Where It All Began

In 1993 when Steve Silverstein returned home to Dartmouth to help his Dad operate the family’s esteemed nearly 100 year old Silverstein’s clothing store, he recognized there was a shortage of great restaurants with reasonable prices in the suburbs.

So, Steve despite never having worked in a restaurant a day in his life opened a restaurant. He did, however, have 4 generations of customer service in his blood and he knew that great hospitality was the foundation of every restaurant he loved. His idea was to create a unique neighborhood place, where people know your name, where the food and prices are great and where you feel special without dressing up.

In July 1994, the first Not Your Average Joe’s opened in its current Dartmouth, MA location.

Over the next 25 years, Steve built Not Your Average Joe’s to 27 restaurants in 6 states. While growing the company was fun and rewarding, Steve longed to get back to his roots. He missed being in the restaurant. He missed the employee interaction, the guest conversations, playing with the food and simply being a hands-on small local business guy. 

In March 2018, Steve retired from Not Your Average Joe’s and purchased back the original Joe’s.

Given the return of Dartmouth's Not Your Average Joe’s to its roots and his newfound independence, Steve decided to change the name to Joe’s Original.  

Steve feels that Joe’s Original, simply referred to as Joe’s, reflects his vision for his first restaurant and fits his vision for the future: owning and operating a small iconic restaurant in his hometown where the food is great, the vibe is cool, the culture is palpable and the commitment to the guest is unparalleled. 

In July of 2024, Joe's Original celebrates 30 years in business. And everyday, Steve continues his work to make Joe’s Original the restaurant he always imagined; an independent, owner-operated and comfortable place where hospitality and familiar faces create the magic.