From high in the sky to under the sea, these 18 restaurants with unique surroundings are a feast for the eyes. Whether stepping into the past or gazing as far as the eye can see, these restaurants will surely provide a memorable dining experience for your next meal.
If you know of any other restaurants with unique surroundings, let us know in the comments below so we can do a follow-up post!
01. Under The Sea, Ithaa Restaurant, Maldives
Photo by: © 2012 Conrad Hotels & Resorts
Located 16 feet (4.87m) below sea level, Ithaa restaurant offers unparalleled 180° views of sea life while you dine. The restaurant is part of the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island resort and is truly one of the most exciting dining experiences in the world.
Ithaa, which means mother-of-pearl in Dhivehi, is a primarily acrylic structure with a 14-person capacity. The space is approximately 5m x 9m (16ft x 30ft) and was designed and constructed by M.J. Murphy. The restaurant officially opened on April 15, 2005. The entrance to Ithaa is through a spiral staircase in a thatched pavilion at the end of a jetty.
For more information, please visit the official site at Conrad Maldives Rangali Island Resort
02. Inside A Cave Overlooking The Water, Grotta Palazzese – Polignano A Mare, Italy
Photog by: Grotta Palazzese
In the town of Polignano, a Mare in southern Italy (province of Bari, Apulia) lies a most intriguing dining experience at the Grotta Palazzese. Open only during the summer months; a restaurant is created inside a vaulted limestone cave, looking outwards toward the sea. The restaurant is part of the Grotta Palazzese Hotel located above.
03. Surrounded By Snow, SnowRestaurant – Kemi, Finland
Photo by: Timo Laapotti, Kemi Tourism Ltd
SnowRestaurant is located at the LumiLinna Snowcastle in Kemi, Finland. The restaurant is rebuilt annually and typically opens around the end of January for lunch and dinner (daily). The temperature in the restaurant is always around -5 degrees Celsius. Reservations must be made in advance; you can see the menu for the upcoming season here.
04. Dinner In The Sky, Locations Around the World
Photo by: dinnerinthesky.com
Dinner in the Sky is hosted at a table suspended at a height of 50 meters by a team of professionals and can be installed anywhere in the world as long as there is a surface of approximately 500 m² that can be secured. It is available for a session of 8 hours and can accommodate up to 22 people around the table at every session with three staff in the middle (chef, server, entertainer). To date, there has been Dinner in the Sky events in 40 different countries. Visit the official site for more information.
05. Surrounded By Mountains, Berggasthaus Aescher – Wasserauen, Switzerland
Photo via: Switzerland Tourism
Berggasthaus Aescher is located 1454 meters (4,770 ft) above sea level and is open from May 1 – October 31 annually—the cliffside restaurant rewards hikers with remarkable views of the Alpstein area in Wasserauen, Switzerland. The vertical cliff face it hangs to is over 100 meters high. A cable car can also take you back down to the valley. For more information, visit MySwitzerland.com and TripAdvisor. You can also find the restaurant’s contact information below for any inquiries.
06. Restaurant On A Rock, The Rock – Zanzibar, Tanzania
Photo by: Jonty Medcalf / travelstart.co.za
The Rock is located southeast of Zanzibar Island on the Michamwi Pingwe peninsula (about 45 minutes from Stone Town). The restaurant is situated on a rock not far from the shore. Patrons can reach the restaurant by foot during low tide and by boat at high tide (offered by the restaurant).
Visit the official site for more information: www.therockrestaurantzanzibar.com
07. Inside A Thousand-Year-Old Cistern, Sarnic Restaurant – Istanbul, Turkey
Photo by: Sarnic Restaurant
A cistern is a waterproof receptacle often built to catch and store rainwater. In Istanbul, Turkey, this thousand-year-old cistern features high domes supported on six stone piers at the top of the hill at the end of the row of small hotels in the narrow street immediately behind St. Sophia. It is now the site of a unique restaurant called Sarnic.
08. Open Air Rooftop Dining, Sirocco At Lebua Hotel – Bangkok, Thailand
Photo by: Lebua Hotels & Resorts
The award-winning, open-air rooftop restaurant, Sirocco, is on the 63rd floor of the Lebua Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand. Patrons are graced with incredible views of the bustling city below as they dine on authentic Mediterranean fare. For reservations and additional information, visit the official site.
