On the corner of Irving Place and East 18th Street in Manhattan’s Gramercy Park neighborhood, stands a timeless relic of New York City’s past: Pete’s Tavern.

With its tin ceiling, carved wood bar and red and white checkered tablecloths, Pete’s looks much the same today as it did more than 160 years ago and that’s part of its charm.  It has endured while the city whirled and changed around it.

The story of Pete’s Tavern begins in 1864 during the final years of the Civil War.   Originally opened as the Portman Hotel, the building had a bar on the ground floor that would soon become a favorite watering hole for locals.

By the 1880s it was renamed Healey’s Cafe, and it quietly started building the reputation it still carries: that of a warm, unpretentious tavern where conversation,  camaraderie and a good pint are always on tap.  

But Pete’s true legend took root in the early 20th century, during prohibition when the Volstead Act made selling alcohol illegal. Pete’s operated under the guise of a flower shop–quite literally the bar was hidden behind fake storefront walls and flowing bouquets.

The Tavern was officially renamed Pete’s Tavern in 1922 and by then it had already become a favorite haunt for writers, actors and artists.

Perhaps the most famous regular was O. Henry, the pen name of short story master William Sydney Porter. Legend has it that O. Henry wrote his classic tale “The Gift of the Magi”,  while sitting at his regular booth by the window.   That booth still there today, is known simply as “O. Henry’s corner”. 

As decades passed Pete’s Tavern witnessed generations of New Yorkers pass through its swinging doors– beatniks, Wall Streeters, jazz musicians and out-of-towners hoping to touch a bit of history.

What makes Pete’s endure perhaps is the way the tavern balances the old and the new.   The beer flows from century old taps, the lights glow warmly under a ceiling pressed in 19th century tin, and the bar still serves O.Henry Ale.  

So if you ever find yourself in Gramercy on a cool New York evening, stop by Pete’s Tavern.  Order a pint, take a seat at O. Henry’s booth and let the city’s history wash over you.

Because at Pete’s, every drink tells a story and every story begins with “So there I was, at Pete’s…”.