🗺️ 14 Places where people dined before 1800

There are establishments older than most modern states. The oldest of them has been welcoming guests in Salzburg for more than twelve centuries (as of 09/2026, Stiftskeller St. Peter website). We have gathered restaurants from four continents that opened before 1800 and never closed. Here you will find Paris addresses with four hundred years of history, Asian family houses where recipes are passed down through generations, and taverns that remember George Washington. All establishments are operating, and we verified their details in September 2026.

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How we put this list together

💡 In short:

The selection includes restaurants from four continents that opened before 1800.
All establishments in the selection are open and still welcoming guests.
As of 09/2026, sources are listed in each section, for example the official Stiftskeller St. Peter website.

1. Stiftskeller St. Peter (803): Salzburg, Austria

Courtyard with arches, planters, and a bicycle

Stiftskeller St. Peter is called the oldest restaurant in the world. It operates at St. Peter's Abbey, and the first mention of it dates back to 803 (as of 09/2026, official St. Peter Stiftskulinarium website). Nobody knows the exact opening date. According to legend, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Christopher Columbus sat at its tables. Today it is part of St. Peter Stiftskulinarium with several dining rooms and its own wine program. If you are traveling to Salzburg, book a table in advance: in summer, not everyone finds a free spot. Opening hours were verified on 09/13/2026 on the official website.

2. The Old House 1147 (1147): Maesteg, Wales

The Old House 1147 opened as a pub back in the 12th century (as of 09/2026, official website). Back then, traditional pies with peas and potatoes were served here. After a lengthy renovation, the establishment was converted into a restaurant: in 2019, the kitchen and dining rooms were updated. Now you can try Welsh macaroni with cheese and curry, as well as pies with beef, lamb, and chicken. The venue is often chosen for weddings. At one time, Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, and David Bowie were seen within its stone walls.

3. Ma Yu Ching's Bucket Chicken House (1153): Kaifeng, China

This historic restaurant in Kaifeng, China, was opened by the Ma family back during the Jin dynasty. They sold fried chickens there. In the mid-19th century, a descendant of the founders breathed new life into the establishment and began serving chicken in buckets with a traditional sauce based on a family recipe. In the early 21st century, the business received the status of intangible cultural heritage of Henan Province. If you are interested in cuisine with a genuine pedigree, this is one of the most unusual addresses on the list. The establishment still operates and maintains the recipes of past centuries.

4. Zum Franziskaner (1421): Stockholm, Sweden

Zum Franziskaner restaurant signs on a wooden door

Zum Franziskaner was founded by German monks in Stockholm's Old Town (as of 09/2026, official website). The name recalls the Franciscans. The building was repeatedly rebuilt up until 1906. It transformed from a sailors' tavern to a refined restaurant and has not kept its original appearance. Despite this, it still serves the same beer as it did when it opened. If you're walking around old Stockholm, stop by for Swedish classics.

5. Honke Owariya (1465): Kyoto, Japan

Entrance to the traditional Honke Owariya noodle shop in Kyoto

Honke Owariya started as a confectionery shop, and today it is called the oldest known restaurant in Japan. It serves traditional buckwheat soba noodles, and spring water is used for the broth. At one table here you might meet a wandering monk and members of the Japanese imperial family. If you want to try soba the way it has been prepared for centuries, this is the right place. The establishment operates in Kyoto and still keeps its family recipes.

6. La Tour d'Argent (1582): Paris, France

La Tour d'Argent building with a glass top floor

La Tour d'Argent on the banks of the Seine grew from a tavern into a fine dining restaurant. The top floor offers a view of the river and Notre-Dame Cathedral. The establishment is known for its polished service and classic French dishes, for which it received a Michelin star. The wine cellar, with hundreds of thousands of rare bottles, is worth a fortune. After a lengthy renovation, the restaurant is welcoming guests again: today it has four rooms, including a bar and a rooftop terrace (as of 09/2026, official website). Check the website for the reopening date after the renovation, and book a table in advance.

7. Cafe Chris (1624): Amsterdam, Netherlands

Cafe Chris is considered the oldest establishment in Amsterdam and is located in the Jordaan district. It is sometimes called a Brown cafe, or "brown café," because of the color of its interior. Originally, workers who were building the Westerkerk bell tower met here and received their wages right in the cafe. The old floorboards, large windows, and dark wood panels have survived to this day. If you're walking around the Jordaan, stop by for a beer and the atmosphere of the city's oldest cafe.

8. Gran Caffe Quadri (1638): Venice, Italy

Piazza San Marco: Museo Correr and cafe terrace with umbrellas

The original name of Gran Caffe Quadri was Il Rimedio, meaning "the remedy." This was because of the Malvasia wine, which was believed to invigorate the body and mind. In 1775, the establishment was bought by the family of the merchant Quadri, and that marked the beginning of its modern history (as of 09/2026, official website). In 1830, the cafe gained a second floor, and in 2018 the building underwent a major renovation. The cafe stands on St. Mark's Square with a view of the basilica. The menu includes a light continental breakfast, Venetian cicchetti snacks, pizza, sandwiches, and sweets. All of this is accompanied by live music, and if you sit outside, you can take in the square without rushing.

9. White Horse Tavern (1673): Newport, USA

Red colonial building of the White Horse Tavern in Newport

White Horse Tavern is called the oldest continuously operating tavern in the US (as of 09/2026, White Horse Tavern website). Government officials favored it, and the cost of food was often paid from the treasury. Hence the nickname "birthplace of the businessman's lunch." One of the tavern's owners was a pirate, so the place has a colorful history. Today it is a working restaurant, not a museum. If you are in Newport, stop by for lunch amid colonial-era interiors.

