This Legendary Steakhouse Claims To Have Invented Eggs Benedict

Eggs Benedict is a breakfast classic that's as elegant as it is delicious. Even at a greasy spoon diner, eggs Benedict brings something a little extra: Perfectly poached eggs, salty Canadian bacon, and silky Hollandaise. If you've never given a second thought to where eggs Benedict came from, or who the namesake Benedict was in the first place, prepare to have your mind blown. A restaurant in New York City alleges that it birthed eggs Benedict, and it's not just any humdrum eatery.

Located in Lower Manhattan, Delmonico's is a piece of American history as much as it is a storied steakhouse. It was founded over 180 years ago, and it's served dignitaries, presidents, actors, and as many miscellaneous stars as there are in the heavens. Both oral history and the Delmonico's menu claim that eggs Benedict was created in its kitchen when Mrs. LeGrand Benedict, a highbrow regular of the establishment, asked the chef for something new and creative.

Today, Delmonico's serves its traditional Benedict with brioche and Black Forest ham. If you have deep pockets, you can splurge on the Royal version, which features a duck egg, a crab and lobster terrine, and a Hollandaise with shaved black truffle. A soupçon of caviar on top is extra, but highly recommended.

Digging deeper into the eggs Benedict origin story, we come across chef Charles Ranhofer's "Eufa a' la Benedick," the recipe for which was published in 1894. Ranhofer is the Delmonico's chef credited with serving eggs Benedict to the lady who allegedly gave the dish its name.

But wait! Also in 1894, Lemuel Benedict, a stockbroker, claimed to have put together the first eggs Benedict when he visited the Waldorf Astoria hotel, another Big Apple landmark, with a hangover. Lemuel Benedict says that he ordered bacon and poached eggs on toast with a sidecar of Hollandaise. The chef liked the results so much that he substituted Canadian bacon and English muffins and named the dish after that Mr. Benedict.

By the turn of the 20th century, recipes for eggs Benedict or "Eggs la Benedict" were appearing in cookbooks with no attribution for origin, implying that the dish had spread widely. No matter who actually created eggs Benedict, it's no wonder that it never became an old school breakfast dish you rarely see. It's remained a brunch main-stay, perfect for soaking up some mimosas (made with Champagne or prosecco) or Bloody Marys. Food history is fascinating, and it's always fun to explore the apocryphal tales of how beloved meals came to be.