BOTIN

Inside the World's Oldest Restaurant, Restaurante Botín in Madrid

"Founded in 1725 and recognized by Guinness World Records as the world’s oldest restaurant, this Madrid institution is famous for an oven that has been kept burning for nearly 300 years — a “jewel” that deputy manager Luis Javier Sanchez (who has worked there for more than 45 years) says must never be put out because it imparts a special aroma and stays ready to roast each morning. The kitchen and wine cellar are treated as living links to the past: recipes are handed down from one generation of chefs to the next so the food is meant to “taste like history,” while the wine cellar is described as “breathing history.” Though deeply traditional in its cooking and atmosphere, the restaurant maintains a modern presence with a website and social accounts and attracts mixed reactions from visitors on sites like TripAdvisor; it has also been profiled on YouTube (Great Big Story) as people try to uncover its secrets." - Mike Pomranz