The Waldorf Astoria in Midtown Manhattan is one of the most famous hotels in the world. It’s no surprise that over the last nine decades, this hotel has been host to so many important people. It’s iconic, and the level of service that guests receive at the Waldorf Astoria is always top-notch.

What many people might not realize, though, is that a famous and now commonplace dish was invented here. Have you ever had a Waldorf salad? The Waldorf Astoria made it first! Read on to learn more.

Located at 301 Park Avenue approximately a mile away from Central Park, this luxury property opened in 1931.
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Everything about this famous hotel is exceptional and well-maintained. This is the lobby.
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The Waldorf Astoria has 1,413 rooms, and all of them are exquisite.
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In addition to beautiful guest rooms and excellent hospitality, the Waldorf Astoria has several restaurants on site. Currently, there are four, although at its peak in the 1940s, there were nine. It was the first hotel to ever offer room service, and the first to hire women as chefs. As you might imagine, the food has always been excellent, and it continues to be to this day.
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However, Waldorf salad wasn't actually invented by one of the chefs. It was created by the maître d'hôtel, Oscar Tschirky, in 1896 - a man who actually developed many of the hotel's signature dishes during his many years employed at the hotel.
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The hotel was hosting a charity ball for the St. Mary's Hospital for Children on March 14 of that year. Tschirky combined apples, celery, and mayonnaise for the event, and a new salad was born.
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There were no nuts in Tschirky's original Waldorf salad, but they were included in a 1928 cookbook. Today, people often add other ingredients as well, including turkey, chicken, and dried fruit, such as raisins or dates. There are many variations of the Waldorf salad today, but Oscar Tschirky and the Waldorf Astoria made it first!
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Of course, you can still get Waldorf salad at the Waldorf Astoria today. It's served at both the Bull & Bear Steakhouse and Oscar's Brasserie. Stop in today and try one sometime! There's nothing like eating a dish in the exact place it was first created.
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Unfortunately, the Waldorf Astoria is currently closed for a $1 billion renovation project. However, it plans to reopen in 2023. Put it on your list of New York City to-dos in the future – it’s sure to be even more beautiful after the remodel is complete.

Of course, the Waldorf salad isn’t the only iconic food from New York! Check out this list for more that you can try now: These 14 Iconic Foods In New York Will Have Your Mouth Watering

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