In Tarpukariu, on Gediminas Avenue, where the "Draugystė" bookstore is now located, there was one founded by Serbs restaurant, where three Serbs worked, guide Gabija Lunevičiūtė tells LRT RADIO. According to her, this restaurant was particularly liked by Vilnius women, but after drinking coffee, citizens and guests of Vilnius more often went to the adjacent restaurant "Pas Rudnicki".
If you remember the entire history of Gediminas Avenue, you can better understand the XNUMXth-XNUMXth centuries. The history of Vilnius. Of course, the history of cafes and restaurants is also worth mentioning. There was definitely a difference between cafes and restaurants. A cafe was a place where there was coffee, tea, milk. But various spirits, as alcoholic drinks were called at that time, were not available in cafes - that's what they were for restaurants.
In the building at the beginning of Gediminas avenue, in the 1939th century. Ave. was the restaurant "Medved" ("Bear"). When Vilnius briefly, for just a few months in XNUMX in autumn, was returned to Lithuania, one of the first already Lithuanian restaurants with the very Lithuanian name "Birutė" was established, but it did not work for a very long time. It's hard to say for what, although it was possible to order cakes, pies, "babkas" etc
When Vilnius fell to the Poles, Sebastijon Rudnicki, who became the manager of these premises, opened the cafe "Pas Rudnicki", where intellectuals also gathered. As soon as you entered the door, you had to "fight back" against the smoke barrier, because, of course, there was smoking everywhere. Directors, actors, and journalists often came to the cafe, which offered non-alcoholic drinks, and ordered "little blacks".
This place was very popular with educated or educated people, among whom was Czesław Milosz. In his memoirs, he writes that in 1940 in June, while sitting at "Pas Rudnicki" he saw Soviet tanks rolling here, along the Cathedral, along the castle.
In the Soviet era, the legendary "Site of Literature" was opened in this place. They have accepted more than one credit here Vilnius University teachers, poets have written more than one poem. For example, Paulius Širvys liked to write on napkins.
Gediminas Ave. 2, where the "Draugystė" bookstore is now, the "exotic" cafe "Yugoslavia" operated between the wars, founded and staffed by three Serbs. Residents of the city of Vilnius were very interested in this cafe, because Serbs are tall, handsome, black-browed men who know how to say a kind word. In "Yugoslavia" they made ice cream, cold refreshing summer drink and Turkish coffee. The people of Vilnius were not really interested in Turkish coffee. Maybe it was not tasty anyway, maybe the Lithuanian palate was not used to its taste, so very often, when the waiter brought Turkish coffee, people ran to "Pas Rudnicki" and asked for "small, black, traditional".
Kazimieras Stralis, a merchant, lived in Vilnius. Their family owned the building on Pilies Street, where the Signatory House is now located. Even at the time when the Act of Independence was signed (February 1918, 16), the "White Štralis" cafe was on the first floor. By the way, in addition to "Baltoj Štralis", "Raudonasis Štralis" and "Žaliasis Štralis" also operated in Vilnius. The colors - red, green and white - depended on the interior, and the clientele also varied. The clientele of "Raudonoj Štralis" - journalists, officers, and officials - cannot be compared with a pastor who ordered a cake with coffee, maybe a glass.
And "Green Stralis" had its own orchestra. It was a women's orchestra, the conductor - a woman, from the sides - three girls each playing various musical instruments. "Green Stralis" could have been found in the current courtyard of the Little Theater, with one of the entrances to the Little Theater on the left and a shoe shop, the former central gastronome, on the right.
There were fewer intellectuals in "Green Strahl" - more often it was elderly men from the city who liked to drink beer. By the way, at that time it was believed that beer was not "spirituality", but a very unintelligent drink.
The oldest restaurants in the world date back centuries
Located in the heart of Madrid, the Sobrino de Botin restaurant is officially recognized by the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest restaurant in the world.
This restaurant is quintessentially Spanish, four stories high, with a wine cellar, classic Spanish food, and much of the food is cooked in a wood-fired oven. By the way, it was built when the restaurant was founded in 1725, so the restaurant is already 292 years old.
No matter how strange and ironic it is, the restaurant was not founded by a Spaniard, but by a Frenchman. Its first name was "Casa Botin" (lit. "House of Botin"), and a little later, when the founder's nephew inherited the restaurant, it was renamed "Sobrino de Botin". Translated into Lithuanian, it means "Botin's nephew".
This restaurant is famous for legends. It is said that even the famous painter Francisco Goya washed dishes here. Sobrino de Botin is mentioned in many works of Ernest Hemingway. The writer claimed that this was his favorite place in Madrid, and the American tried to dine here as often as possible during his stay in Spain.
In this one in a restaurant not only many tourists like to dine, but also the king of Spain. The place is definitely worth it because, as many specialists and guides say, it is not only a place where you can come to eat, but also a kind of museum.
Berlin's oldest restaurant predates Sobdrino de Botin in 1621, but it doesn't have the documents to back it up for the Guinness Book of Records. However restaurant the owners claim it is so old.
People like Beethoven and Napoleon are said to have visited here. During the Second World War, the building was destroyed and rebuilt only in 1963. Until the fall of the Berlin Wall, it belonged to the state, as did much of the property in East Germany. But later, after the fall of the wall, the current owners of the restaurant bought this restaurant. They keep all the traditions of German cuisine and are said to have very large portions.
Another interesting restaurant is "La Tour d`Argent" in Paris. In Lithuanian it would mean "Silver Tower". The restaurant claims that it was founded in 1582, but there are no documents to support this either. It is mentioned in historical sources only in 1824.
It is said that the street on which the restaurant is located and still operates today was not paved until 1650, so every time it rained it created a terrible mud that was difficult to walk through. Also, at the time the restaurant opened, it was attached to a former hotel next door, which was very cheap, almost like a hostel, and not the best of reputations.
Now it is one of the most impressive restaurants, serving the signature dish - duck liver pate. The ducks are raised on a farm that belongs to the restaurant itself. Every person who ordered this pâté from the XNUMXth century. receives a certificate with the number of the duck whose liver he ate.
By the way, it was this restaurant that inspired the 2007 cartoon "La Stew". It is depicted that the character of the movie, the mouse, prepares food in this restaurant.
Jurgita Čeponytė, Rūta Dambravaite, LRT RADIO show "Ryto garsai", LRT.lt
