Joe Bastone owns one of the most historic restaurants in New York City. It’s called the Yankee Tavern.
I started going there in 1973 when George Steinbrenner use to tell me to go get pastrami sandwiches for him and his staff. In those days I loved going there because I would always hear the incredible stories of Babe Ruth and all the pastrami sandwiches he use to eat, followed by a couple of hotdogs and seltzer water.
I would hear about Joe Dimaggio come in with his then girlfriends. Mickey Mantle, Whitey Ford, and Billy Martin would come in and snack then Joe’s dad would pull out the scotch for Whitey.
When they were coaches Yogi Berra and Elston Howard would come in and kill time while the George Washington bridge traffic simmered down.
Today I love bringing in people of different age brackets so that they can meet Joe and hear his stories, then we kill the pastrami because it is absolutely the best in the city.
The thing I love the most about the Yankee Tavern is when the young kids are there and they get mesmerized by all the incredible pictures on the wall. The place has just been renovated but it has not lost any of its flavor in being one of the most historic bar restaurants in all of New York.
Don’t forget to ask for the owner Joe Bastone.
