Curiosities of the Botín restaurant in Madrid, the oldest in the world

Maybe you don't know that behind the back of the Plaza Mayor, riding a Madrid, you'll find the oldest restaurant in the world.

If I tell you that I am referring to Botín, it may already sound more familiar to you.

Indeed, the Botín restaurant proudly displays the book certificate in its window Guinness World Records which confirms this honor.

This testifies that the Botín restaurant It is the restaurant establishment in the world that has maintained the same activity for the longest number of years.

Curiosities and history of the Botín restaurant

But apart from the record, if you approach Botín, which you will find in the 17 Cuchilleros Street, leaving the Plaza Mayor by Knife Bow, you will be able to see a typical food house of 17th century Madrid.

The origins of the restaurant date back to 1725, a time when the Cuchilleros area was right on the edge of the medieval wall of Madrid, since the space of the Plaza Mayor was already outside the limits of the city.

It was a very busy area full of inns and eating houses to serve those who arrived in the capital of the Reino.

Jean Botin was a French chef who at that time arrived in Madrid where he founded the meal House.

At first the restaurant occupied the ground floor and the upper floors served as hospitality and, in fact, it was called Hosteria Botín.

Its name of “Botín's Nephew” He acquired it when the eating house came to be run by the nephew of Jean Botin.

Loot in literature

The large one history of Botín Restaurant has been reflected in numerous literary works, among which stand Fortunata and Jacinta, Perez Galdos, or in the Greguerías de Gomez de la Serna.

And there is no shortage of references from international authors, especially from Ernest Hemingway, who frequented Botín and became friends with the then owner of the restaurant, Emilio gonzalez.

The best thing to eat at Botín restaurant: menu

Today you will find in the four-story building a Castilian food restaurant whose best exponent is its traditional wood oven.

In this way, among others Castilian specialties, in Botín you can taste the famous suckling pig from Ávila or Segovia, or the Aranda lamb.

Here you can check the Botín restaurant menuWith its gastronomic specialties.

On the outside you will see a exposed brick facade, characteristic of houses in medieval times in Madrid.

The interior of the restaurant has a very ornate decoration and period furniture.

Be sure to peek into the small corner where the aforementioned wood oven is located.

And, likewise, I recommend that you go down to the basement room, where you will see its exposed brick vaulted ceiling, of low height, which was part of the historic water channel that ran through the current Cava de San Miguel.