Main content starts here, tab to start navigating

Our Story

At The Palm, our philosophy is simple: treat guests like family, serve great food and always exceed expectations.

That philosophy was born in 1926, when Pio Bozzi and John Ganzi opened the first Palm in New York City. From day one, Pio and John shared their commitment to quality and a generosity of spirit with every guest who walked through their doors. 

What began as a restaurant became a second home to a vibrant cast of artists and writers, tycoons and civic leaders, screen stars and working families. 

Time-honored. Welcoming. Unforgettable.

And so it continues today…a place to not only enjoy a spectacular meal but also catch up with old friends, meet new ones, close business deals and celebrate family milestones.

The Palm continues to serve as a place where you can take a moment, connect through real conversations and enjoy an exceptional meal with the important people in your life.

The Palm is a dining tradition that has been handed down for generations. It’s the family you want to visit again and again.

Four generations. Countless stories.

’20s & ’30s

Pio Bozzi and John Ganzi arrive in New York from Parma, Italy and open a restaurant in 1926 in the heart of a bustling Italian neighborhood on Second Avenue. “Parma” is mistakenly registered as “Palm” due to their thick Italian accents. The Palm quickly becomes a hub for local journalists and artists and takes off as a steakhouse after a customer requests a steak and Ganzi runs up Second Avenue to a butcher shop to get one, cooking it to order. Pio Bozzi and John Ganzi never look back.

’40s & ’50s

The next generation of family owners – Walter Ganzi and Bruno Bozzi – take over restaurant operations and add a two-pound lobster to the menu, launching the popular Surf ‘n’ Turf combination for which they are known. Throughout the war years, The Palm keeps a loyal base of customers by serving prime beef despite the short supply, and welcomes the 1950s with generous martinis and their first-ever printed menu!

’60s & ’70s

The Palm’s third-generation owners  – Bruce Bozzi Sr. and Wally Ganzi Jr. – respond to cultural shifts by relaxing the dress code and the atmosphere, attracting a young and stylish clientele alongside their long-time regulars. The partners also introduce a tender, four-pound whole lobster and open new locations in Washington DC. (at the request of then UN Ambassador, George Bush Sr.), West Hollywood, Houston and a second New York address on Second Avenue.

’80s & ’90s

The Palm enters into a new decade by introducing a restaurant in the Huntting Inn in East Hampton, New York and another in Chicago. Over the next twenty years, ten new restaurants follow in major U.S. cities, plus The Palm’s first international location – The Palm Mexico City. As a special nod to its loyal base of regular guests, The Palm introduces the 837 Club.

2000 – Present

The Palm continues to thoughtfully expand the family of restaurants, opening eight new locations and remodeling almost as many, from NYC’s Tribeca through Boston, Atlanta, and westward to Chicago, Las Vegas, and Beverly Hills. Each step forward has honored the traditions on which Pio and John built their first New York restaurant in 1926: treat guests like family, serve great food, and always exceed expectations.

Join us at The Palm today.

Find a Location