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History & Description of the Bistro Romano
The building housing Bistro Romano has a history all its own. Built in the early
1700's, the building was originally the residence of a wealthy shipping merchant.
Subsequently, it was a terminus on the underground railroad, then converted to a seed
warehouse in 1914, and since 1973, has been home to the restaurant. The open beam
ceilings, hearth-brick walls and soft lighting make Bistro Romano's bar and dining room a
warm, informal setting for a friendly conversation, romantic rendezvous or business talk.
 The bar in our upstairs lounge area has its own charm and is, quite
literally, ship-shape. The bar was originally a fixture aboard the luxury liner
City of
Detroit III - a side wheel passenger steamer that was built in 1912 in Wyandotte,
Michigan and operated by the Detroit and Cleveland Navigation Company. In its day
considered the finest inland passenger steamer afloat, it featured grand salons,
staterooms, and a Gothic Room finished in hand-carved oak. he flowing form and luminous,
jade green color of the bar capture the feel and endless expanse of the open ocean.
| Besides the bar, midway on the gently curving stairway to the dining
room, hangs a picture of a sea nymph The painting graced the Forward Salon of the ship. As
you sip your drink, you can almost hear the ship's orchestra playing elegant waltzes and
see the couples dancing. The ship was dismantled in 1957 ... but we're happy to say that
its remarkable bar and painting have survived, to grace Bistro Romano with its unusual
beauty. The unique wine cellar, located under the street and part of the former network
of underground tunnels in Society Hill, is the perfect place for that romantic rendezvous.
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