This Madrid restaurant is the oldest in the world

In Madrid, Spain, among the myriad attractions, there is one place that stands out. Sobrino de Botin is a restaurant of exceptional measure, reputed as the oldest restaurant in the world. It is said that author Ernest Hemingway loved to dine here, while artist Francisco Goya worked here as a waiter/dishwasher before taking the world by storm with his art. Established way back in 1725, the restaurant still stands and serves diners and curious travellers from around the world.
The restaurant is four-story high, and was established by French cook Jean Botin and his wife. It still holds its elegant look, with brick wall, vaulted wine cellar, and dining rooms that are lit up by lanterns. You will find a total of three dining rooms – The Bodega, which is a wine cellar, the Felipe IV room, and the Castilla room. The name of the restaurant (Sobrino de Botin) today translates to Nephew of Botin, as Botin and his wife passed on the restaurant to their nephew, due to the fact that they did not have an heir.

Ernest Hemingway was known to have been a regular customer at the restaurant, and in fact he also had a table to himself. He even enjoyed certain privileges here at the restaurant that ordinary patrons did not. It is said that the writer’s favourite wine here was the Rioja Alta.

Enjoying a place among Madrid’s top tourist sites, the Sobrino de Botin is currently run by the Gonzalez family, with all its authenticity intact. It is located behind Plaza Mayor, and is open for curious guests.

Coming to the food of the place, the restaurant has some signature dishes that it is known for. One such item is the ‘cochinillo asado,’ which is roast suckling pig, while another is the ‘cordero asado,’ or roast lamb. The ‘cochinillo asado’ was Hemingway’s favourite, so much so that it has found a mention in the novel, The Sun Also Rises. Still holding its original taste, you are in for an extraordinary treat here at the restaurant that is 300 years old. A must-visit for travellers going to Madrid; apparently, the Sobrino de Botin wears a placard that says, “Hemingway never ate here.”

Well, that would be a crying shame.