Chasing Hemingway in Madrid: Dinner at Botín
It seems everywhere you go in Spain, you’re chasing Ernest Hemingway’s shadow. Plenty of restaurants and bars, in Madrid especially, lay claim to the fact that the ever-traveling writer once ate or drank there. But Botín has written proof to back up their claims: in the last scene of Hemingway’s famous novel “The Sun Also Rises,” the main character, Jake, dines at none other than Botín:
We lunched upstairs at Botin’s. It is one of the best restaurants in the world. We had roast young suckling pig and drank rioja alta. Brett did not eat much. She never ate much. I ate a very big meal and drank three bottles of rioja alta. —Ernest Hemingway
Located on a restaurant-rich street leading off the Plaza Mayor in the gastronomic heart of Madrid, Botín also claims to be the world’s oldest restaurant, dating back to 1725, and they’ve got the Guinness World Records certificate to prove it. Once you descend the tight and narrow steps into the labyrinth caves below street level, you begin to believe it. The caves below offer a cozy ambiance complete with curious nooks and unique decorations, while above ground are two more levels, outfitted in the traditional Spanish style.
The restaurant’s specialty is Cochinillo Asado, or Roast Suckling Pig. A culinary specialty of nearby Segovia, this dish is flavorful, succulent, and roasted in the traditional Castilian way in a wood-burning oven. Be sure to also sample Botín’s cool and refreshing gazpacho soup, the best I’ve tasted in all of Spain (so far). It’s creamy and hand-topped by your waiter with your preferred quantity of tomatoes, breadcrumbs, green peppers, and cucumbers. The sangria is great as well, but literary aficionados will want to be sure to raise a glass of rioja alta wine, Hemingway style. Botín takes online reservations, and only has seatings at set hours, so be sure to book ahead!
Botín
Calle de los Cuchilleros 17
Madrid, 28005
Tel: +34 91 366 3026
Nearest metro stops: Opera, Sol, or La Latina
Open 1-4 p.m. for lunch, and 8-midnight for dinner monday-sunday
