The oldest restaurant in Brooklyn is Peter Luger Steak House (1887)
Peter Luger Steak House, located at 178 Broadway in south Williamsburg, is Brooklyn’s oldest restaurant, and one of the oldest restaurants in all of New York City. The eatery got its reputation from its delectable cuts and no credit card policy. After you finish a signature plate of Peter Luger’s steak and potatoes, the payment options include cash and a “house account,” essentially an in-restaurant payment plan. You might think this would dissuade today’s customers, but the house account lists hold over 90,000 regulars, so you can be sure the food is well worth the cash you’ll have to take out.
Peter Luger opened in 1887 as the modest “Carl Luger’s Café, Billiards and Bowling Alley.” When Carl passed away, the restaurant was auctioned off to Sol Forman, who owned a silverware store across the street and consumed at least two of the cafe’s steaks every single day. The restaurant has been in the same family ever since, and guarantees the finest in steak production, with all meat served USDA prime and dry-aged on-site. There’s another Peter Luger location in Great Neck, but the Williamsburg spot is the original.