LONG ISLAND, NY – During the Holiday Season, it is a long time tradition that Long Islanders step back in time and experience one of Long Island’s hidden treasures at the Milleridge Inn in Jericho, New York.
Loyal patrons enjoy a truly unique ambiance of old world charm that is celebrated 364 days of the year at the Milleridge. The Murphy Family has been providing memorable celebrations to generations of Long Islanders for five decades.
The Milleridge Inn features classic American cuisine and specialty menu items offered seasonally. They are open daily for Lunch and Dinner and serve an outstanding Sunday Brunch. Additionally, the Inn is home to ten Private Dining rooms which are a perfect setting for business dinners, family gatherings, birthdays, milestone anniversaries, or special events.
On the Menu at Milleridge Inn
I had the opportunity of interviewing the Owner, Mr. Owen Smith, about the history, village and dining experience of the four hundred year old landmark.
Cognac with Owen Smith
Welcome back darlings, I am Cognac Wellerlane and I am here at one of the oldest landmarks on Long Island…four hundred years old…this historic site…The Milleridge Inn. I am here with the owner, Mr. Owen Smith, and he is going to talk about this historical place and the history and why he decided to take ownership of the Milleridge Inn. Welcome to the show. Thanks for having me interview you. It is a thrill for me to be here and to talk to you about this fabulous place.
Owen Smith: Thank you very much for joining us, I look forward to telling you about the history. This building was built in 1672 from Mr. Robert Williams and we have that date because that is on his wedding license. He built this for his new bride. He had come down here from New England because Quakers were not welcomed in New England so he came here. It became a restaurant in 1932 when the Maine Maid moved here from Sea Cliff. It was the Maine Maid from 1932 to the 1950’s and Mr. Clyde Miller bought it in 1950 and made it the Milleridge Inn, and we bought it from him in 1963.
Why did you buy this place? What fascinated you about the Milleridge Inn that you decided to take ownership here?
Owen: Well my mother had been in the restaurant business since she came to America in 1932 and she came from Newfoundland. She had been in the restaurant business all her life and we lived in Oyster Bay. She had the Larraine Murphy Restaurant in Oyster Bay.
Oh really, I use to go to that restaurant with my parents all the time.
Owen: Her maiden name was Larraine Murphy.
Interesting.
Owen: It was logical to buy this when it came on the market.
You have really built it up to be the way it is today.
Owen: Yes we built the village and the cottage and the restaurant is very popular.
It certainly is here on Long Island. It is one of the highlights of the Holiday Season for the people to come and shop in the village and to have dinner at the restaurant. I see that you have very special bread here.
Owen: Yes we have been serving this bread since 1965. We make it here, of course; all our baked goods are baked here at the Milleridge and we also have the popovers. We are very famous for our popovers. We started popovers in the 30’s in Brooklyn. I was thirteen years old when my mother said “Now what do you want to do for the summer? You can look after your cousins, ‘No boy wants to do that’ or you can make popovers.” So I started making popovers when I was thirteen years old.
Dinner at the Milleridge Inn
So you still make the popovers. Is that like your most favorite thing here at the restaurant?
Owen: I think so. Certainly our customers think so. I think if we stop making popovers, we would have to call out the police.
So tell my audience a little more about the village…the different shops that everyone can shop at.
Owen: We started the village in 1966-1968. We built all those shops. We have them all listed here on the menu. We have the Toy Store, The Bread and Jam Shop which is where all the baking is done, the Confectionary Shop (we call it the Cafe now), the Luncheonette, the General Store, The Cranberry Cottage, The Christmas Shop and the Larraine Shop. My mother’s maiden name was Larraine Murphy. Larraine’s is mostly Irish merchandise now.
Cognac at the Milleridge Inn
The Shops at Milleridge feature traditional shops echoing Long island’s beginnings including a full service bakery, florist, toy & gift shops.
Customers and patrons love to wander through their quaint village of specialty shops and enjoy purchasing their unique items that are available in each store.
Mr. Smith will be retiring at the end of the year and the Milleridge Inn has been sold to new owners, but he has promised me that the Inn will continue to flourish and entertain patrons 364 days out of the year. The Milleridge Inn closes on Christmas Day and has done so since Mr. Smith bought it in 1963.
For more information please visit Milleridge.com
