{{Short description|Restaurant in Boston}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}} {{Infobox restaurant | name = | image = Durgin Park 2009.jpg | image_caption = Faneuil Hall entrance in 2009 | logo = Durgin-Park.png | established = {{start date|1874|7|4}} | closed = {{end date|2019|1|12}} | previous_owner = {{ubl |Ark Restaurants (2007–2019) |Kelley family (1972–2007) |James Hallett (1945–1977) |Chandler family (1874–1944){{efn|Founder John G. Chandler reportedly had a gap in ownership 1924–1930.<ref name=JGCobit/> Ownership during that period is unclear. Ownership by the Chandler family ended with the death of Chandler's grandson in 1944.<ref name=BLC/> Interim ownership until the 1945 purchase by Hallett is unclear.}} }} | head_chef = <!--Roberto Reyes--> | food_type = Seafood & roast prime rib | rating = ★★★ (Frommer's) | street_address = 340 North Market Street | city = Boston | state = Massachusetts | zip = 02109 | country = United States | coordinates = {{coord|42.3605|-71.0551|scale:5000|display=inline,title}} | seating_capacity = 250 at mostly communal tables | other_locations = Logan International Airport (2013–between 2019 and 2022) }} '''Durgin-Park''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|d|ɜːr|ɡ|ɪ|n|ˌ|p|ɑː|r|k}} {{Respell|DUR|ghin|park}}) was a restaurant at 340 Faneuil Hall Marketplace in Downtown Boston that was a popular tourist destination within Quincy Market. The restaurant had entrances on both facades (Faneuil Hall and Clinton Street).
The restaurant closed permanently in January 2019. A satellite location at Boston's Logan International Airport remained open but closed before June 2022.
==History== ===1874–1944=== Per a summary compiled by the Boston Landmarks Commission (BLC), the restaurant was established on July 4, 1874.<ref name=BLC>{{cite book |title=North Market Building: Boston Landmarks Commission Study Report |publisher=Boston Landmarks Commission |date=December 15, 2023 |page=28 |url=https://www.boston.gov/sites/default/files/file/2023/12/179%20North%20Market%20SR%20DRAFT.pdf |via=Boston.gov |accessdate=August 11, 2025}}</ref> It was founded by John Girard Chandler (1846–1939) in cooperation with two of his brothers-in-law, John E. Durgin (1839–1892) and Elbridge Glidden Park (1839–1906).<ref name=BLC/> The restaurant was managed by Chandler, who added his son, Ernest L. Chandler (1874–1961), to the partnership after the death of Park.<ref name=BLC/> The elder Chandler acquired the restaurant's buildings on North Market Street in 1916.<ref name=BLC/> Originally known as Durgin, Park & Company, it became Durgin-Park by 1940.<ref name=BLC/> The Chandler family retained ownership through 1944, when John Girard Chandler II (a grandson of the founder) died unexpectedly.<ref name=BLC/> A contemporary newspaper report noted that he died at age 37 in a ship accident.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe-j-g-chandler-2d-durg/178707848/ |title=J. G. Chandler 2d: Durgin-Park Owner Dies in Ship Accident |newspaper=The Boston Globe |page=13 |date=June 28, 1944 |accessdate=August 11, 2025 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref>
The BLC's account of an 1874 founding date is corroborated by other sources, including an advertisement that appeared in a 1919 edition of ''The Harvard Lampoon''.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=A6XOAAAAMAAJ&dq=durgin,+park+and+company&pg=PA4 |magazine=The Harvard Lampoon |title=Durgin, Park & Company |date=February 7, 1919 |volume=77 |number=1 |page=4 |via=Google Books }}</ref> and the 1939 obituary of the elder Chandler.<ref name=JGCobit>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe-john-g-chandler/178639011/ |title=John G. Chandler, 92, Durgin-Park Head, Dead |newspaper=The Boston Globe |page=12 |date=March 24, 1939 |accessdate=August 10, 2025 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref> Chandler's obituary noted a gap in his ownership; having sold his interest in 1924 to an unspecified party, he continued as manager, then reacquired ownership in 1930.<ref name=JGCobit/>
Alternate sources, from decades later, suggest a longer history, such as by giving 1827 as the year of establishment.<ref name=forbes>{{cite web |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/julietremaine/2019/01/10/after-192-years-bostons-iconic-durgin-park-restaurant-serves-its-last-meal/ |title=After 192 Years, Boston's Iconic Durgin-Park Restaurant Serves Its Last Meal |first=Julie |last=Tremaine |website=Forbes |date=January 10, 2019 |accessdate=August 10, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bostonusa.com/visitor/resdet.php?&type=org&seqnum=919|title=Durgin Park Restaurant|publisher=Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau|url-status=|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060830040430/http://www.bostonusa.com/visitor/resdet.php?&type=org&seqnum=919|archivedate=August 30, 2006}}</ref> Such chronologies contain anachronisms, such as by stating that the restaurant was "purchased by John Durgin, Eldridge Park and John G. Chandler in 1827"<ref name=forbes/> (none of them had been born yet) or that the restaurant was "bought in 1840 by John Durgin, Eldridge Park and John G. Chandler."<ref name="NYT">{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/02/05/travel/fare-of-the-country-in-search-of-real-boston-baked-beans.html |title=Fare of the Country; In Search of Real Boston Baked Beans |first=Lisa |last=Hammel |date=February 5, 1984 |work=The New York Times}}</ref> Durgin and Park would have been infants and Chandler had not yet been born.
