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On another thread, we got to discussing Phillipes, an eatery established in 1908 very close by LAX Union Station. I have allways liked eating at places like that, and wonder if there are favorites out there. Specifically, restaurants very close to train stations, that have been there since, say at least the '30s or '40s if not earlier. Idea is that one could still enjoy a meal while daydreaming about eating at a place that was in existence (and maybe not much changed)during the "golden age" of passenger railroads.
Posts: 406 | From: La Grange, CA | Registered: Sep 2007
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Gallagher's (B'Way & 52nd) is within a mile of GCT; still there and, while not likely anymore "the best steak in NY" serves respectable fare.
Lou Mitchell's on Adams St is within 1/4mile of CUS; been there for as long as I have memory.
But I find that restaurants are becoming like women's fashion; all too many of my favorites both in NY and Chi are simply no more.
I even learned that Ernie's, not necessarily that close to any train station, in SF also has folded, but then some hold that enjoying a good steak is simply "not with it" nowadays.
Posts: 9977 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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Mr. Norman, I was thinking of walking distance, which of course varies by person. So a $10 - $20 taxi ride should be OK for a good experience. I hope to file these suggestions away, and when/if I get to those locations, have more to add to my travel experience. I find that the anticipation adds to the trip. I may be a bit younger than you, but I was able to eat at Ernie's once. I wish I could go again. I do plan to eat at the Buckhorn Exchange when I get to Denver this July (taking the CZ with my family), and I will go to Phillipes before the Coast Starlight trip.
Posts: 406 | From: La Grange, CA | Registered: Sep 2007
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$20 taxicab ride should take you over to Peter Luger's in Brooklyn - absolutely positively the best steak on this planet.
Rembmber to bring $500 cash for a party of two - "and they don't take American Express" or for that matter, any others ("real men" like Tony Soprano peel if off from the wad).
Posts: 9977 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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Eating near a train station is fine. Eating inside one is far better.
In New York City. . .
The Oyster Bar inside Grand Central Terminal has been in business since 1913. It has undergone only minor cosmetic alterations over the decades, and is seriously worth a visit.
If the prices at the tables are slightly rich for your wallet, sit at the famous lunch counter instead and order a bowl of clam chowder. Then go upstairs, buy a roundtrip ticket to Poughkeepsie, and head north on a day trip along the mighty Hudson River via the Metro-North Railroad.
In Chicago. . .
The low-key Metro Cafe inside Chicago Union Station can be found right off the Great Hall. I've been told that it was once the station's Harvey House restaurant.
The food is basic steam table, meat-and-potatoes fare. The interior has been greatly altered, but still has a distinctive sepia-tone "railroad station restaurant ambience." The trick is to go there at an off-hour, when it isn't populated by bar flies and half-tanked commuters watching baseball on the screens mounted above the bar.
Inside the old P&LE depot, the eye-popping grandeur of main waiting area has been turned into a restaurant called the Grand Concourse. The food is only passable, but the atmosphere is straight over-the-top Gilded Age. Very spectacular.
Michigan City, Indiana. . .
If you happen to be catching Amtrak out of Michigan City, the old Michigan Central depot adjacent to the tracks and platform has been turned into a burgers-and-sandwiches restaurant.
I had lunch while seated in the stationmaster's bay window not long ago, and watched the Wolverine arrive and depart. Apart from installing tables, the management has largely left the wainscotting and other interior features alone.
Short list of best classic stations to buy a cup of coffee, a donut, and enjoy them while people-watching from one of the original seats in the waiting room:
Portland, Oregon Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Hoboken, New Jersey Los Angeles, California Newark, New Jersey Sacramento, California San Jose, California
posted
If you want to restrict this discussion to restaurants that are actually inside the railway stations, Montreal and Quebec City come to mind. Much of Central Station in Montreal has been given over to various businesses that operate eating establishments. Quite frankly these places serve not so much railway passengers, but the thousands of people passing through Central station on their way to and from work. In Quebec City the station is more remote from the business district, so the station is actually a destination for dining. Vancouver's old CPR station has recently had a restaurant re-established (not run by the CPR of course).
But what about stations that have restaurants actually run by railways on behalf of their passengers? I would guess probably none at all. I can still remember Fred Harvey operating a restaurant in L.A. Union station in the mid sixties. I recall Canadian Pacific operating a cafe in CPR's Sudbury station sometime in the seventies, and also in the seventies the CPR had a beautiful restaurant in their Montreal Windsor Station But currently? All food concessions are non-railway owned.
Posts: 524 | From: Toronto Ont. Canada | Registered: Mar 2001
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Mr. 4ME's premise was simply restaurants that were within or near a station and that are substantially the same motif as existing when anything resembling the "Golden era", i.e. my E-W rides during the 60's were at the end of such, was still there.
