In 1854, the ship that Manuel Claudio was working on docked in Greenport, New York, on the sourth side of Long Island’s north fork near Shelter Island. He fell in love with this little harbor town right away, and when his years at sea came to an end in 1870, he settled in this town and opened Claudio’s Tavern. Over the years, Claudio’s Tavern grew into Claudio’s Restaurant, and today it is one of the oldest restaurants not only in New York, but in the United States. This place has so much history and is so special. Read on to learn more.
Claudio's Restaurant is a Long Island institution. Many generations of families have been dining here for the last century and a half.
This spot was even open and operating during Prohibition. During that period, the ground floor was a fine dining restaurant, but upstairs was a lively bar. Bootleggers brought their wares to Claudio's by boat and snuck them in through trap doors in the floor behind the bar.
Claudio's was, for many years, the longest "same family owned restaurant in the United States," but the family sold it in 2018. The new owners are proud of its heritage and plan to keep it running for many, many years and decades to come.
Claudio’s is a fantastic restaurant and is a great overall experience that you and your companions will love. If you haven’t eaten there before, make a point to do so very soon – you’ll want to come back every year after that!
