Counting from the existence of Homo sapiens which is roughly 300000 years old story, the culture of dining out is just recent on this vast timeline. This will surely create at least some curiosity in your mind about the world’s oldest restaurant. Each city has at least one such place which is famous for being the oldest and irrespective of the food reviews it fares well just because people go there to experience history or perhaps taste the history.

Do you remember any of such oldest restaurant you ate at? Probably you will have a hard time guessing it. Try to imagine a famous restaurant who flaunts its year of establishment with pride. This is not just to create buzz, but to prove a point that we serve something amazing since a long time now. When this restaurant culture started, nobody must have guessed that the dining history could play such an important role in the future. So let’s have a peek at this industry which is worth $3 trillion in terms of global revenues

The Ambiguous Backstory of World’s Oldest Restaurant

If you go to google search and type ‘World’s Oldest Restaurant’ you will get only 1 name ‘Restaurante Botín’. But if you dig a little for the history, the story changes with unclear clues to derive your own inferences. First highly unacceptable mistake out there is to not have a classification which separates restaurants, Inns, Pubs. Then the second one being all historians pointing toward a particular region which started the restaurant culture, thus ignoring the earlier practices which were following the culture without being classified as restaurants.

To simplify this for you, let me explain this. So you and I both sipped water and everyone knew that we took sips once in the afternoon and once in the night. A day later a stranger comes who sips the same water and finds a word for it in the dictionary which is called ‘drinking’ thus the focus shifts on that person and we both are ignored. Now people credit the practice of drinking water to this person. How funny was this?

So the chances are bright that historians have ignored few historic places when they were on their journey to search the world’s oldest restaurant. This was based on just one fact that the term ‘restaurant’ was coined much later. So any establishments before this period are neglected from their research, if you also think so then you are mistaken dear friend. Read on the post to unravel this culinary mystery.

The Theories

1) Boulanger, 1765

This is the most closest you can ever come to find out how the term restaurant came into existence. Mr. Boulanger was a French bouillon maker who sold his soups as restoratives in a time when guilds were very well defined and practiced under strict laws. Because of this a baker could only bake, a Rotisserie could only roast meat and so on. Each person was required to stick to their own trade. Mr. Boulanger sold his soups with an advertisement which read “Boulanger débite des restaurants divins (Boulanger sells restoratives fit for the gods)”. This was the first restaurant in modern sense.

The restorative broth he sold was with this word called ‘restaurants’ which here meant capable of restoring one’s health. Thus the word ‘restaurant’ comes from a French verb ‘restaurer’, meaning “to restore or refresh.” Thus Boulanger is believed to have started the modern restaurant culture. But an investigative report by Christine Bednarz says this fact lacks supporting evidence. You can read her well covered article here on nationalgeographic.com.

2) Mathurin Roze de Chantoiseau, 1766

Rebecca Spang a historian from Indiana University states that Mathurin Roze de Chantoiseau was the person who coined this term and truly started the restaurant culture. She depicts Mathurin Roze as a man with plan who had multiple schemes to start a business and the restaurant in its modern sense was his idea. Mathurin Roze was a visionary who always prioritized national interest and thus starting a restaurant industry could be one of his plans.

3) Beauvilliers, 1782

Beauvilliers in 1782 is said to have found the first Parisian restaurant with novelty of listed menu. The menu comprised of multiple dishes which were served on small individual tables. This place was called Grande Taverne de Londres and is acknowledged by Larousse Gastronomique (the bible of French cuisine).

Despite so much of confusion over the world’s oldest restaurant, the Boulanger story finds its way in the works of many historians as it was supported by a famous incident. The one where Mr. Boulanger is believed to be challenged in court to break the rules of guilds for making his ‘pieds de mouton à la sauce poulette’ a dish made of mutton legs and served in white sauce. He proved to the court that he was not doing anything like accused by preparing the mutton legs and white sauce separately and thus winning the case and becoming more famous as world’s oldest restaurant.