10. A la petite chaise (1680): Paris, France

A la Petite Chaise is considered the second oldest restaurant in Paris (as of 09/2026, restaurant website). Meetings of the political, social, and artistic elite took place here. Colette, the French writer and actress, is said to have been a frequent guest. The menu sticks to French classics: foie gras, snails, onion soup, and boudin noir salad. If you want a quiet dinner in the spirit of old Paris, this is the right address. The establishment has been welcoming guests for more than three centuries.

Street facade of A la Petite Chaise restaurant in Paris

11. Cafe Procope (1686): Paris, France

Facade of the historic Cafe Procope in Paris

Cafe Procope is considered the first literary cafe in Paris. It was opened by a Sicilian immigrant, after whom the establishment is named (as of 09/2026, official website). Following an old tradition, they serve sorbet and granita here, the predecessors of ice cream. King Louis XIV appointed the cafe the exclusive producer of sherbets. Famous visitors included Napoleon, Honore de Balzac, Paul Verlaine, Victor Hugo, and Voltaire. If you want to feel literary Paris, this is a place from the textbook. The cafe operates in the city center and still welcomes guests.

12. Sobrino de Botin (1725): Madrid, Spain

Facade of Sobrino de Botin restaurant in Madrid

Sobrino de Botin is called one of the oldest continuously operating restaurants in the world, and it is listed in the Guinness Book of Records (as of 09/2026, official website). The artist Francisco de Goya once worked here as a waiter. The establishment and its signature dish, cochinillo asado, roast suckling pig, are mentioned in Hemingway's novel "The Sun Also Rises." If you are in Madrid and want to try classic Castilian cuisine, book a table in advance. This is a family restaurant that has operated continuously since the 18th century.

13. Fraunces Tavern (1762): New York, USA

Brick building of the Fraunces Tavern on a street corner

Today Fraunces Tavern operates as a whiskey bar and restaurant in lower Manhattan (as of 09/2026, Fraunces Tavern website). The tavern is known as the place where George Washington said farewell to his officers in 1783. If you are interested in US history, this is one of the few addresses where it actually happened on site. The establishment still operates today, and its walls remember the country's early years.

14. El Fishawy (1779): Cairo, Egypt

El Fishawy cafe interior with mirrors and a chandelier

El Fishawy hides in an alley of the bustling Khan el-Khalili market in Cairo. Hand-carved wooden panel walls, sapphire-blue teapots, and gleaming trays are enveloped in the aromas of spices and coffee. The cafe owner originally served coffee here to friends after evening prayer. As its popularity grew, the establishment expanded, and tea, traditional snacks, and shisha appeared on the menu. The current owners, heirs of the founder, have preserved the traditions and atmosphere. If you want to see old Cairo, stop by for tea and shisha.

⁉️🤔 Frequently asked questions

Which restaurant is considered the oldest in the world?

Most often this title goes to Stiftskeller St. Peter in Salzburg: the establishment has operated at St. Peter's Abbey since 803 (as of 09/2026, Stiftskulinarium website in Salzburg). Formally it has not always been a restaurant in the modern sense, but the kitchen has been working here for more than twelve centuries. The closest competitor by age, The Old House 1147 in Wales, opened in 1147.

Do I need to book a table in advance?

Yes, for most establishments in this selection you should book a table in advance. La Tour d'Argent, A la Petite Chaise, and Cafe Procope in Paris are popular with tourists, so evening tables are not always available. Reservations usually go through the restaurants' official websites. Without a booking, you risk leaving empty-handed.

How much does dinner cost at these establishments?

The range is wide: from cafes with tea and shisha to fine dining restaurants with a Michelin star. At budget cafes like El Fishawy or Cafe Chris you will spend little, while at La Tour d'Argent the bill will be several times higher. Exact prices change, so check the current menu on the establishments' official websites before your visit.

Where are most of the oldest restaurants located?

The establishments on the list are spread across Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America. France has the most historic addresses: three in Paris alone. There are taverns in the US, historic houses in Sweden, China, Japan, Austria, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Wales, and Egypt. This spread is convenient if you are planning a trip across several regions.

Are these restaurants still operating today?

Yes, all establishments in this selection are active, otherwise they would not have made the list. Some, like La Tour d'Argent, recently underwent renovation and reopened. Others, like Honke Owariya in Kyoto, have operated without interruption for centuries. Before visiting, check the opening hours on the official websites: schedules change by season.

In short: what to book

If you want a record, start with Stiftskeller St. Peter in Salzburg: it is the oldest restaurant in the world and still open. For Parisian classics, go to La Tour d'Argent for fine dining, to A la Petite Chaise for a quiet family dinner, or to Cafe Procope for the atmosphere of the city's first literary cafe. For Asian cuisine, choose Honke Owariya in Kyoto or Ma Yu Ching's in Kaifeng. US history is on display at Fraunces Tavern in New York and White Horse Tavern in Newport. In Europe's old cities, check out Gran Caffe Quadri in Venice, Cafe Chris in Amsterdam, Zum Franziskaner in Stockholm, and The Old House 1147 in Wales.

The selection matrix is simple. If you have one evening in Salzburg, go with Stiftskeller St. Peter. If you are heading to Paris, spread the three addresses across different days. You can choose hotels for a trip to Salzburg here: view hotels on Trip.com.

14 Oldest restaurants in the world still operating today