Newspaper advertisements for Durgin-Park, and menus used in the restaurant, simply stated that it was "Established before you were born."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-berkshire-eagle-notes-and-footnotes/178639580/ |title=Notes and Footnotes |first=Richard V. |last=Happel |newspaper=The Berkshire Eagle |location=Pittsfield, Massachusetts |page=20 |date=June 9, 1977 |accessdate=August 10, 2025 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe-durgin-park-advertisem/178639978/ |title=Durgin-Park (advertisement) |newspaper=The Boston Globe |page=1 |date=November 13, 1947 |accessdate=August 10, 2025 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref>
===1945–2019=== In 1945, the restaurant was sold to James Hallett, who ran the operation until 1977, enhancing the restaurant's national reputation.<ref name="Globe">{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe-james-hallett-86-rest/178710407/ |title=James Hallett, 86; restaurateur made Durgin Park local landmark |newspaper=The Boston Globe |page=23 |date=August 3, 1993 |accessdate=August 11, 2025 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref> The BLC's account notes that the restaurant's real estate was owned by Chandler heirs until 1960.<ref name=BLC/>
The restaurant was purchased by the Kelley family in 1972,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://cpaulluongo.blogspot.com/2008/06/americas-oldest-restaurant.html |title=America's Oldest Restaurant |first=C. Paul |last=Luongo |date=June 10, 2008 |work=From C. Paul Luongo, the Mayor of Copley Square}}</ref> and sold by them to Ark Restaurants in January 2007.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://biz.yahoo.com/e/080513/arkr10-q.html |title=Quarterly Report |date=May 13, 2008 |work=Form 10-Q for Ark Restaurants Corp. |author=Yahoo! Finance |author-link=Yahoo! Finance }}</ref>
For a time, Durgin-Park had an additional location at Copley Place in Boston. The original Durgin-Park, as well as the one in Copley Place, was included in an "old Boston" dining review by Alexander Theroux of ''The New York Times'' in 1985.<ref name="Theroux"/>
In late summer 2010, Durgin-Park opened a beer garden in their basement bar, "The Hideout".
In December 2017, an episode of the Travel Channel's ''Man v. Food''—season 6 episode 2—hosted by Casey Webb, included a segment at Durgin-Park.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://cravingboston.wgbh.org/article/20170817/its-about-time-man-v-food-picked-fight-durgin-cut |title=It's About Time Man V. Food Picked A Fight With The Durgin Cut |first=Elizabeth |last=Motta |website=WGBH-TV |date=August 21, 2017 |accessdate=January 4, 2019}}</ref>
On January 3, 2019, the CEO of Ark Restaurants announced that Durgin-Park would close on January 12<ref name="Closing">{{cite news |last1=Choe |first1=Jonathan |title=Historic Boston Restaurant to Serve Last Customer |url=https://www.necn.com/news/new-england/Historic-Boston-Restaurant-Durgin-Park-Faneuil-Hall-to-Serve-Last-Customer-503868021.html |accessdate=4 January 2019 |website=NECN |date=January 3, 2019}}</ref> due to the restaurant needing to be more profitable.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.boston.com/food/restaurants/2019/01/03/faneuil-halls-oldest-restaurant-to-close-its-doors-for-good/ |title=Faneuil Hall's oldest restaurant to close its doors for good |first=Megan |last=O'Brien |website=Boston.com |date=January 3, 2018 |access-date=January 4, 2018}}</ref> The restaurant did permanently close on that date.<ref name=fox25closed>{{cite news |url=https://www.boston25news.com/news/iconic-boston-restaurant-durgin-park-closes-doors-in-faneuil-hall/903515108 |title=Iconic Boston restaurant Durgin-Park closes doors in Faneuil Hall |first=Julie |last=Leonardi |website=WFXT |date=January 12, 2019 |accessdate=February 15, 2019}}</ref> In February 2019, an internet auction was initiated to sell over 200 items from the restaurant.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.boston.com/food/restaurants/2019/02/12/durgin-park-auction/ |title=Still mourning the loss of Durgin-Park? Here's how you can own part of its history. |first=Erin |last=Kuschner |website=Boston.com |date=February 12, 2019 |access-date=February 15, 2019}}</ref>
