The "Duke" opened its doors Oct. 31, 1983 and has kept them open every single day since then.

"This is a huge landmark. This type of business—pubs and restaurants—do not last this long and the anniversary bash is our way of saying thank you to our patrons," says Juan Carlos De Acha, General Manager and co-owner of the tavern. De Acha, originally from Bolivia, has been the manager of the pub since its beginnings.

"As part of our celebration we will serve free champagne and hors d' oeuvres to our customers and there will also be a specialized English buffet," says William McSweeny, another co-owner of the Duke. And there will be a rock and roll band to add extra zing to the anniversary bash.

McSweeny, an Irish native, and his British wife Pat bought into the Duke's partnership 11 years ago. "We were planning to start an English style pub around the time when the partnership at the Duke came up. We were very excited at the opportunity and jumped at the offer," says McSweeny.

The Duke continues to be one of the most authentic English pubs one can find outside the United Kingdom. Twenty years ago, three English men—Sam Gamble, Robert Copper and David Neal—and an American, Robert Blair, wanted to start a pub that would be reminiscent of the traditional Brit drinking culture.

So they recruited a British designer in London and custom made the entire facility there and shipped every part to Cupertino. Everything in this pub—from the Victorian style light fixtures to the deep mahogany colored wooden bars and columns to the brass railings and the scarlet and gold damask design on the walls—are authentic British fittings.

The Duke created such a stir when it first opened that even fiction writer, Sidney Sheldon mentions the pub in his book Tell Me Your Dreams.

Over the years the pub has turned into a watering hole not just for the British and Irish community in the Bay Area, but as a place for social gatherings and business negotiations. "We've had several executives from HP come here and bounce off ideas. I'd not be surprised if some of HP's greatest innovations were conceived over a pint of our Guinness," says De Acha.

Another notable visitor at the Duke includes John Hume, the Irish politician who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1998 for his efforts to find a peaceful solution to the conflict in Northern Ireland.

And just now Rugby fans have been gathering at The Duke during the wee hours of the morning to watch Rugby world cup games broadcast from Australia.

Since its inception some of the owners at the tavern have changed. But the "spirit" at the Duke of Edinburgh is always English. The Duke's liqueur selection ranges from draught beers like Bass Ale, Guinness Stout and Harp Lager to a wide selection of Scotch and Irish whiskeys, single malt scotches and the must-have gins. The restaurant's menu is also patriotic in its theme. There is the Norfolk Chicken and Mushroom pie, the Beef Wellington, prime ribs served with Yorkshire pudding or if one prefers, the more traditional fish and chips. The restaurant also serves a variety of seafood specialties.

The Duke of Edinburgh is located at 10801 N. Wolfe Road. For more details about the anniversary bash call 408.446.3853 or visit http://www.theduke.com.