11 Restaurants Where U.S Presidents Have Dined Ouside the White House

Contemplate dining at your preferred restaurant. The cuisine is exceptional, the drinks are superb, the atmosphere is vibrant, and as you gaze towards the entrance, you catch sight of the President of the United States walking by. This scenario is more likely than you may assume. Presidents, just like any other individuals, require sustenance. In addition, they engage in global travel to advocate for causes, deliver lectures, and engage with individuals.

Below are a selection of esteemed establishments across the United States where US presidents have enjoyed dining experiences, spanning from Texas to Maine. You also have the opportunity to dine like a president.

Learn more: Would You Like to Eat As the US Presidents Do? The Foods That Leaders Love Most

Have You Ever Visited Restaurants That US Presidents Love?

Top 10+ Restaurants that US Presidents Love the Most

1. Fraunces Tavern in New York City, NY

Fraunces Tavern, founded in 1776, was a popular drinking spot for many of the Founding Fathers. In 1783, George Washington, the Continental Army's commander in chief, famously gathered his officers here to wish them farewell, just before retiring from his military position.

A museum commemorates the building's revolutionary past, while the bar and dining room serve comforting classics such as burgers, mac 'n' cheese, and chicken pot pie, as well as a selection of Spanish-style pintxos and charcuterie.

2. Delmonico's in New York City, NY

The Financial District in Manhattan's Delmonico's, which opened in 1857, calls itself "America's first fine dining establishment." Over the years, it has definitely been visited by some famous people, like President Lincoln, who often ate here when he was in the city. Potato gratin was said to be his favorite dish, but it's not on the menu today.

The second thing that makes the restaurant famous is that it was the first in New York City to serve avocados.

3. Buckhorn Exchange in Denver, Colorado

When Henry H. "Shorty Scout" Zietz, a well-known figure in the area, opened the Buckhorn Exchange in 1893, it was filled with cattlemen, miners, silver barons, and railroad workers. But in 1905, President Theodore Roosevelt came to see it. His Presidential Express train pulled into the nearby Rio Grande rail yards.

Once they were done with dinner and drinks, Roosevelt and Zietz went hunting together. There have been three more presidents who have eaten there over the years: Dwight Eisenhower, Jimmy Carter, and Ronald Reagan.

READ MORE: How Many Presidents Are There In The U.S: Statistics and Facts

4. Dixon's Famous Chili - Independence, Missouri

When this establishment first opened in 1919, it was simply known as Dixon's Chili. But after President Harry S. Truman was seen eating a large plate of chili here in 1950, customers swarmed to the restaurant, which changed its name to Dixon's Famous Chili. Truman, who hailed from Independence, Missouri, had been a regular at Dixon's since the 1920s. Today, the chili is presented in the same way: on a plate, with beans first, then homemade, specifically seasoned chili meat.

5. Union Oyster House, Boston, MA

Boston's Union Oyster House has been serving meals since 1826, making it America's oldest restaurant in continuous business. It was a favorite haunt of John F. Kennedy, who dined here frequently while a senator. His favorite order was lobster stew, and he liked booth 18, which now has a plaque in his honor. Presidents Calvin Coolidge, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama have all eaten here throughout the years.

6. The Firehouse in Sacramento, California

Ronald Reagan liked this fancy restaurant in Sacramento, which got its name from a fire station that used to be there. He was governor of California at the time. Reagan ate here before his inauguration in 1967 and stuffed himself with caviar, Chateaubriand, and Crêpes Suzette. Over the years, Frank Sinatra, Cary Grant, Muhammad Ali, Andy Warhol, and Michael Jordan have all been diners of note. Besides the food, the restaurant is known for its classy atmosphere and great service.

7. Mi Tierra, San Antonio, TX

Mi Tierra began as a three-table café in downtown San Antonio in 1941 and has since grown into a sprawling - and well-known - Tex-Mex restaurant popular with both locals and tourists. Former President Bill Clinton is a frequent visitor who is so fond of the place that he was once photographed jogging in a Mi Tierra T-shirt.

