Unraveling the Origins of Clam Chowder at America’s Oldest Restaurant

Winter months in New England call for warming up with a steaming bowl of hearty New England clam chowder. Those unfamiliar with the seafood delicacy may wonder where it originated and why it became so popular.

According to the foodie website The Takeout, the Union Oyster House in Boston is the first restaurant to serve clam chowder, thereby asserting its place as the oldest continually operating restaurant in America. In 1836, 10 years after the restaurant opened, clam chowder reportedly appeared on the menu, and it's remained there ever since.

The origins of the seafood-based dish predate the Union Oyster House. According to The Takeout's research, its roots can be traced to Indigenous cultures of the region, who had eaten a soup similar to clam chowder hundreds of years before European colonists arrived to settle America.

Fur traders from France and England adopted the dish. The derivation of the word chowder is a bit unclear. Some say it comes from the French word "chaudière," meaning a large cauldron or pot, while others say it comes from the English slang "jowter," referring to a fishmonger.

The preferred composition and consistency of clam chowder — whether it's the thick, milk-based broth of New England clam chowder or the thinner, tomato-based broth of Manhattan clam chowder — is another item up for debate.

No matter where you stand on the subject of chowder, you can be certain that a bowl of clam chowder from the Union Oyster House will warm your winter-weary palate.