World’s Oldest Restaurant as per Guinness Book of World Records

Without any double check the name has to be Sobrino de Botín which translates to Botín’s Nephew. This is a Spanish restaurant located in Madrid which was started by Jean Botin and his wife who were French. The year of establishment is 1725 C.E. and this place has an oven burning since then which is never put off. The 4 floored restaurant has a cellar which is older than the restaurant which was built in 1590 C.E.

This place was started as an Inn and then later turned into a restaurant. Jean Botín and his wife passed away without any children so the restaurant was taken up by Mrs. Botín’s nephew and since then the restaurant bears the name “Sobrino de Botín”. Which is now run by The González family who took over the ownership in the 20th century. This is a true account as per the official website of Guinness World Records. You can check out this video to have glimpse into the official World’s Oldest Restaurant.

List of World’s Oldest Restaurants

Though Botín’s is awarded the tag of World’s oldest restaurant, but here are some equally deserving places which can challenge Sobrino de Botín for this title. It is tough to understand how historians have missed these clear winners who are worth the title. You read it for yourself and let me know if you agree.

1) St. Peter Stiftskulinarium

Imagine a restaurant older than the first modern University built in Bologna 1088 C.E. or older than the first conquest of England by William the conqueror in 1066 C.E. How historically well poised the existence of this restaurant could be? If not for the defining criteria, this could have been easily the world’s oldest restaurant of all time.

St. Peter Stiftskulinarium located inside St. Peter’s Abbey, Salzburg, Austria is the first place in this list to open its doors in 803 C.E. which was more of an Inn than a dedicated dining place. The record of its history is found in the written works of Alcuin a famous scholar during the times of Charlemagne. It was forced to close couple of times which renders it obsolete from the race of being called the still operational yet oldest restaurant. The notable patrons included Christopher Columbus, Faust and Mozart.

2) Historische Wurstkuchl

Would you like to eat at a place older than the famous Angkor Wat temple? The temple was built in 1150 C.E. but this place is 3 years older than that. I can’t even think what it must feel to have a bite at this simple yet historical place.

This longest continuously operational eatery is situated in Regensburg, Germany. The newly resurrected building is from 17^th century but the archaeological evidences confirm that the old building was built in 1135 C.E. a few years later the Regensburg stone bridge was constructed. When the bridge was finished in 1146 C.E., the building became a restaurant named ‘Garkueche auf dem Kranchen’ (‘cook shop near the crane’) as it was situated near the then river port. This is as per Wikipedia page of this restaurant.

3) The Old House 1147

A restaurant which is older than the famous first crusade which was a bloody account of stupid human behavior dating back to 1099 C.E. Away from all this cruelty there was this establishment, helping communities to enjoy their days of living.

A distinctive part of Welsh heritage is this Pub situated in Llangynwyd, Bridgend of Wales. A serene place with a thatched roof. As a tourist you will be mesmerized with the location which gives this place a naturally rich ambience. It has view to the Llynfi Valley which adds to the majesty. Open since 1147 C.E. it was closed for 4 years for restoration which intended to bring all the old elements back and made this place even more historic. Notable patron include Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, and David Bowie.

4) Ma Yu Ching

When Japan was experiencing change of power from the hands of Taira Emperor to the hands of Shogun Minamato no Yorimoto in the year 1192 C.E., their arch-rival was busy in flourishing with hospitality business and this oldest restaurant is a prime example of that.

The name must have given you a hint about the location of this restaurant. If you guessed it as China then you are correct. It is operational since 1153 C.E. in the Kaifeng, Henan of China. Currently more than historic significance it is famous for its bucket chicken. Which in 2007 was named as an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO. It is said that before this one, there were restaurants which were operational since Sung dynasty but recorded proofs are not strong enough to prove it.

5) The Brazen Head

This beautifully oldest restaurant is working even before the Genghis Khan started his expansion of Mongol Empire in 1206 C.E. Unaware of the fierce battles in the east, this restaurant was happily serving the locals with ale and food.

The officially oldest pub in Ireland, located in Dublin was established in 1198 C.E. as a hostelry offering food. The present building was built in 1754 as a coaching inn. The appearance of this place is enough to prove its heritage. The cobblestone courtyard is a centre of attraction. Brendan Behan, Jonathan Swift and the revolutionaries Robert Emmet and Wolfe Tone were among the regulars at this historic restaurant.

