THE WORLDS FIRST RESTAURANT 

"THE BOULANGER"

 

The concept of a "restaurant" as we know it today, a place where people go to dine and be served food and drinks by professional cooks and servers, has evolved over time.

The world's first recorded restaurant was established in 1765 in Paris, France, by a man named Boulanger. He called his establishment a "restaurateur," which means "restorer" in French, as he claimed that his soups and broths were a cure for tiredness and other ailments. Boulanger's establishment on rue des Poulies, near the Louvre, served mostly bouillons restaurants—that is, "restorative broths." Boulanger, in the beginning served a single dish - sheep’s feet simmered in a white sauce.

In addition to being a soup vendor, Boulanger was also a guy with a sense of humor: his establishment's motto was the Latin invitation Venite ad me omnes qui stomacho laboratis et ego vos restaurabo. The sentence translates as "Come to me all who suffer from pain of the stomach and I will restore you"—a punning allusion to both the restorative quality of his broths and Jesus's invitation found in Matthew 11:28 "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

 

La Grande Taverne de Londres was the first luxury restaurant that was founded in Paris in 1782.The restaurant was established by a Frenchman named Antoine Beauvilliers, who was a pioneer of modern French cuisine. It quickly became a popular dining destination, attracting high society members and celebrities of the time, such as Charles Dickens, William Thackeray, and Beau Brummell.

La Grande Taverne de Londres was known for its luxurious decor, which included marble columns, chandeliers, and mirrors. The menu offered a range of French dishes, including lobster bisque, beef bourguignon, and duck confit. It also had a large selection of wines and spirits from around the world.

However, there were earlier establishments that served food and drinks to the public. For example, in ancient Rome, there were thermopolia, which were small stalls that sold hot food and drinks to customers. In China, teahouses and taverns existed as early as the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) where customers could order food and drinks.

Overall, the concept of eating outside of the home has been around for thousands of years, but the modern restaurant as we know it today was born in France in the 18th century.