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America’s oldest restaurant is a 350-year-old historic tavern just 40 minutes from NYC — once famously known as ‘America’s spy prison’
Step inside this lovingly restored Hudson Valley gem to dine under centuries-old timber beams by glowing fireplaces, where you can feast on classic Yankee pot roast and modern alligator empanadas.
Tucked away in the tiny town of Tappan, New York, sits a dining destination older than the United States itself. The ’76 House isn’t just a pitstop for incredible comfort food—it is widely considered America’s oldest restaurant.
Built in 1668, this Hudson Valley gem has been pouring pints for over three centuries. It offers New Yorkers the ultimate historical day trip just 40 minutes from Manhattan.
A revolutionary history
Source / The 76 House
During the height of the Revolutionary War, the tavern served as a safe haven for weary patriots and military leaders. In fact, George Washington and his chief provisioner Samuel Fraunces famously dined within these very walls.
But its most dramatic claim to fame happened in 1780. The ’76 House acted as the makeshift prison for Major John André, the British spy who conspired with infamous traitor Benedict Arnold to surrender West Point.
André’s capture and imprisonment here shifted the entire course of the war, permanently earning the tavern its legendary nickname: ‘America’s spy prison’.
The Old ’76 House has been a haven for many a weary traveler for more than two hundred years. This great tavern has accommodated on various occasions, every General of the west wing of the Continental Army including Commander-in-Chief General George Washington who, with his chief provisioner Samuel Fraunces, dined in the comfortable atmosphere of The Old ’76 House during the American Revolutionary War. A house that sat on the spot of the existing building was originally built by Dutch settlers and operated as a stop for fur traders traveling north or south along the Hudson River. No further mentioning of the structure exists in documents however from around 1686 to 1705. The earliest confirmed dates concerning any structure on or near the current site involve one Antie Myers, a widow, who was licensed in 1705 to sell drink, “as per her recognizance,” in her house in the immediate neighborhood of today’s ’76 House. After her death around 1721 her home was purchased by Yoast Mabie, a brother of Casparus. The house was demolished in 1835. In 1753, Casparus Mabie bought a piece of land from Cornelis Myers, Antie’s son. The following year he built a house on this lot on what was to become Main Street in Tappan. He included space for a tavern, probably no more than a few tables and benches in a corner of the front room. Two years later, in 1756, court records indicate that the “Supervisors for the County of Orange [met] at the House of Casparus Maybe, in Orange Town October the 5th Anno Domine 1756.” These documents describe meetings of the Board of Supervisors over the years and provide details of the food and ale they consumed and the business they conducted. Consequently, the sign lists “1755” as the founding date for the current tavern. Of the structure that was built in 1668, only the foundation remains. The house remains a fixture as a place of great significance in American history. It is on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. ℹ️ 76House.com, Britannica, Rockland County Historical Society, Tappan Historical District Association, U.S. National Register of Historic Places, Wikipedia #history#americanrevolutionarywar#americanrevolution#newyorkhistory#revolutionarywar#tappanny#tavern#fyp
Lovingly restored by the Norden family, the space feels like stepping back in time. You can still dine surrounded by centuries-old timber beams and four glowing fireplaces.
The menu elevates classic American pub fare into an incredible culinary experience. Today’s visitors can feast on:
The famous Onion Soup Lafayette, served en crock and au gratin.
Chicken Pot Pie: roasted Amish chicken and garden vegetables within a creamy velouté, served in a tender puff pastry shell.
Thanksgiving Spring Roll: Roasted turkey, cornbread stuffing, cranberry aioli.
On weekends, the tavern comes alive with local live music, keeping the centuries-old tradition of communal gathering going strong.