6) Piwnica Świdnicka

The story of this historic restaurant runs close to the famous Marco Polo who is believed to have started his journey towards east via Silk Route in 1271 C.E. just 2 years before this restaurant was opened.

This Polish restaurant was established in 1273 C.E. located in the basement of the Old Town Hall in Wrocław. It has survived the bombing from the World War and has managed to keep the wine cellars intact. It serves the most mouthwatering Polish delicacies. For many centuries this was the only brewery in the city. This led to almost all wine connoisseurs to visit this place for obvious reasons. They have a display board on which the names of most famous people visiting this place are written. The list has names from Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor to Pablo Picasso.

7) La Couronne

In 1347 C.E. the Bubonic Plague devastated entire Europe. Killing one third of the European population. Yet this restaurant survived in spite of being operational just for 2 years before this unfortunate course of history. This one of the world’s oldest restaurant has stood tall against the test of times.

One more culinary Jewel from Europe. This restaurant was an Inn which opened its doors in 1345 C.E. at Rouen, France. Located in the city centre the restaurant has define the French cooking for years. The most remarkable guest was Julia Child who credits her love for French Cuisine to this place. She is a celebrity chef who introduced French cooking to each household of United States. This place is charmingly beautiful for a restaurant which is more than 650 years old.

8) The Sheep Heid Inn

This world’s oldest restaurant is intertwined with the European Renaissance journey which began in 1350 C.E. that is a decade ago from the inauguration of this place. Imagine yourself seated in a place having renaissance inspired ambience.

This is a pub which was established as an Inn in 1360 C.E. and which is located in Edinburgh. It has one of Edinburgh’s oldest surviving watering holes. The weird name is said to be given out of 2 possibilities, the Sheep Head dishes that made this place famous or the royal gift in 1580 of an ornate ram’s head snuff box, given by King James VI of Scotland. It has a famous bowling alley built in 1880 which is deemed as last such alley in Scotland.

9) Hotel Gasthof Löwen

Opened in 1380 C.E. it is a more than 600 years old restaurant from Vaduz, Liechtenstein. The old building intensifies its historic appearance. The bright spaces gives it a modern touch but the old attic stone walls and the furniture proves its heritage. Not much is written about this place, except its sliced veal ‘Zurich style’ with rösti and vegetables which has been called the hotel’s specialty dish.

10) Honke Owariya

While in the west Christopher Columbus was setting sail for his first voyage in 1492. This place was already 27 years old to put it in perspective. What happened with Mr. Columbus is something you can read here. But what happened to this place can be testified by the time itself.

The only restaurant in the list which is not from Europe. This one was established as a confectionary shop in 1465 C.E. in Kyoto, Japan. Specializing in Soba (buckwheat noodles) and only transforming into a full-fledged restaurant after World War II. The traditional look of this restaurant lures you into entering this place. The crowd here is very huge due to their divine tasting dishes like soba with shiitake mushrooms, shredded thin omelet, sesame seeds, shrimp tempura, wasabi, nori, Japanese leeks, and grated daikon.

Closure

From some documented evidences the Roman period and Sung Dynasty has mentions of public eateries. But the modern restaurants as we know today are a concept from the 18^th century France. Before these restaurants existed but were known as Inns, eateries, hostels and so on. According to Larousse Gastronomique the café culture came into existence first. Starting in Constantinople around the year 1550. A place where people used to be served with beverages and snacks. Coffee was the main beverage served. This might be the precursor to the idea of modern day restaurants.

It is said that the French Revolution started the modern restaurant industry by breaking the guilds that were prevalent back then. Thus many French chefs were released from the holds of Aristocracy and the entrepreneurial enthusiasm in them defined the restaurant business. The printed menus, various dishes and defined portion sizes all these things were introduced for the first time.

No matter who invented the world’s first ever restaurant, you can only be thankful that somebody did it. Or else imagine the plight of foodies who can’t live without dining options. Do you also get bored of the home cooked food after a certain time? Do you also crave for a change in dining option? Let me know in the comments below. If you tour around the world then try to visit these historic restaurants as per your travel budgets.

