The World's Oldest Restaurant

Classic Dishes

Sobrino de Botín, founded in 1725 by French chef Jean Bottin, is renowned for its traditional Castilian cuisine. The restaurant's menu has remained largely unchanged, featuring specialties like roast suckling pig and roast lamb, both cooked in a cast iron wood-fired oven 1. Gary Arndt shares that the restaurant has been frequented by notable figures such as Francisco Goya and Ernest Hemingway, who praised its dishes in his works 1.

We lunched upstairs at Botín's. It's one of the best restaurants in the world. We had roast young suckling pig and drank Rioja Alta.

--- Ernest Hemingway

The restaurant's enduring appeal lies in its ability to offer a genuine taste of historical Castilian cooking.

   

Wood-Fired Oven

The wood-fired oven at Sobrino de Botín has been in use since the restaurant's inception in 1725. This centuries-old oven is crucial for preparing the restaurant's signature dishes, imparting a unique flavor that modern appliances can't replicate 1. Gary Arndt notes that the oven's consistent use over nearly 300 years is a testament to the restaurant's commitment to tradition 1.

They have two specialties for which they are known, Cochineal asado, aka roast suckling pig, and cordero lechal, aka roast lamb. They are both cooked in a cast iron wood fired oven, which has been in use since the restaurant opened in 1725.

--- Gary Arndt

This dedication to maintaining historical cooking methods is a key factor in the restaurant's longevity and acclaim.