Dining Guide: Claudio’s Restaurant

Owner(s): Janice and Bill Claudio, Beatrice and Jerry Tuthill, Kathryn Claudio-Wyse
Year established: 1870
Location: 111 Main St., Greenport
Phone: 631-477-0627       
Attire: Casual/neat       
Wheelchair accessible: Yes
Hours: Open seven days; closed seasonally on Tuesday
Web site: www.claudios.com

In 1870, Manuel Claudio left the whaling ship Neva to open a seaside tavern. Today, Claudio’s is the nation’s oldest same-family-owned restaurant, with a bootlegging past that was featured in a History Channel documentary.

History surrounds diners in the circa 1845 registered historic building on beautiful Greenport Harbor. The magnificent Victorian bar was installed in 1886 by Manuel, who salvaged it from an old hotel being torn down in New York’s Bowery. America’s Cup memorabilia and historic photographs grace the dining room.
A classic seafood house, Claudio’s offers waterfront dining on two levels, with a private room for parties and rehearsal dinners. The lunch and dinner menus feature North Fork fish, clams, scallops, oysters, as well as local produce and many local wines. Claudio’s is known for “all things lobster,” serving whole lobsters up to six pounds, as well as lobster tails, scampi, salad and more. Appetizers include award-winning clam chowders, baked clams, crispy calamari and raw bar selections. Among the seafood entrées are pan-seared scallops, soft shell crabs, stuffed shrimp, linguine with clam sauce and more.

Delights from the land include filet mignon tidbits to start, and entrees such as excellent steaks, including porterhouse or New York strip, Long Island duck, or a classic hamburger. Little diners can enjoy chicken fingers, popcorn shrimp or mac and cheese.

The staff is friendly and professional, and the atmosphere is comfortable, with happy hour every Friday from 4 to 6 p.m.

The Dining Guide is not a review column. It appears as a courtesy to Times/Review Newspapers advertisers.