I hope you found this piece of work informative. This is your foodie_khiladi signing off for the day to see you soon in my next post. If you have any suggestions regarding this work then you can write to me at foodie_khiladi@sh119.global.temp.domains or DM me on Instagram @foodie_khiladi007. If you want to read on various other food related topics you can check all my blog posts here on this link and if you liked this post then do share with your friends and families.

I know most probably history was not your favourite subject. Give me a chance to change this right away. Maybe you were reading the history which was not engaging enough. Let this post be a game changer for your interest in history.

Spices!!! Redefined the culinary history of the world in multiple ways. Do you know? This word comes from Latin word ‘Species’ or ‘special wares’, and refers to an item having significant value. What you think? How interesting is the history of Spice trade? In an era where it is now easy to source any kind of spices you want, it was not long ago that there were wars raged for these spices and their secrets. Imagine your special chai without elaichi (cardamom), egg fry or pasta without black pepper, dal khichdi without turmeric, Kormas without ginger and baking goodies without cinnamon… PhewwwW!!! Too much blandness to handle.

The food you eat today was a lot different than the food consumed in the past and its transformation journey should be accredited to the spices and the spice trade which played an important role in doing so. Spices and spice trade led to a revolution in cooking while enhancing flavors and transforming food and cuisines across the globe. The spice trades wrote history which is lesser known yet so important that I couldn’t afford to skip this topic.

The western world was dependent on Arab and Persian spice traders to source the spices. Most of the spices were sourced from India and Sub-continent and few parts of China. Historians always mentioned how Arabs and Persians maintained a monopoly on the spice trades and ensured secrecy over the origin of Indian Spices.

What intrigues me more is the fact that, these traders guarded the secret of origin of all the spices by spreading rumors and myths or propagating legends and tales. Stories so bizarre, like each spice grew in a very hostile surroundings like snake beds, phoenix nests, dragon lands and what not. This was simply done to protect trade secret and maintain the exorbitant pricing of spices. It was also a way to hold the monopoly over spice trade.

Spice Trade and the European Connection

European markets were hot beds for the Spices from India. It is certain and well documented that till the end of 15th Century, the spice trade routes were dominated by Arabs from the middle-east. Wallah!!! The demand of the Indian spices was well known since the Roman Empire. Thank You India! for playing an integral role in imparting flavours to the cuisines world over.

In the medieval ages different European nations who grew tired of the monopoly now wanted to end it. They wanted to take control over the spice trade as by that time the Arabs and Persians did inflate the prices a bit too much. As you know, greed can be dangerous and so it happened. The missions were planned, to find that piece of land where this magic happened. That land was none other than India and its sub-continent.

It was in late 15th century that 3 Europeans set their sails in search of the routes to the land of magic, where the Indian spices originated. They of course did not think of this by themselves. Rather the royal kingdoms bestowed this responsibilities on these 3 European navigators and explorers.

Christopher Columbus an Italian on orders of King Ferdinand of Spain in 1492 took a westward approach to discover India. Back in those days Anglo-Spanish rivalry was well know, so next was of course England’s turn to try their luck. John Cabot representing England in 1497, though he was an Italian by all means, but King Henry VII offered him handsome returns to discover lands and claim them on England’s behalf. Both did the same mistake of sailing west.

Though John Cabot landed in Canada, mistaking it for Asia. Christopher Columbus discovered America and he also thought it was Asia. Only Vasco da Gama on orders of King Jonh II, reached the port of Calicut via Cape of Good Hope in 1497. This might be due to the reason that, he was not an Italian trying to work for some other countries. He was a Portuguese working for King of Portugal. I bet you never thought that these gentlemen had any connections with the introduction of spices to the western world.

Vasco da Gama returned to Europe with the information of the spice trade and a huge cargo of nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, and peppercorns. Pedro Álvares Cabral was a successor of ‘Vasco da Gama’ who cemented the control of Portugal over spice trade via the newly discovered route and changed the interesting history of Indian Spices thereafter.

