I ate at the oldest operating restaurant on the planet to see if it's a tourist trap or worth the hype

David FarleyDec 30, 2021, 19:23 IST

Sobrino de Botín has been open since 1725 and the Guinness Book of World Records recognizes it as the oldest continuously operated restaurant on the planet.Courtesy of Ivana Larrosa

I ate at Sobrino de Botín in Madrid, an ancient restaurant in the Spanish capital open since 1725.
The Guinness Book of World Records calls it the oldest continuously operated restaurant on Earth.

Sobrino de Botín is famous for being the oldest continuously operated restaurant on the planet, its famous clientele, and its roasted suckling pig. But is worth the fame, or just another tourist trap?

The nearly 300-year-old restaurant has seen its fair share of famous diners.Courtesy of Ivana Larrosa

Sobrino de Botín is famous for being the oldest continuously operated restaurant on the planet, its famous clientele, and its roasted suckling pig. But is worth the fame, or just another tourist trap?

When I arrived in the neighborhood around Plaza Mayor, I took note of the street names, which are named after the profession of the people who lived on the street.

Many of of the street names in the neighborhood around Plaza Mayor are named after the profession of the people who lived there.Courtesy of Ivana Larrosa

Calle de Cuchilleros is definitely touristy.

One restaurant on the street makes its employees dress up as bandoleros, a historic version of an Iberian cowboy and/or bandit.Courtesy of Ivana Larrosa

During the pandemic, Botín's owners, the González family, opened up Gourmet 1725 across the street from the restaurant.

Gourmet 1725 opened during the pandemic to allow eaters the chance of having the Botín experience at home.Courtesy of Ivana Larrosa

When we stepped inside the restaurant, my dining companion and I were whisked up to a second-floor table and given a menu by the bow-tied waiter.

Pepe Gonzalez, part of the family that owns Botín, said that since the pandemic, many more Madrid locals are now eating at the restaurant.Courtesy of Ivana Larrosa

Hemingway had his own regular table on the second floor.

Hemingway spent time here in the 1920s and '30s, as well as in the '50s, and then one last time in 1960 before he died.Courtesy of Ivana Larrosa

My dining companion and I ordered a half bottle of Rioja Alta and scanned the menu.

Botín's menu is full of classic Spanish standard dishes.Courtesy of Ivana Larrosa

We started our meal with a small portion of croquettes and black sausage.

Black sausage, or morcilla, is blood sausage that is often the first item made of a recently slaughtered swine.Courtesy of Ivana Larrosa

Next, we ordered a bowl of garlic soup, a fan favorite at Sobrino de Botín.

Garlic soup, or sopa Castellana, is composed of Iberian ham, soft pig fat, and bits of garlic with an egg in the middle.Courtesy of Ivana Larrosa

The real star of Botín is the wood-fired oven. The flame has never been extinguished since the restaurant first opened in 1725.

Perhaps more famous than all the noted guests of generations past is the restaurant's oven.Courtesy of Ivana Larrosa

The most famous dishes at Botín come from the oven and are the cochinillo asado (roast suckling pig) and the cordero asado (roast lamb).

The pigs for Botín's famous cochinillo asado dish come from Segovia, which is famous for its pig farms.Courtesy of Ivana Larrosa

There are other restaurants in the immediate area that try to replicate what Botín does — especially the roasted lamb and pork — but accept no substitutes in this case.

It currently costs $29 to try Botín's famous roast suckling pig and the roast lamb.Courtesy of Ivana Larrosa

There are other restaurants in the immediate area that try to replicate what Botín does — especially the roasted lamb and pork — but accept no substitutes in this case.

We finished with a glass of herbal booze

Orujo is a pomace brandy made with various herbs from Galicia in northwest Spain.Courtesy of Ivana Larrosa

My verdict? The phrase "tourist trap" doesn't really apply to Sobrino de Botín. A lot of tourists might eat here, but it's certainly not a "trap."

While many tourists might eat at Sobrino de Botín, it's not considered a "tourist trap."Courtesy of Ivana Larrosa

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I ate at the oldest operating restaurant on the planet to see if it's a tourist trap or worth the hype

Sobrino de Botín is famous for being the oldest continuously operated restaurant on the planet, its famous clientele, and its roasted suckling pig. But is worth the fame, or just another tourist trap?

When I arrived in the neighborhood around Plaza Mayor, I took note of the street names, which are named after the profession of the people who lived on the street.

Calle de Cuchilleros is definitely touristy.

During the pandemic, Botín's owners, the González family, opened up Gourmet 1725 across the street from the restaurant.

When we stepped inside the restaurant, my dining companion and I were whisked up to a second-floor table and given a menu by the bow-tied waiter.

Hemingway had his own regular table on the second floor.

My dining companion and I ordered a half bottle of Rioja Alta and scanned the menu.

We started our meal with a small portion of croquettes and black sausage.

Next, we ordered a bowl of garlic soup, a fan favorite at Sobrino de Botín.

The real star of Botín is the wood-fired oven. The flame has never been extinguished since the restaurant first opened in 1725.

The most famous dishes at Botín come from the oven and are the cochinillo asado (roast suckling pig) and the cordero asado (roast lamb).

There are other restaurants in the immediate area that try to replicate what Botín does — especially the roasted lamb and pork — but accept no substitutes in this case.

We finished with a glass of herbal booze

My verdict? The phrase "tourist trap" doesn't really apply to Sobrino de Botín. A lot of tourists might eat here, but it's certainly not a "trap."