===Logan Airport location=== In January 2013, it was announced that Ark Restaurants had licensed a sub-location at Logan International Airport at which Durgin-Park would be offering soups and sandwiches; located in Terminal E, it opened in March 2013.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://boston.eater.com/2013/3/21/6463383/one-of-bostons-oldest-restaurants-now-at-the-airport |title=One of Boston's Oldest Restaurants Now at The Airport |first=Aaron |last=Kagan |date=March 21, 2013 |accessdate=January 4, 2019}}</ref> The airport restaurant survived the closure of the Faneuil Hall location, but was no longer listed on the Massport website as of June 2022.<ref name=OIB>{{cite tweet |user=OnlyInBOS |number=1098673713275330560 |title=Durgin-Park is still open...at Logan Aiport. |date=February 21, 2019 |accessdate=March 3, 2019}}{{Dead link|date=May 2023}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{cite web |url=http://www.massport.com/logan-airport/dining-shopping/restaurants/ |title=Restaurants |website=Massport |accessdate=June 27, 2022}}</ref>
==Ambiance== In keeping with its long history, the concept of Durgin-Park maintained the tradition of communal seating at long tables. The menu was designed to offer traditional New England–style fare with a concentration on seafoods, chowders, broiled meats and boiled dinners.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.durgin-park.com/web/Menu/tabid/54/Default.aspx |title=Durgin-Park Menu |publisher=Durgin-Park.com |date=2008}}</ref> The service was also a partial hold-over from the time of its founding, as the waitstaff were encouraged to adopt a "surly" attitude and "backtalk" the clientele.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.frommers.com/destinations/boston/D39721.html |title=Durgin-Park ★★★: Frommer's Review |date=2000–2009 |publisher=Frommer's}}</ref>{{dubious|date=August 2025}} Another sign of its heritage was that it only changed head chefs a handful of times in its history.<ref name="Theroux">{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1985/12/08/travel/dining-out-in-old-boston.html |title=Dining Out in Old Boston |first=Alexander |last=Theroux |date=December 8, 1985 |work=The New York Times}}</ref>
==Honors and awards== * 1998: James Beard Foundation Award for America's Regional Classics<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/travel/2012/03/04/james-beard-foundation-america-classics-boston-durgin-park-and-charlie-sandwich-shoppe/Z0p0QqkcCQrJCBIJEaH7fO/story.html?p1=Article_Facet_Related_Article |title=Why classics count in New England |first1=Patricia |last1=Harris |first2=David |last2=Lyon |website=The Boston Globe |url-access=limited |date=March 4, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.durginparkrestaurant.com/about/history/ |title=Our History |website=durginparkrestaurant.com |accessdate=January 4, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190104175624/http://www.durginparkrestaurant.com/about/history/ |archive-date=January 4, 2019 |url-status=usurped }}</ref>
==Gallery== <gallery mode="packed" heights="140px"> File:Durgin_Park_1956.jpg|Durgin-Park in 1956 File:Durgin_Park_North_Market_Stree_c1960.jpg|Durgin-Park on North Market Street, c.1960 File:Faneuil Hall.JPG|Clinton Street entrance in 2008 </gallery>
==See also== * Union Oyster House
==Notes== {{notelist}}
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
==Further reading== * {{cite news |url=https://www.boston.com/food/restaurants/2019/01/04/durgin-park-a-faneuil-hall-stalwart-closes-after-almost-200-years/ |title='We have an old restaurant that has a menu geared to people who want to reminisce about the old days' |first=Erin |last=Kuschner |website=Boston.com |date=January 4, 2019 |access-date=January 4, 2019}} * {{cite news |url=https://www.boston.com/food/restaurants/2019/01/11/durgin-park-and-the-end-of-a-family-tradition/ |title=Love, loss, and prime rib: Durgin-Park, and the end of a family tradition |first=Julie |last=Tremaine |website=Boston.com |date=January 11, 2019 |access-date=January 11, 2019}}
==External links== * [https://roadfood.com/restaurants/durgin-park/ Durgin-Park - Boston, MA] at Roadfood.com
{{Restaurants in Boston}}
Category:Defunct restaurants in Boston Category:Defunct America's Classics winners Category:Restaurants established in 1874 Category:Restaurants disestablished in 2019 Category:1874 establishments in Massachusetts Category:2019 disestablishments in Massachusetts