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Botin - the oldest restaurant in the world

 

According to the Guinness Book of Records, the oldest restaurant in the world was founded in Madrid in distant 1725. It is the famous Botin restaurant, and it has been in the hands of the founding family ever since.

 

 

Botin is definitely high on the "must do list" for tourists coming to Madrid. Would one chose to come back, it will depend on one's taste, and de gustibus non disputandi. The restaurant is located in a XVI century building in one of the oldest part of Madrid . The interior spreads across four floors of tiled, wood-beamed dining rooms, and the center-peace of the restaurant is the caste-iron oven that was in service from the very first day the restaurant opened to public.

 

Meals for King of Spain

As you eat, you may be lucky to listen to a live music performed by students playing traditional songs in their folk outfits. Beside the fact that you can eat in the oldest restaurant in the world, owners extensive marketing, gift shop and warm welcome to the guests might be the reasons why you would chose this restaurant over the vast competition of other typical national Spanish restaurants.

While flocked by tourists, Botin restaurant is definitively on Spaniards to-go list, as well. Among other well known Spaniards, the King and well known politicians are known to dine here from time to time. After all, It is so close to the Royal Palace.

Tradition of the restaurant is now being guarded by the fourth generation of owners who are trying to preserve the same look and feel that made this place famous for centuries. While the modern times added few new recipes, most of the menu consists of the well known dishes that have been prepared in the same way during past few centuries.

Ancient specialties

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Roasted suckling pigs are prepared in ancient cast-iron

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ancient cast-iron wood burning oven has been around since the opening of the restaurant and has defined some of the most famous dishes served in this ancient, but still in-vouge place. It has been a center place of the restaurant and has been used to create specialities like cochinillo asado (roast suckling pig) and cordero asado (roast lamb). The oven is one of the major attraction of the restaurant and many tourists are taking the photos of the oven and the cook, as well as plenty of portions of suckling pig that are being roasted.

Wine cellar - emergency passage from Royal Palace

 

We tried some of their specialties. Lamb was baked perfectly: it was crispy on the outside, yet tender and juicy on the inside. Botino's specialty, a famous garlic soup looks and somewhat tastes a lot like French onion soup. It is a garlic version of the more famous French soup with baked bread and cheese on the top of the garlic based soup. Fish soup was also excellent.

 

 

 

 

 

Fish soup

 

 

 

 

Another famous and interesting fact about Botino is that it has one of the oldest wine cellars in the basement of the building. Current owner and manager, Mr. Antonio Gonzalez Bennike says that: "It used to be the passage from Royal palace, so the

 

Royal family had an option to escape from the Palace in case of emergency. Our family made it a wine cellar with hundreds of bottles. They are just decoration now, since we keep this place open for visitors and want keep up with tradition, rather than keep it sealed and in perfect condition to store wine under optimal conditions."