Louis' Lunch

261-263 Crown Street

It is not uncommon to see a long line of customers spilling out of the entrance to Louis’ Lunch on Crown Street.  The restaurant, which has been credited with the invention of the hamburger, currently occupies a small red brick Tudor-style building in downtown New Haven.  With parking lots on either side of and behind the building, Louis’ Lunch proudly stands on its own.  The front door is made of wood painted a deep red color, and latticed windows complimented by red wooden shutters on either side of the door allow curious passerby to peek in on the action inside.  The building is hard to miss, with “Louis’ Lunch” and “Est. 1895” painted in white capital letters on the side of the building facing the street.  Those who choose to venture inside will find that the burgers are served on toast instead of buns and common condiments like ketchup and mustard are forbidden.  A visit to Louis’ is like taking a trip back in time, giving all those who stop by a chance to take a bite of New Haven history.

Researcher

Chase Leisenring

Date Researched

Entry Created

February 25, 2018 at 10:23 PM EST

Last Updated

February 26, 2018 at 10:45 PM EST by null

Historic Name

Style

Other

Current Use

CommercialRestaurant

Era

1638-18601860-1910

Neighborhood

OtherOther

Tours

Year Built

circa 1850

Architect

Current Tenant

Louis' Lunch

Roof Types

FlatShed

Structural Conditions

Very Good

Street Visibilities

Yes

Threats

None known

External Conditions

Very Good

Dimensions

approximately 26’ x 36’ with floor area of 704 sq ft

Street Visibilities

Yes

Owner

Jeffrey W. Lassen 1988 Trust

Ownernishp Type

Client

Historic Uses

ManufacturingIndustrial

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A front view of Louis� Lunch restaurant at its current location on Crown Street. Credit: Chase Leisenring
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This diagonal view of the building features customers milling about outside Louis�. Also visible are the parking lots on the right side of the building and behind the building. Credit: Dan Century, https://www.flickr.com/photos/dancentury/6824753758
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This picture taken of the front of Louis� from across the street shows that the building stands on its own between two parking lots. The building is set back from the sidewalk, further contributing to the building�s physical separation from the rest of the buildings on the street. Credit: Chase Leisenring
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In this close-up of the building�s front door we can see the plaque (blue oval) that was put there in 1967 when the New Haven Preservation Trust named Louis� Lunch a monument. Also visible on the door are the numbers of the building�s address and a list of hours of operation. Credit: Chase Leisenring
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Customers waiting in line inside Louis� to order their food- around lunchtime the building tends to fill up, especially on the weekends! To the right of the man taking orders we can see another one of the employees preparing the toast for the burgers. Credit: Chase Leisenring
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This interior view of Louis� showcases the dark wooden chairs built into the wall. In this picture, the different types of bricks used to build the wall are visible, creating an eclectic pattern. Credit: Chase Leisenring
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One of the signs visible inside the building, alluding to Louis� no-nonsense approach to serving burgers. Credit: Chase Leisenring
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A sketch of Louis� in the building�s original location, when it was attached to the George street tannery at the corner of George and Temple streets. Credit: New Haven INFO, May 1986
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A blueprint of the building that Louis� currently occupies. The square footage of the first floor area is 704 feet. Credit: City of New Haven Online Assessment Database, http://gis.vgsi.com/newhavenct/
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This 1886 Sanborn map shows the original split dwelling that existed at 261-263 Crown Street (circled in red). Credit: Sanborn Map Co., 1886
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This 1973 Sanborn map shows the empty lot at Crown Street, with the previous dwelling no longer there (circled in red). In 1975, Louis� Lunch would be moved to this spot. Credit: Sanborn Map Co., 1973

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