There is no question that hosting someone is an ancient custom. It is therefore safe to say that hospitality is almost as old as mankind. The predecessors of the restaurants we know today were inns, where food, drink and accommodation were provided for travellers. Archaeologists have found artefacts from antiquity and the Middle Ages which suggest that some form of hospitality existed at that time.
Europe's oldest restaurants
Abbey cellar
This restaurant is located in the St. Peter's Church in Salzburg. It was founded by a monk in 803, so it has been open for 1219 years. Since it was run by an order, there are even written records of it. Special original recipes are still served to guests today.
Sausage cake
In 1146 open. The Danube Bridge in Regensburg was completed at the same time, and it is housed in a service building. In 1806, the Schricker family took over the business and started to serve mainly charcoal-roasted sausages and sauerkraut. Today it is known as Wurstküche („sausage kitchen”).
The Old House
United Kingdom, Llangynwyd, Maesteg. The inn and has been in continuous operation in a secluded location since 1147. It is situated immediately south of the village churchyard, which is approached from the road that skirts the churchyard walls. The building is now a listed building. It is located in the heart of the Llynfi Valley, in a beautiful setting, and is a popular tourist destination.
La Couronne, founded in 1345
The oldest inn in France. It is located in the historic city centre of Rouen, capital of the Normandy region.In 1948, chef Julia Child, a writer, served her first French meal here, which is said to have inspired her to dedicate her life to French cuisine. promoting the cuisine dedicate.
Café Karpershoek
This quaint place, now a tavern, is located at Martelaarsgracht 2 in Amsterdam, opened in 1606, originally as an inn for merchants and sailors.. If you want to have a coffee or a drink in a truly authentic environment, not to be misseda. The walls are still covered with ancient sagas and wisdoms, with richly detailed woodcarvings and colourful paintings mixed with collections of paintings.
Café du Soleil
The restaurant is estimated to be around 400 years old. According to surviving records, it was already in operation in 1620 and is located opposite the Temple du Petit-Saconnex. It is interesting to note that the latter was built after the café was built, which was quite rare at the time.
Sobrino de Botín
Located in Madrid, opened in 1725 Sobrino de Botín restaurant, which is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for a reason. The restaurant still has original furniture and even today the oven is still in use, where you can taste the roast pig cooked according to the original recipe.
Centenary restaurant
It opened in 1831 as the oldest guest inn in Budapest. For 191 years now, 80 guests have been enjoying the specialities of Hungarian and international cuisine in an elegant setting with rustic furniture and a contemporary atmosphere.
The oldest restaurants on other continents
Horse Tavern
America's oldest restaurant still in operation today is the White Horse Tavern, which has been operating as a restaurant and pub since 1673. Built in 1652, the residence retains the values of its past, with interiors and furnishings that exude a true New England feel. In 1972, the tavern was designated a National Historic Landmark and placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Ma Yu Ching's Bucket Chicken House
The Chinese Ma Yu Ching's Bucket Chicken House Located in Kaifeng, Henan, it opened its doors in 1153. A according to legends was originally in operation in the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234). The „Ma” family started trading in bucket chickens in Nanjing in present-day Jiangsu province after the Song Dynasty moved south. It was declared an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Henan Province in February 2007. Here you can still taste the „Ma” chicken, made according to the original recipe that dates back hundreds of years.
Beijing Kaoya
The Peking Duck (Peking Kaoya) is still dedicated to duck dishes. According to available information, it is one of the oldest restaurants in China. Founded in 1416, and their recipes have been perfected for 606 years. They probably have the best roast duck in the world.
Owariya
In Japan, The Owariya confectionery opened in 1465. Honke Owariya established a confectionery after travelling to Kyoto. The business, which has been in operation for more than five and a half centuries, still makes one of its signature delicacies, soba mochi. First made in the late Edo period, in 1860, and the recipe has remained the same ever since. What does it mean? The soba mochi based on the azuki (red) beans, which are carefully cooked and then wrapped in soba (the Japanese name for buckwheat, but can mean any kind of buckwheat noodles) crusts and topped with black sesame seeds. This dish has also become a catchphrase, which goes like this: “Soba mochi is Owariya-san.”
There are amazing wonders of gastronomy in the world. These restaurants, still in business today, have an amazing tradition that is worth bowing down to. It's incredible that they have been in operation for hundreds of years, surviving the storms of history and welcoming diners as they did when they first opened.
