Obviously there were taverns and inns and what not, but when did the idea of an establishment built solely on feeding people for money come about?
hi! you may find more of interest in the FAQ
So as to avoid confusion, can you give the definition of what you consider the requirements of a restaurant to be? I say this because there were places in many urban permanent locations across western cultures in antiquity where made food could be acquired and consumed. I think that you are looking for something more than just a place where that could buy a boule of bread and munch on it indoors?