One Of Oldest Restaurants In World Is In This Small Iowa Town!

One of the world's oldest bar and restaurants is in this Iowa town with under 100 residents.

Breitbach's Country Dining and bar has been located in Balltown, Iowa for over 150 years.

Balltown is a small town with a population of 79 located just north of Dubuque, Iowa in the easter edge of the state.

The original Breitbach's building served as a cornerstone of the Balltown community.

Established in 1852 with a federal permit from President Millard Fillmore, Breitbach's is the oldest continuously operating food and beverage establishment in Iowa.

Jacob Breitbach, the great-great-grandfather of the current owner, acquired the business in 1862, and for six generations, the Breitbach family has maintained ownership.

Throughout the decades, it functioned in various capacities such as a stagecoach stop, private residence, hotel, grocery store, tavern, and restaurant.

However, this historic structure met its demise on December 24, 2007, when it was completely razed by a devastating fire.

The present restaurant stands on the original tavern's site, which was completely demolished by a gas explosion and fire in 2007.

Within six months, a second building opened to the public, but it too burned down merely ten months after the first fire.

With support from the Balltown community, reconstruction began a second time and the current structure was completed in August 2009.

Breitbach's has a full menu with lots of tasty items but as they're website states... “We are a restaurant best known for our buffet and homemade pie!”