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Sobrino de Botin
A friend told us Botin was a must-visit in in 1590. In 1725, the nephew of French cook
Madrid. She was right. This restaurant oozes Jean Botin bought the building and converted it
history, not to mention delicious smells coming into an inn. Around this time they installed its
from its ancient wood-burning oven. famous oven. The new restaurant was named
Botin is perhaps the best-known historic Sobrino de Botin, which translates into “Botin’s
restaurant in Madrid. Its claim to fame: It is the Nephew”. Since the turn of the 20th century, it
oldest operating restaurant in the world, having has been under the careful care of the Gonzalez
opened in 1725! But it’s not just history that has family.
drawn food lovers from around the world for Over the years, the 4-story restaurant has at-
centuries. They come for the wood-fired roast tracted the rich and famous. American writer
suckling pig (cochinillo) and roast baby lamb Ernest Hemingway, a frequent diner, praises
(cordero lechal) cooked to perfection in an oak Botin as “the best restaurant in the world’ in his
wood-burning oven.. classic novel, “The Sun Also Rises.” Other guests
The first recorded mention of the building was include Spanish painter Francisco Goya, Frank
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