A History of Eggs Benedict: Best Breakfast in South Kingstown

There are certain dishes that we enjoy all the time without ever knowing anything about their history. One such dish, a popular item on our brunch and breakfast menu in Rhode Island, is Eggs Benedict. The history of Eggs Benedict is very interesting and remains somewhat of a mystery. A few popular restaurants claim to have invented it, but no one knows for sure. If you are looking for the best breakfast in South Kingstown, make sure to stop by and enjoy some Eggs Benedict, fluffy pancakes, or savory breakfast burritos at Rachel’s Café. We proudly serve breakfast, brunch, and lunch at our Greater South Kingstown café seven days a week.

Was It Delmonico’s or the Waldorf Hotel?

Two of the most popular stories about the history of Eggs Benedict trace back to the well-known Delmonico’s in Lower Manhattan. Legend says that a chef came up with the unique combination of toasted English muffin, perfectly poached egg, ham, and Hollandaise sauce in the 1860s. A regular diner, a Mrs. LeGrand Benedict, asked the chef to make something new. They say he came up with this brunch recipe and called it Eggs a la Benedict, eventually publishing it in his own cookbook in 1894. However, there are other tales that are similar to this one that attributes the origins of Eggs Benedict to another famous location in Manhattan.

The world renowned Waldorf Hotel lays claim to the creation of Eggs Benedict, as well. The stories claim that a man walked into the hotel late at night in 1894, after an evening of drinking and ordered many of the components of classic Eggs Benedict and, as the order was put together on the plate, the maître d’, a man named Oscar Tschirsky, was impressed with how it looked and placed it on the menu. This legend of the history of Eggs Benedict says that the diner, whose name was Lemuel Benedict, ordered his meal with bacon and toast, but the maître d’ changed it to Canadian bacon and an English muffin. Tschirsky is known for another famous and beloved dish, the Waldorf salad.

Does It Really Matter Who Invented It?

In the end, if you enjoy Eggs Benedict every now and again on our breakfast menu in Rhode Island, it doesn’t really matter who created this delicious taste combination. At Rachel’s Café, we are known for our unique twists and local taste influences that we use to create new takes on this classic dish. If you come to our café for the best breakfast in South Kingstown, you will find several options to satisfy your craving for Eggs Benedict.

• Portuguese Benedict – Made with fresh chourico hash on a Portuguese bolo (bread) with two poached eggs covered in a tasty Mozambique Hollandaise sauce.
• Classic Eggs Benedict – Made with two poached eggs, ham, and traditional Hollandaise sauce served on a toasted English muffin.
• Gansett Benedict – Made with two poached eggs, bacon, spinach, Swiss cheese, avocado, and Hollandaise sauce served on a toasted English muffin.
• Corned Beef Benedict – Made with our very own house-made corned beef hash, spinach, two poached eggs, and Hollandaise sauce served on two toasted English muffins.

All of our Eggs Benedict dishes are served with a side of our famous home fries, and you can add to the meal with one of our tasty sides. Choose from bacon, sausage links, beef hash, linguica, baked ham, or a freshly baked corn cake. We also have assorted muffins, multi-grain toast, sourdough toast, white toast, wheat toast, and raisin toast. Go healthy with a seasonal fruit bowl and gluten-free toast, or go all out by adding on some pancakes. We have a wide range of entrees and sides on our breakfast menu in Rhode Island. Stop by Rachel’s Greater South Kingstown café and enjoy some of our delicious, authentic food taste combinations. Located on South County Commons Way in South Kingstown, we are open from seven in the morning, seven days a week, and close at 3 pm Monday through Saturday and at 2 pm on Sunday. You can reach our team by calling 401-783-7888 to get directions or to place an order for pick-up.