Oldest continuous restaurant in the world celebrates its 300th anniversary

Madrid is celebrating – and this time for a truly extraordinary and rare reason. Sobrino de Botín, a restaurant on Calle Cuchilleros beside Plaza Mayor, has just marked 300 years of uninterrupted service. According to Guinness World Records, it is the oldest restaurant in the world, one that has survived wars, economic crises and sweeping social change. Not even the Spanish civil war or the pandemic managed to close its doors.

Curiously, the building that houses the restaurant is even older than the business itself. It was constructed in the late 16th century and originally operated as a humble eating house serving merchants who came to trade at Madrid’s Plaza Mayor market. Over time, the space evolved into a fully fledged restaurant and, from the 19th century onward, became known as Sobrino de Botín.

Three centuries of continuous activity have also turned the restaurant into a magnet for famous artists. It is said that Francisco de Goya worked there in his youth, while Ernest Hemingway set the final scene of The Sun Also Rises at one of the tables where he regularly ate. Other writers, including Benito Pérez Galdós and María Dueñas, have also used the restaurant as a setting in their work.

At Sobrino de Botín you can try suckling pig made with a centuries-old recipe

What makes the restaurant so special? Beyond its history, it is famed for simple, classic dishes such as roast suckling pig, lamb, scrambled eggs, and a range of traditional stews from Madrid and Castile. Each year, an estimated 20,000 suckling pigs are served, cooked in exactly the same way they were 300 years ago.

The business has belonged to the González family since 1930. Today, nearly 100 people work there, ensuring strict quality controls and that everything runs with the precision of a well-oiled machine. To mark its third century, Sobrino de Botín has refreshed its image, launched a special anniversary menu and strengthened its online presence – all without abandoning the traditions that made it legendary.

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