Stories Of 5 Brooklyn Restaurants Of The Past, Told By Locals

Whether you live to eat, or eat to live, all of us can agree, eating is important to our very existence. And when it comes to dining out, some of us can be very selective. The taste, quality, and presentation of the food must be perfect. The restaurant’s appearance and cleanliness must meet our standards. Its location, menu, customer friendly staff, competitive advantage, and prices should keep us coming back for more.

We asked longtime Brooklynites for the name of one of their favorite Brooklyn restaurants (fast food or upscale). There was a catch to this request. The restaurant, even though a favorite, must no longer exist. We also wanted to know why they loved these places so much and here’s how their stories went:

GAGE & TOLLNER Restaurant
372/374 Fulton Street Downtown Brooklyn
1892 – 2004

“Elegant dining and delicious food — what else could you ask for,” says former long-time Brooklyn Heights resident, Thomas Daley. “Did you know Gage & Tollner was the first landmarked dining room in New York? I loved that place: gas lamps, mahogany bar, uniformed waiters, and mirrors all around. I always ordered seafood. I often had business meetings there. And the place was usually crowded with lawyers and judges, the courts were just blocks away. When I walk pass the building today, I get sick to my stomach. How could such a gorgeous Brooklyn landmark become a deteriorating junky jewelry store? YUCK!”

LUNDY BROTHERS Restaurant
1901 Emmoms Avenue Sheepshead Bay
1934 – 1977 then again 1997 – 2007

“Lundy’s was a big place; it could seat almost 3,000 people; portions were big and food reasonably priced,” said Dorothy of Bedford Stuyvesant. “I have lived in the borough of Kings for over fifty years. I love Brooklyn and loved Lundy’s! The restaurant was right by the water – so romantic – though at times, Lundy’s could get very noisy. My favorite dish was the lobster — it was so good, so fresh — they had their own lobster bed. Lundy’s brought so much pleasure to the lives of so many. It is a shame the founder (Irving Lundy) had so much sadness in his life: the death of several family members, being kidnapped and becoming reclusive in later years.”

HORN & HARDART Automat
Willoughby Street between Fulton and Pearl Streets Downtown Brooklyn was the first Brooklyn location opened on July 1, 1936.

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“Horn & Hardart will always have a special place in my heart because I met my husband, Milton there over sixty years ago,” admits Judith Sr. of Crown Heights. “Though I met him at a Manhattan location, I frequented the Downtown Horn & Hardart too. In the ’50s more and more women were joining the workforce and leaving the kitchen behind. We needed ready made good tasting meals. The concept was really revolutionary. Insert coins in a slot, turn the knob, open the cubby, and take out your hot or cold food. Items were replaced immediately by cooks behind the walls. You could eat breakfast, lunch, or dinner there. I really enjoyed the mac and cheese and all the deserts, especially the pies.”

WETSON’S Hamburgers
Flatbush Avenue and Empire Boulevard Prospect Lefferts Gardens
1959 – 1975

“Before McDonald’s, Burger King, and Wendy’s got to us – there was Wetson’s
and of course White Castles. We preferred Wetson’s. You heard of a drive through, it was a drive up,” said Chris Foreman of Crown Heights. “My father would drive up to Wetson’s, a runner took our order, and then brought it out to us on a tray. We would talk and eat our burgers right there in the car. The shakes were dope. Those were the good old days, man.”

HARVEST MANOR Dining Center
1040 St. Johns Place Crown Heights
1983 – 1995

“God — how I miss that place,” said Phyllis of Prospect-Lefferts Gardens. “Members of Bethany Baptist Church in Bed-Stuy raised the monies to buy the old A&P Supermarket and parking lot on St. Johns. They put a much needed banquet hall there. Look around! Where is the nearest catering facility? If you want to have a meeting, a retirement party, an awards dinner, where do you go? We had beautiful Harvest Manor right here in Crown Heights. Not only could you book the hall for an event, but you could eat lunch and dinner there every day. After church every Sunday, I had supper at this “Gathering Place.” Thinking about their delicious fried chicken and ribs right now, is making me hungry.”

*PS — The reason why Mr. Daley is so upset about Gage & Tollner’s present condition is because this is what the landmarked building looks like today.