community
A couple of weeks ago, on a Sunday afternoon in August, I strolled up to the pickup window at Sylvia’s…
Remembering Atlanta’s Bygone Black-Owned Restaurants
A family photograph — one with me cheesing harder than I ever have, wearing a frilly, powder blue dress and…
On Chicago’s South Side, Josephine’s Preserves the Lineage of Soul Food
To own a restaurant is a labor of love. To own a soul food restaurant for 35 years, as Josephine…
Mama Ayesha’s Has So Much History, But Represents So Much More
Classic restaurants like Mama Ayesha’s in Washington, D.C. are beloved because of the traditions they have forged over the decades,…
How Caring About the Little Things Makes Zuni Café Special
One of my most vivid memories of working at Zuni Café was during Pride weekend. The energy within the walls…
In Dalston, Mangal 2 Is a Classic Institution That Answers to No One
I’ve been going to Mangal 2 for what feels like my entire life. I’ve always loved the flavours and the…
For Decades, Ben’s Chili Bowl Has Been an Integral Part of DC
When I moved to DC, one of my first stops was Ben’s Chili Bowl. Since then, it’s still the first…
Vigil Mass, or, A Friday Lunch at Galatoire’s In the Midst of 2021
I was halfway through my pompano when a man in a gray wool suit stood up from his table along…
An Ode to California’s Landmark Drive-Ins
Some of my earliest restaurant memories come from Vicky’s Burritos. Vicky’s is a Mexican-American eatery in my hometown of Sacramento…
At Miller’s Pub, It’s Tom & Jerry Time Again (And Again)
Any December night for the past 60 years or so, there has been a reliably warming beacon of hope for…
As Soho’s Iconic Raoul’s Expands, a Look at What Keeps It a Classic
“Without atmosphere, a painting is nothing,” Rembrandt once said. Some would say the same about a signature dish at a…
The Trick At Bowens Island? Perfect Oysters And a Special Sense of Place
Bowens Island gave me one of the most profound culinary experiences of my life, through a simple oyster. It was…
The Fort: A Classic American Western Restaurant that Savors Its Past
“Western cuisine, “edible history” and “frontier food” are terms that can be as well-worn and meaningless as an old cowboy…
The Most Amazing Things Can Happen After a Meal at Sparks
When I bought the lease for my first restaurant, Union Square Cafe on East 16th Street, I made the deal with a…
At Bake n Broil, Nothing Is More Precious Than The Last Chicken Pot Pie
Jongewaard’s Bake n Broil is equidistant from the hospital I was born in, and the home I grew up in.…
A Love Letter to La Camaronera
La Camaronera, where do I begin? We have a long history together. I was born and raised here in Miami.…
There’s No Classic Like the Classic Burger Joint
Burger joints are one of the most iconic landmarks a city can have.
The Family Restaurant That’s Become New York’s Melting Pot for Nearly 50 Years
This March, one of New York City’s most beloved dim sum palaces closed its doors and the city lost a shared piece…
Why Classics? Because Legacy Restaurants Tell the Stories of America
Welcome to The Classics.
Cafe Sushi Has Been Cambridge’s Special Spot Since 1984
Cafe Sushi is not the place that my husband and I had our first date, nor did we get engaged…
Blessed Be Tommy’s Joynt, the Last San Francisco Hof Brau
One late evening in 2005, my roommate and her situationship picked me up outside Greyhound at the old Transbay Terminal…
The Long Road to Gage & Tollner’s Once-and-Again Return
Historically, there are no second acts for famous New York restaurants. Rector’s, Mama Leone’s, The Colony, The Quilted Giraffe’s, Maxwell’s…
The Resy Guide to New York’s Classic Restaurants
You couldn’t tell the story of New York without its restaurants. Tightly woven into the fabric of the city, these…
Soul Survivor: The Story of the World’s Oldest Soul Food Restaurant
Native and long-time Washington, D.C. residents link the words “Florida Avenue Grill” and “institution” much like they do with the…
The Enduring Value of New York’s Oldest Chinese Restaurant
Nom Wah Tea Parlor, as my family tells it, was the first Chinese restaurant I ate at. I can’t confirm…
The Night That Changed L.A. Forever Also Put El Coyote on the Map
On a hot August night in 1969, actress Sharon Tate and friends Jay Sebring, Voytek Frykowski, and Abigail Folger sat…
Nine Questions for the Matriarch of Prince’s Hot Chicken
For Ms. André Prince Jeffries, the owner of Prince’s Hot Chicken in Nashville, hot chicken is a way of life,…
What’s Next for House of Prime Rib, the City’s Ultimate Celebratory Restaurant?
House of Prime Rib is a unique restaurant that holds a special place in the hearts of San Franciscans. But…
Fanelli’s Has Belonged to Downtown Manhattan Since 1874
Everyone who hangs out at Fanelli’s was a downtown kid, or their friends were. I realized this when I started…
Now More Than Ever, I’m So Grateful For Legacy Restaurants Like Arnold’s
I am eternally grateful for Arnold’s. It’s the first place I take a guest when they come to town, especially…
The White Horse Tavern Evolves, But Dylan Thomas Is Always Watching
The psychic center of the White Horse Tavern in Greenwich Village — still, even after decades of changes — is…
Original Soul Vegetarian: Proof That Divine Culinary Inspiration Can Grow on Trees
To the casual observer, Original Soul Vegetarian (a.k.a. “Soul Vegetarian East”), a Chicago restaurant with multiple locations across the country,…
A New Brush With Fame, Yes, But Casa Vega Has Always Been There For Us
Rafael “Ray” Vega opened his Casa Vega restaurant in 1956, near the corner of Ventura Boulevard and Fulton Avenue in…
The Formosa Cafe is a Masterclass in Restoration
Like an aging Hollywood star, the Formosa Cafe’s light may have dimmed a bit over the years, but it never…
For Decades, Ben’s Chili Bowl Has Been an Integral Part of DC
When I moved to DC, one of my first stops was Ben’s Chili Bowl. Since then, it’s still the first…
How 2nd Avenue Deli Changed My Life
2nd Avenue Deli is as New York as New York gets. I started going there decades ago, picking up orders…
An Ode to Chicken Vesuvio, the Ultimate Expression of Chicago
If ever there was one perfect expression of Chicago on a dinner plate, it’d be Chicken Vesuvio: a meat-and-potatoes dish…
At the Heart of L.A., Harold and Belle’s Preserves a Legacy and Looks Ahead
Ryan Legaux says that he’s probably eaten more po’ boys than most people alive. Having at least three or four…
For Atlanta, Paschal’s Serves as a Monument to History — and Hope
Paschal’s restaurant does more than serve soul food. It is an Atlanta institution that serves as a monument to history…
Now More Than Ever, I’m So Grateful For Legacy Restaurants Like Arnold’s
I am eternally grateful for Arnold’s. It’s the first place I take a guest when they come to town, especially…
Great NY Noodletown is Everything That Makes New York Special
The first time I went to Great NY Noodletown, I didn’t walk there. I ran. I had recently moved to…
El Tepeyac’s Rich Family Legacy Continues One Burrito at a Time
Back at the end of February, when there was talk of a citywide shut down, I met a friend at…
Pat’s King of Steaks is the Heart of Philadelphia
From its location in the heart of South Philly, the just off-center ordering process, and of course the whole “Whiz…
Cielito Lindo Defines the Flavors of East L.A.
Mexican American food conquered America with its popular flavors of fresh and dried chiles stewed into hearty dishes thickened by…