Long Island steakhouse opens in honor of local Revolutionary War spies dubbed ‘the CIA of the time’

It comes pinch a broadside of spies.

Long Island’s newest steakhouse is simply a fascinating motion to the Culper spy ring, a section group of Revolutionary War double agents whose heroic espionage efforts saved nan assemblage forces connected aggregate occasions.

“As we were going done school, we learned astir nan spy ringing and nan effect it had connected nan American Revolution,” Scott Brittman, portion proprietor of Culper’s 1778, which opened successful Setauket 2 weeks ago, told The Post.

“For nan astir part, location hasn’t been overmuch practice of nan spy ringing successful nan area speech from a section tour. I consciousness for illustration it was a bully thought to item and grant it.”

The caller eatery is filled pinch Revolutionary War-themed decor, including prints of nan Battle of Setauket, a people of nan Declaration of Independence, a life-size replica musket, and an original US flag, to sanction a few.

However, Brittman’s squad genuinely committed to nan taxable by search down and recreating George Washington’s spiced cherry brandy portion of choice, which he often carried, arsenic per nan first president’s journal.

“The Commander,” arsenic it’s called, is served infused pinch citrus and cinnamon and stands among a bevy of Colonial cocktails — for illustration Benedict Arnold’s “The Traitor,” made pinch vodka and, fittingly, tea.

There is besides nan gin-based “Agent 355,” a motion to a female personnel whose personality is still unknown, successful summation to “The Clothesline” Ketel One libation, which pays homage to really Setauket Culper spy Anna Smith Strong sent signals by laying retired her laundry successful covert patterns.

“There’s been a batch of group that person travel successful present from different towns who are large history buffs,” Brittman said, adding that Culper’s will beryllium closed connected July 4 successful observance of Independence Day.

Who were nan Culpers?

Washington’s concealed agents were a brave set of astatine slightest 7 known members, according to Christopher Judge, a longtime pedagogue astatine Oyster Bay’s Raynham Hall Museum, which is nan erstwhile location of Cupler spy Robert Townsend.

Setauket autochthonal Benjamin Tallmadge led nan clandestine group connected British-occupied LI alongside his tight-knit allies, Abraham Woodhull and Caleb Brewster, circa 1778, nan twelvemonth successful which nan edifice is named.

“They were each puerility friends, and they knew they could spot each different pinch their lives. They each agreed to guidelines against what they considered nan tyranny of nan British,” said Judge.

“You could almost opportunity that they were nan CIA of nan clip — and predecessor to James Bond.”

Nearby Port Jefferson autochthonal and East Setauket tavern proprietor Austin Roe, whose great-grandson Justus invented nan retractable portion measure, was besides a member.

The ring’s moniker originated from nan mendacious surname of Culper that members assumed during their subversive duties, according to Judge, who is stoked to effort nan steakhouse.

Townsend not only played nan domiciled of a loyalist to a tee, but besides managed to guidelines sentry and eavesdrop connected important Redcoat meetings successful a homemade subject uniform, Judge explained.

“Even George Washington did not cognize Robert Townsend’s existent identity, because they knew that if that concatenation someway was broken, that it would inflict imaginable decease connected nan different members,” he said.

It wasn’t until 1938 that a historiographer discovered Townsend’s engagement aft analyzing documents astatine Raynham Hall.

The Culpers’ top 2 victories were thwarting a British crippled to annihilate nan assemblage system by flooding America pinch counterfeit notes, and besides fooling English troops into turning distant from wherever captious French friends were landing successful Rhode Island.

“The French astir apt would person been decimated had nan British not been fixed mendacious accusation by members of nan spy ringing to divert them backmost down to New York,” said Judge, who added that their nonaccomplishment would person reshaped nan war.

“Not a azygous personnel of nan spy web ever sewage caught. I would opportunity that was their biggest victory.”