Creator
Astor House
Title
Table d’hôte
Coverage
New York City
Date
September 9, 1841
Description
The Astor House opened in 1836 on Broadway, directly west of City Hall Park. It was originally called the Park Hotel and later renamed after its wealthy owner, businessman John Jacob Astor. It was the first luxury hotel in New York City and remained one of the nation’s most prestigious hotels for decades. The philosopher William James was born there on January 11, 1842. During the antebellum period, the finest upper-class hotels maintained separate dining rooms for men and women. The dishes on this menu from the men’s dining room are shown in English and, for the fancier entrées, in French. The language of the menu was mirrored in the organization of the kitchen at the Astor House, where French chefs cooked the entrées and English chefs roasted the meats.