Probably after reading this piece of work, you will start treasuring your collection of spices and will feel a sense of gratitude while using them. The blood bathed history of spices is well researched by historians and is one of the reasons why spices still remain among the costlier commodities till date. If you are with me till here then I hope this information was worth reading.

Most of the common spices used today grew in tropical regions of southern China to Indonesia and Southern India to Ceylon (Modern day Sri Lanka). As the ancient spice trade routes held a firm grip into Arab world, the Arabs had a strong hold on the spice trades for centuries till Europeans took an initiative to end this monopoly. The Portuguese successfully broke the monopoly to change the course of history for Indian Spices. Later other European countries like Dutch Republic, England, France and Denmark fought over to gain supremacy of spice trade. This is where most of the bloodshed happened.

Indian Connection with Spice Trade

The ‘Vedas’ highlight the use of spices in India as first written record. But it is apparent that Spices were in use much before the written documentation was practiced. The history of Indian Spices goes much deeper than the artifacts and documentation. You can check for scientific validations that India being a tropical country, was naturally abundant in spices.

It is not clear that how the regions all over the world where the spices did not grow, became well versed with the use of the spices. But many scholars speculate that this credit should go to the ‘Silk Route’ which was very central in the flourishing of spice trade. A famous route which linked the East to the West. The route which traces globalization and its roots to ancient era.

Through literature and records, it is evident that 5 famous spices viz. Black pepper, Turmeric, Cardamom, Cinnamon and Ginger have their roots of origin in India. Of course there are many other spices which originated in Indian sub-continent but the kind of impact the above mentioned spices had on the world is insurmountable.

Now we clearly know, that why Indian land was invaded by so many foreigners for so many centuries. It was not just for the riches of Gold, silver and other precious gems. It was invaded for gaining control of spice trade to extract the riches coming from the values of spices. This perfectly relates to the lyrics of the song “Mere Desh ki Dharti” beautifully written by late Mr. Gulshan Bawra and sung beautifully by late Mr. ‘Mahendra Kapoor’.

Black Pepper

Black Pepper tops the list with worldwide consumption of 400000 tons per year and ever increasing. Originated from Malabar Coast of India. Traded and valued so highly that Europeans once gifted, paid rent, made dowry, gave bribe and paid taxes with pepper. Isn’t it strange? With an Arab-Venetian monopoly the prices remained high in Europe for centuries. Dutch phrase ‘peperduur (pepper expensive)’ is still widely used as an adjective for expensive things.

The pepper export started from India to Egypt at around 1300 BC. Then with rise of Roman Empire at around 40 AD the pepper reached Europe. With the fall of Roman Empire the pepper was traded under the network of Arabs and Persians. What followed next is now well known to you. Without pepper the world of flavors would have remained incomplete.

A better and later half of the duo Salt and Pepper. It has a hot and pungent flavor due to the alkaloid piperine present in the berries of pepper. Scientifically it is called as ‘Piper nigrum’. The colour white, green, black are developed due to harvesting at various stages and drying in sun for specific duration. It has anti-microbial and antioxidant properties. Most of the Indian dishes would remain incomplete without this kingmaker spice. Do you agree or have a different opinion? Let me know in the comments.

Turmeric

Journey of turmeric dates back to 4000 years. With 94% of world supply coming from India, nobody can deny the fact that it has its origins in ancient India. Documented in medical works of ‘Susruta’ and ‘Charaka’ it is a proven spice with medicinal uses and health benefits. It reached China first in 700 AD and then to East Africa by 800 AD, followed by West Africa by 1200 AD and then to Jamaica in the eighteenth century. See how much a spice has traveled. Inspiring us to raise our bar for our travel goals.

Though it might not be used much in western countries for enhancing food flavors, but it is certainly making its presence felt for medicinal reasons. With so many health benefits, it is no wonder that it became an integral part of Indian diet and cuisine. Western world is slowly recognizing the importance of turmeric and the global demand is expected to increase.

Well known by its scientific name ‘Curcuma longa’, it is slightly bitter in taste with slight acrid yet sweet notes. No curry spice mix is complete without turmeric in India. It would be fair enough to say that this is a golden spice which improves health and cures illness. Without this spice Starbucks would have had a tough time launching its ‘Turmeric latte’.

