Julien's Restorator - America's First Restaurant?

When discussing history, it’s often difficult to be certain of facts. Much of our knowledge of the early days of America as a settled land has been made murky by the passage of time. It is in that spirit that we offer a possible account of America’s first restaurant.

What we know for sure is that Julien’s Restorator did exist. Modeled after Parisian restaurants, Julien’s was established in July of 1793 by Jean Gilbert Julien, formerly a private cook. Although taverns offering a warm meal and a place to sleep had been available in Boston for some time, Julien’s distinguished itself by offering a menu from which customers could select the specific meal they wanted and pay for only what they ate, as opposed to a flat rate buffet-style meal.

The aim of the Restorator, in addition to the obvious goal of serving food to hungry diners, was to restore guests to full health (hence the name “restorator”). The establishment emphasized healthy aspects of menu options, highlighting soups, meats, and alcohol.

The echoes of Julien’s vision can be seen in restaurants today, where the health food trend is currently enjoying tremendous popularity. Next time you order your favorite healthy dish, consider its restorative effects and remember Julien’s Restorator!

Source -http://restaurant-ingthroughhistory.com/2008/07/19/americas-first-restaurant/