History of Restaurant

The saga of this family restaurant began in the 1940s when the Vincent Zerphey family built Vin-Mar (for Vincent and Mary) Restaurant with a dance floor in the basement and living quarters upstairs.   To obtain a liquor license, 10 hotel rooms were added upstairs and the family of seven moved to the basement.

In 1962, John and Georgia Touloumes purchased the establishment and added a dance floor on the main level to the Hillcrest Supper Club.  They also added more parking, separate entrance to the lobby and new dining room seating 150 banquet guests.  Specializing in seafood, they also served Chinese and Italian food as well as the American favorite, steak.

In 1992, the Smolinski family acquired Hillcrest Supper Club and changed it to L.C.Jordan’s, named after their three children.

David and Amy Longenecker bought L.C. Jordan’s in 1996. In 2005, they converted the banquet room to a Sports Center, with pool tables, darts, shuffleboard and video games.  They divided the dining room for a quieter non-smoking room and a larger Sports Zone.  Menu items included munchies, soups and “the best crab cakes from here to Baltimore.”

In 2007, Mike Cottle and Anthony Morgan, brothers-in-law, purchased the 63-year-old restaurant and changed the name to Black Gryphon, after a Welsh mythological creature and the Morgan family crest.  The restaurant features an American, Italian and Welsh menu.  A full compliment of wines, beers and spirits is available.  The owners are following the Welsh foundation of using the best in local produce for every season.