A Taste Of Time: 5 Of The Oldest Restaurants In Asia

Asian cuisine is as vast and varied as its geographical landscape. India alone is home to a diversity of culinary arts and it can take several lifetimes to sample them all. The continent is home to plenty of restaurants and cafés which are over a century old so join us as we explore five of the oldest ones.

Don’t blame us if you start salivating midway through this guide.

Bianyifang, Beijing (608 Years Old)

Bianyifang was established in 1416 during the Ming dynasty but its name harkens back even further to 1552. Yang Jisheng, a junior official in the Ministry of War, tasted its famous Peking Duck and inscribed the signboard with the name “Bianyifang.” It is one of the most popular restaurants in China and in 2008, its techniques for cooking braised duck were included in the country’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list.

Located in Beijing but with branches all over the country, a perfectly prepared Bianyifang Braised Duck is characterised by its reddish-brown hue, glossy and crispy skin, delicate white meat and delectable flavour.

Address: China, Beijing, Dongcheng, Xianyukou St, 鲜鱼口65-77号 邮政编码: 100051

Honke Owariya, Kyoto (559 Years Old)

Founded as a confectionery shop in 1465, Honke Owariya was started by the ancestors of the current proprietor's family after they arrived in Kyoto from present-day Nagoya. Their signature dessert of soba mochi was created around the end of the Edo period. Since its creation more than 150 years ago, soba mochi continues to be prepared by carefully cooking azuki (red) beans, wrapping them in a soba-flavoured crust and sprinkling black sesame seeds on top.

Honke Owariya subsequently expanded its business in the Edo period and started offering soba noodles as well. Among their many customers were the Japanese emperor’s family and monks of the Zen temples. Today, Honke Owariya produces more than 15,000 noodle dishes for indoor dining and takeout for cooking at home during New Year’s Eve.

Address: Japan, 〒604-0841 Kyoto, Nakagyo Ward, Niomontsukinukecho 322

Tai Ping Koon Restaurant, Hong Kong (164 Years Old)

This restaurant was established in 1860 during the Qing dynasty by chef Chui Lo Ko, who made Western dishes while working at a trading company in Guangzhou. After he left he began to create a fusion of Chinese and Western dishes which proved to be immensely popular with customers. Some of his special dishes included roasted pigeon, smoked pomfret and baked coconut chicken in Portuguese style, attracting customers as renowned as Sun Yat-sen, Zhou Enlai and Chiang Kai-shek.

In 1938 the successors of Chui launched Tai Ping Koon in Hong Kong, which is still run by his descendants to this day. None of its branches are in mainland China now but it has four offshoots in Hong Kong for visitors to sample roasted leg of pig, fried flat noodles with sliced beef and baked crab meat in shell.

Address: 40 Hong Kong, Granville Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong

Leopold Café And Bar, Mumbai (153 Years Old)

The Leopold Café and Bar was founded in 1871 by Zoroastrian immigrants who migrated to Mumbai in the 19th century. Named after King Leopold of Belgium, it started out as a wholesale cooking oil store but has since evolved into a restaurant, store and pharmacy. The café was one of the locations hit by the 2008 Mumbai attacks and was extensively damaged. It is a beloved institution in the city that never sleeps and visitors can be found ordering beef teriyaki, shepherd’s pie, beef chilli and walnut pie.

The café found literary fame when it was mentioned in Gregory David Roberts’ novel “Shantaram” and its sequel “The Mountain Shadow.”

Address: Police Station, Shahid Bhagat Singh Road, Colaba Causeway, near Colaba, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400001

Tek Heng, Bangkok (Nearly 135 Years Old)

Opened during the reign of King Chulalongkorn (1868-1910), also known as Rama V, Tek Heng was founded sometime around 1890 in Bangkok. Locally known as Mee Krob Jeen Lee, its founding owner Jeen Lee is purported to have served their specialty dish of mee krob (crispy vermicelli) to King Rama V who was pleasantly surprised by its flavours and honoured Lee with a visit to his palace.

Customers should sample its pad cha fish ball, sun-dried amberjack, tom yum beef stew, snakehead fish cooked with betel leaf, stuffed omelette, fried shrimp cakes with sweet plum sauce and fried curried fish cakes with chili sauce.

Address: 326-330, Talat Phlu, Thon Buri, Bangkok 10600, Thailand