The Oyster Bar in GCT certainly qualifies, but I overlooked it because quite simply, "I don't eat seafood". If I were to "splurge" within the confines of GCT, I'd be at Michael Jordan's (Yale Club X fm GCT I guess became past tense when my Father passed during '01).
I have to disqualify the Metro Cafe in CUS; true it was the Fred Harvey lunchroom "for most of us'; but in no way does it resemble the "Lunch Room" today. In CUS, there was the Gold Lion (Harvey) for Lucius Beebe (and me; when the boss was paying).
But nevertheless, thank you Mr. Dilly for providing such a comprehensive list for the contemporary rail traveler.
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We lived in Baltimore for a number of years and my favorite was Marconi's. A venerable building that was a restaurant since 1920 and supposedly a favorite haunt of H.L.Mencken. It had continental fare with old world waiters, some of whom I think had been there since the restaurant opened. Only restaurant I've been to where if you ordered a drink the brought you the bottle and appropriate set up. Very civilized. Sadly it succumbed to the trendy new restaurants in 2004 as did the equally famous Hausner's (German) and Chesapeake - a block from the station.
Today the best pre-train dining is probably at Tio Pepe's, a Spanish restaurant of the first order and in business for over 40 years. And of course for seafood/crabs there is Obryicki's.
Posts: 2397 | From: Camden, SC | Registered: Mar 2006
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A tip of the hat also to Jimmy Wong's Chinese Restaurant on South Wabash in Chicago; my last visit there was back in 1995 and I understand from an internet search that it closed at least four years ago. It will be missed.
-------------------- --------Eric H. Bowen
Stop by my website: Streamliner Schedules - Historic timetables of the great trains of the past! Posts: 413 | From: Houston, Texas | Registered: Mar 2006
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While in Fort Worth a couple of weeks ago I had breakfast at Ol' South Pancake House which apparently has been there since the '40's. It's not too far from downtown - out toward TCU - and right off a busy RR mainline. It was very popular and pretty good. I also had a lunch at Fuzzy's Taco Shack near TCU which is not Golden Age but had mighty good fish tacos!
Posts: 326 | From: San Antonio Texas USA | Registered: Dec 2003
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Mr. Norman -- back in the 70's there were 2 or 3 restaurants in Chicago Union Station which were all owned by the same company -- I don't remember the name of them -- do you? I don't know if they had been there since "the golden age", but a couple of them were pretty good. Of course they were all torn down during the MAJOR renovation of CUS about 10-15 years ago.
Of course, CUS, like others, has now reverted to the "fast food" format on its upper level
Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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As noted Mr. Rich, the Gold Lion was located off the SW corner of The (Amspeak) Great Hall; that is where I went for Lunch when the boss was paying. Off the NW Corner was the Lunch Room noted in the photo album I linked earlier. The area under Canal Street, now the Metro Cafe, was the Gift Shop.
When CUS opened during 1927, all these concessions, were operated by Fred Harvey (Fred Harvey once operated the restaurants along the Illinois Tollway - those plazas were called "Oasis" - a name that still sticks today - even though I'm sure many an out-of-state motorist has said what the h*** is that?), Harvey then transferred the concessions to Greyhound Food Management, which in turn had a subsidiary named Faber Enterprises that operated the concessions. Last time I took note, CUS newsstands are presently operated by the UK concern W.H. Smith, which certainly is a name familiar to anyone here who has been "over there".
Faber still operates many a concession in Amtrak stations along the Corridor - AND to uphold my often expressed thought that the Auto Train is simply an extension of the NEC - in Sanford, FL.
Posts: 9977 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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It's now operated by the Anderson Restaurant Group (same folks who operate the Hereford House).
Across the KC Terminal RR tracks from Union Station (accessible by a re-used rail bridge now serving as a pedestrian bridge) in a late 19th Century Freight House are Fiorella's Jack Stack Barbecue and Lidia's Italian Restaurant. Freight House is a great place in the summer to do KC trainwatching... coal, manifest, container stacks, auto racks, and Amtrak.
Posts: 1404 | Registered: Oct 2001
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After consuming my regular, "you should lose some weight" breakfast this morning, I am now salivating. Chigago and KC are on the not-too-distant future trip list, so thanks much for the suggestions. It may be a few years before I can schedule a train trip to NYC, and I will cross my fingers that Peter Luger's will still be open. I'll start saving my dollars now, though.
Posts: 406 | From: La Grange, CA | Registered: Sep 2007
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A couple of summers ago while waiting for connection from the Mule to the Chief in Kansas City, I made a special walk over the bridge to Jack Stack Barbecue. It was worth it. Recommended. I barely had time though.
Posts: 326 | From: San Antonio Texas USA | Registered: Dec 2003
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posted
Gil -- yes, Faber's was the name I couldn't remember yesterday when I posted, but I did remember it later in the day, after I had posted it!! I remember the Gold Lion also. Thanks for the update!!
Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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