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Britain's most historic restaurants

From a seaside oyster parlour to London glamour, we round up some of the oldest restaurants in the UK

Identifying Britain's most historic restaurants is a tough ask - not only because many claims are unsubstantiated, but because you could potentially include hundreds of our oldest pubs (many of which would have been the first port of call for hungry members of the general public). For the purposes of this list - and for our own sanity - we have only mentioned dedicated restaurants, rather than taverns. How many have you visited? Rules, London Often said to be London's oldest restaurant that is still on its original site, Rules was founded in 1798 and has lived through nine changes of monarch. It was originally an oyster bar, but these days specialises in classic British fare, from game to pies. Picture: © JTB MEDIA CREATION, Inc. / Alamy Credit: © JTB MEDIA CREATION, Inc. / Alamy
Wilton's, London Wilton's claims to be even older than Rules - it began life in 1742 as an shellfish stall ran by George William Wilton, a local shellfish monger. The restaurant has moved location several times, most recently in 1984, but still exudes a decidedly old-fashioned glamour.
Blackfriars, Newcastle The oldest dining room in the UK is said to be this restaurant, part of a former Dominican friary that dates all the way back to 1239. King Henry III was apparently a frequent visitor when he was in the north, as there was no tavern nearby. Picture: Blackfriars Credit: Blackfriars
Queen's Lane Coffee House, Oxford Oxford lays claim to Europe's longest-established coffee house, open for business since 1654. Today the venue is largely dedicated to feeding hungry students and tourists everything from bacon and eggs to fish and chips, but it would originally have been a place for writers, intellectuals and other members of the public to discuss the issues of the day over an exciting new beverage - coffee. Picture: © Lennart Maschmeyer / Alamy Credit: © Lennart Maschmeyer / Alamy
The Oldest Fish & Chip Shop in the World, Yeadon The first fish and chip shops are believed to have appeared in Britain the 1860s. The oldest is thought to be the imaginatively-titled 'The Oldest Fish & Chip Shop in the World', in Yeadon near Leeds, which claims to have opened in 1865. If you're after London's most historic chippy, head to Rock & Sole Plaice (pictured), founded in1871. Picture: © marc zakian / Alamy Credit: © marc zakian / Alamy
Simpson's, London This restaurant in the City claims to be London’s first chophouse, founded in 1757. It has had many famous visitors, including Samuel Pepys and Charles Dickens. Amazingly, women weren't allowed inside until 1916. Picture: Alamy Credit: Alamy
Veeraswamy, London The oldest surviving Indian restaurant in the UK is thought to be Veeraswamy, a few steps from Regent's Street, which was established in in 1926 by the grandson of an English soldier and an Indian princess.
Wheeler's Oyster Bar, Whitstable No trip to Whitstable would be complete without a visit to Wheeler's, a tiny little restaurant with space for only 12 people, founded in 1856 by a fisherman called Richard 'Leggy' Wheeler. Picture: © johnrochaphoto/England / Alamy Credit: © johnrochaphoto/England / Alamy
La Lombarda, Aberdeen The oldest Italian restaurant in the UK is thought to be Lombarda's in Aberdeen, which first started dishing up such exotic goodies as olives and spaghetti in 1922. Picture: La Lombarda/Facebook Credit: La Lombarda/Facebook