09. Tree-Top Dining With Zip-Line Service, Treepod At Soneva Kiri – Koh Kood, Bangkok
Photo by: Soneva Kiri Resort
The Soneva Kiri resort guests in Koh Kood, Bangkok, are invited to experience Treepod dining. Guests are seated in a bamboo pod after being hoisted up into the tropical foliage of Koh Kood’s ancient rainforest. You can gaze out across the boulder-covered shoreline while your food and drink are delivered via the zip-line acrobatics of your server.
For more information, visit the official site.
10. Wet Feet And Waterfalls, Labassin Waterfall Restaurant – Philippines
Photo via: Matador Trips
Located at the Villa Escudero Plantations and Resort in the Philippines is the Labassin Waterfall Restaurant. The restaurant is only open for lunch, and guests dine from a buffet-style menu and eat at bamboo dining tables. It’s not a natural waterfall but a spillway from the Labasin Dam. The dam’s reservoir has been turned into a lake where visitors can rave in traditional bamboo rafts and explore the Filipino culture at shows, facilities, and additional restaurants on the sprawling property. Visit Villa Escudero’s official site for more information.
11. A Reclaimed Bank And A VIP Vault Room, The Bedford – Chicago, United States
Photo by: The Bedford
Located in Chicago’s Wicker Park, The Bedford reclaimed a historic private bank from 1926 and transformed the space into a supper club. The 8,000-square foot (743 sq. m) lower-level interior features terracotta, marble, and terrazzo, all reclaimed and restored from the original bank. The walls of the VIP vault room are lined with over 6,000 working copper lock boxes.
12. World’s Highest Restaurant, Atmosphere At Burj Khalifa – Dubai
Photo by: At.mosphere Burj Khalifa
Sprawling over 1,030 meters on level 122 of the world’s tallest building (at a height of over 442 meters/1,450 ft) and two levels below the At the Top observatory deck, At.mosphere is the holder of the Guinness World Record for the ‘highest restaurant from ground level.’
For reservations and more information, call +971 4 888 3444 or visit the official website.
13. Eating In The Outback, Sounds Of Silence At Ayers Rock Resort – Australia
Photo by: Ayers Rock Resort
At the Sounds of Silence experience, you can dine under the canopy of the desert night. The adventure begins with canapés and chilled sparkling wine on a viewing platform overlooking the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. A bush tucker-inspired buffet with native bush ingredients such as crocodile, kangaroo, barramundi, and quandong is offered.
Afterward, a resident star talker decodes the southern night sky, locating the Southern Cross, the signs of the zodiac, the Milky Way, and the planets and galaxies that are visible due. Visit the official site for more information.
14. Luxury Ferris Wheel Dining, Sky Dining At The Singapore Flyer – Singapore
Photo by: Singapore Flyer on Flickr
At the height of 165 meters (541 ft), Singapore Flyer is the world’s largest giant observation wheel, offering panorama views of Marina Bay’s skyline with a glimpse of neighboring Malaysia and Indonesia. The Full Butler Sky Dining experience comes with exclusive Gueridon service, a 4-course menu, wine pairing options, personalized butler service, and skyline views in the comfort of a spacious capsule.
For more information, visit the official site.
15. Spiritual Dining, Pitcher & Piano – Nottingham, England
Photo by: Pitcher & Piano Nottingham on Facebook
Set within a deconsecrated church in the Lace Market, Pitcher & Piano Nottingham features stained glass windows, church candles, vintage bric-a-brac, and cozy Chesterfields. An all-day food menu with standard pub fare is offered for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
16. Historic Dining, Ristorante Da Pancrazio – Rome, Italy
Photo by: Ristorante Da Pancrazio
Ristorante Da Pancrazio is built over the Theater of Pompey’s ruins, the well-known 1st Century B.C. theater where Julius Caesar was murdered. The restaurant has become famous for its unique halls as you dine on traditional Roman cuisine.
17. Precarious Dining Procurement, Fanweng Restaurant – Yichang, China
Fanweng Restaurant is in the Happy Valley of the Xiling Gorge near Yichang in China’s Hubei province. Carved into a cliff, the restaurant floor hangs several hundred feet above the ground, offering views of the Yangtze River below. Only a portion of the dining area is set over the cliff, as the rest of the space is inside a natural cave. For more information, visit this blog, or call the restaurant direct at 0717-8862179.
18. Monumental Dining, 58 Tour Eiffel – Paris, France
Photo by: D. Milherou
58 Tour Eiffel is an award-winning restaurant located on the first level of the iconic Eiffel Tower. Diners enjoy a stunning view of the Champ de Mars, Les Invalides, Montparnasse Tower, Montmartre, and the surrounding cityscape of Paris. Chef Alain Soulard prepares fine French cuisine. Visit the official site for more information.
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