History
It all began with a hankering for drink. In 1778, Edward McCrady built a four-story Georgian house on East Bay Street and opened McCrady’s Tavern. Unbeknownst to him, his eponymous watering hole was the origin of what would become part of this very restaurant over 200 years later.
Before and during the American Revolution, the tavern was a meeting spot frequented by many notable Charlestonians. The Rutledge brothers, the Pinckneys, Gadsdens, Horrys, rice plantation owner Charles Alston and other Lowcountry luminaries all congregated at the tavern to imbibe, socialize and discuss the country’s ever-evolving political climate.
After being imprisoned with these and other Revolutionary leaders in St. Augustine, McCrady returned to Charleston. Determined to secure the tavern’s place in Charleston’s high society, McCrady built Two Unity Alley, a brick structure of English bond construction, in 1788. The new building, named The Longroom, connected to his tavern via a second-story double-piazza. The Longroom became an instant favorite venue for many of the city’s festive celebrations, early musicals and theatrical performances. The most prestigious event held here was a grand dinner party thrown for President George Washington during his southern tour in 1791. Presently, McCrady’s Longroom follows tradition, hosting private receptions and dinners.
After Edward McCrady’s death in 1801, the property passed through many hands. However, the kitchen—now the main dining room of McCrady’s—always maintained an association with food, either as a tavern or coffee house, until the 1850’s. As times changed, so did premises, first becoming a warehouse and later housing a paper company. Eventually, The Longroom would stand only as an abandoned relic for several decades.
In 1982, the building was thankfully restored to its former glory, and McCrady’s is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places and Landmarks.