In 1976 David Peters opened Saint John's first elegant dining room, combining excellent food with exquisite surroundings. The Iron Duke on Leinster Street was the forerunner of today's heritage inns.

The restaurant, built in 1878 as a home for Andrew J. Armstrong, offered both the charm and beauty of Victorian architecture along with the specialty of the house, Creole cuisine. The location even had the ghostly image of a young girl's face on the metal basement door.

The Iron Duke Restaurant made 1978's "Where To Eat In Canada" restaurant guide.