The year was 1725.
Johann Sebastian Bach was releasing new music that he composed.
Russian emperor Peter the Great died.
And in Madrid, Spain, the doors to Botín opened in Madrid.
Earlier this year, the restaurant celebrated its 300th birthday, according to the Guinness Book of Records, which makes Botín the oldest restaurant in existence. That recognition was made official in 1987.
Or is it?
Outside Madrid, sits Casa Pedro, a tavern that claims its founding was even earlier.
Casa Pedro claims to have been founded in 1702. That is stated on the restaurant’s logo and online presence.
But, like every other record recognized by Guinness, proof and documentation are required to validate and verify such a claim. And the family behind Casa Pedro is at a disadvantage; the historical government records from that area were destroyed in a fire during the Spanish Civil War.
There is only one time these two restaurants closed their doors: during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
But the competition may just be heating up, as a new contender prepares to enter the fight. Rome’s Ristorante La
Campana claims to have been in operation for more than 500 years. Those claims have not been validated yet, but
reports indicate they will be presenting evidence to Guinness in the future.
PHOTO CREDIT: By Esetena – Own work, Public Domain, Link