Cardamom

Scientifically called ‘Elettaria cardamomum’ it is used to treat bad breath and indigestion. The rare kind of spice whose flavor is kind of hard to explain. Some people square it off by saying it is a combination of mild cinnamon, and ginger with light notes of mint and lemons. Even I do not know how to explain. If you know by any chance then feel free to enlighten me in the comment section below.

Considered to be one of the oldest spice of the world. Said to be originated in Western Ghats of southern India. It is very expensive yet today, just behind Saffron and Vanilla. The use of cardamom dates back to 4000 years. It reached Europe via the infamous ‘Silk route’ and then was carried to America by a German entrepreneur Oscar Majus Kloeffer in 1914. So America started using it widely only after this year.

In India it is used in all kinds of dishes, from sweet ones to savory ones, curries and kebabs. Then it is widely used in two main delicacies, first one is ‘Chai’ and then the other one is ‘Biryani’. I hope you like them both. If yes then you should be thankful to Elaichi (Cardamom).

Cinnamon

With an honor of being the first traded spice of the ancient era, this spice surely has a special place in history. Origin of this spice is traced to modern day Sri Lanka, formerly known as ‘Ceylon’ which was a part of Indian sub-continent. The worth of cinnamon was considered to be the equal of gold and ivory in terms of value. Isn’t it a shocking fact? Introduced to Europe via the Venetian trade market, it became a widely used spice in Europe.

Like cardamom, this spice also compliments both sweet and savory dishes. The bold flavor takes your dish to a different level. Right from Cinnamon rolls to Meat curries it is used to upgrade the flavour profile of any dish. Today it is grown in many parts of the world, but its purest variety still remains as Ceylon cinnamon grown only in Sri Lanka and Indian state of Kerala. War for this spice was at its peak in 17^th Century which was fought for monopoly over this spice. It includes Dutch, Portuguese, French and British, with later winning it in 1795 and exploiting the advantage to the fullest.

It is grown in India as well, but the heritage was passed on from Sri Lanka. Scientifically called ‘Cinnamomum Zeylanicum’ it has a warm sweet aroma and a tinge spicy taste. It has medicinal properties, used to treat upper respiratory infections. It has some anti-bacterial properties too. A secret to reveal, it also helps in weight loss when taken with warm water. You can thank me later.

Ginger

This is a rhizome of its plant. Originated in both India and Southern Part of China. Though widely used in India and thus it was exported from India to Middle East and Europe. Especially during the rule of Roman Empire, ginger gained popularity. Unfortunately the use of ginger ceased with decline of Roman Empire. Marco Polo played a huge role in reintroducing Ginger to Europe again. It was fist new spice to be grown in the new world. To be specific about location, it was Caribbean in the 15^th Century. India still exports one third of the global demand of ginger. Don’t you think that is a huge number?

It makes a good buttermilk when crushed and added to it. Ginger wine in 17^th century and ginger beer and gingerbread in 18^th century, Ginger biscuits of Yazdani Bakery. It was all possible because of ginger. In India ginger tea is famous for curing cold and cough. Maybe as famous as the fact that in middle ages a ‘pound of ginger was equivalent to the cost of one large sheep’. And I am not making this up. You can google it to check.

Also called ‘Zingiber officinale’ the variety has well proven medicinal uses. It has a biting taste to it which is strong. It has a zest which is warm and an after taste which is slightly sweet. It is used in many non-vegetarian dishes in India. Dishes like Korma, Curries and heavy meals. Used mostly in slow cooked dishes like Dals and Lentils.

So what are your thoughts on your spice collection? Does this change your perceptions about Christopher Columbus and Vasco Da Gama? Let me know in the comments how you found this little write up on Spice trade. Was it boring was it informative. Let the comments roll.

If you are still reading then I would like to say a big thank you for your patronage. This is my first written blog post though I couldn’t publish it first. So I will always cherish this decent write up on History of Indian Spices and spice trade. With this ‘foodie_khiladi‘ takes your leave and hope to meet you in my other posts soon. If you liked this information then kindly share it with your friends and families.