8. Cooper's Old Time Pit Barbecue, Llano, Texas

They have five locations in Texas, but George W. Bush likes the original LLano location the most. He first got to enjoy its pleasures when he was Governor of Texas. Later, when he was president, he asked the restaurant to bring a picnic to his ranch. People know it for the Big Chop, a pork chop that is two inches thick. But it also serves brisket, ribs, chicken, and other foods that are grilled over mesquite flames in a cowboy-style pit barbecue.

9. The Sink in Boulder, Colorado

The Sink has been a Boulder institution since 1923, and they promise to have the best burgers and pizza in the city. It is also famous for the graffiti, art, and signatures that are all over the walls and ceiling. Many of them are signed by famous people. Obama added his name in 2012, when he stopped by by accident while at the University of Colorado for a function. Pepperoni, sausage, black olives, green peppers, and red onions were on the Sinkza pizza that he chose. It's now known as the POTUS Pie.

10. Charcoal Pit, Wilmington, Delaware

While his predecessor, Donald Trump, like his burgers from worldwide corporations, Joe Biden prefers more independent restaurants. This easygoing 1950s diner is a favorite of President Biden, who is from Wilmington and originally visited as a youngster; his go-to order is the cheeseburger, served with a thick milkshake. "Everyone knows Joe..." Lupe Avilez, the manager, told Food & Wine magazine, "He's come here so many times. He's such a lover of the place that he persuaded President Obama to visit in 2014, while Biden was vice president.

11. The Red Hen, Washington, DC

When President Biden and First Lady Jill visited The Red Hen restaurant in early 2023, they both ordered the trademark rigatoni pasta, which caused quite a fuss. The Washington Post reported that the couple had chosen the same tomato and fennel sausage ragu, sparking a social media frenzy, with commenters hotly debating whether it is OK to choose the same meal as your partner. While that is still debatable, there is no denying the pasta dish's popularity; Red Hen chef and owner Michael Friedman believes that the restaurant sells 50-70 orders of it per night.

The Restaurants That Gained Popularity After Visiting by US Presidents

1. Stamey's Barbecue, Greensboro

Jamie Davis, a server at Thomas Street Tavern, served President Clinton in 2008.

Stamey's in Greensboro hosted President George W. Bush in 2006 and Donald Trump in 2016.

Bush's order included sweet tea, water, barbecue, slaw, hushpuppies, and peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream, according to Greensboro's News & Record.

Trump's order: A chopped pork barbecue platter with slaw, hushpuppies, french fries, and sweet tea. According to the News & Record, he requested cherry cobbler and ice cream for dessert.

2. Troutman's Bar-B-Q in Concord

Hillary Clinton chatted with approximately 300 fans in Troutman's parking lot before heading inside to pick up her to-go order. According to the Charlotte Observer, Clinton's visit to Concord is the first by a Democratic presidential contender since Jimmy Carter. Carter visited Concord in 1976 and flipped pancakes at the Cabarrus County Boys Club.

Clinton ordered a takeout box with barbecue, hushpuppies, slaw, spicy and mild sauce, and three bottles of water before traveling to Charlotte.

3. Lexington BBQ in Lexington

Ronald Reagan first ate Wayne Monk's barbecue at the 1983 G-7 Summit in Williamsburg, Virginia. Twenty years later, Bill Clinton visited Hillary twice during her 2008 presidential campaign.

The order: The menu only lists barbecue, slaw, and hushpuppies, but no specifications. "He ate good," Monk told WFAE of Clinton. "He loved the peach cobbler more than anything else."

Lexington-based Democratic Senate candidate Cal Cunningham tweeted a photo of himself in front of a gas grill with hot dog buns, sparking a barbecue controversy. "There's nothing better than BBQ—except for winning this Senate seat, of course." His hometown is Lexington. The issue faded after an affair was revealed a few days later.

Summary

Ultimately, we revealed the list of 11 establishments that have obtained official authorization from the president. Every restaurant included in this compilation, ranging from venerable taverns to obscure treasures that have attained devoted followings, has been patronized by presidents at some juncture in their past.

Whether discussing George Washington's preferred watering hole, Abraham Lincoln's choice for impeccable potato gratin, Joe Biden's favored burger joint, or one of the select few non-affiliated restaurants frequented by Donald Trump,

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