Sometimes you just want to try something new, experience something unique. And there’s plenty of places to do that around the world! Here are a few unique restaurants to try. Tired of your neighbourhood gastropub? Had enough of the weekly wine and cheese night at your favourite haunt? Why not try something new and weird, and marvel at a completely different, unique dining experience? We’ve compiled a list of the unique, wacky and different places that deserve a try, around the world.
Safe House, Milwaukee and Chicago For those die hard James Bond fans this is a perfect night out. You need a password to enter, and once you enter you are given a mission to complete, after which a dinner is served, all with appropriate puns and spy code names.
The Rock Bar, Zanzibar Perched on a rockin the sea this is one unique place to sip a martini. There are only 12 tables, each with stunning views, and there’s a nice deck for aperitifs and cocktails before starting your meal. The cuisine is largely local and seaofood based. At low tide you can walk across, at high tide they have a little boat to take you back to shore.
Dinner in the Sky A crane hoists up a table with seats, and you are snugly fastened into your chair with some seatbelts, your feet dangling below in thin air. The mini restaurant has been hoisted up above countless cities around the world, and may be coming to a crane near you soon!
Wildman Wilderness Lodge, Australia The Wildman lodge is set in the Mary River National Park, the so-called bush. Find some peace in just sitting out and enjoying the unique scenery or head out for a bird spotting tour after breakfast, lunch or dinner. The food is regionally sourced of course and showcases some of Australia’s fresh cuisine.
Four Seasons, Whistler The Four Seasons gives you the unique option to take a helicopter to a glacier where you will be able to enjoy a glass of sparkling wine and some bites, while you explore a cave under the glacier. Then the helicopter takes you back for a regionally sourced menu of outstanding culinary delights.
Ninja, New York You enter and are greeted by ninja’s who take you through a labyrinth of corridors whilst fighting, tumbling and shouting. You are seated in a nook in one of the open areas and there’s table-side tricks and magic to keep you entertained.
Ithaa at Conrad, Maldives We wrote about unique Ithaa before, when we were talking about the best views. Even if it’s not the view you are after, Ithaa is simply stunning. Dining in an underwater tunnel with fish swarming around you with coral gardens nearby. And on top of that, the food ain’t bad either with six course culinary menus that showcase the chef’s talents.
Soneva Kiri, Thailand Imagine your food being brought to you by waiters coming down ziplines. And you are up in a little pod between the branches of a tropical rainforest with spectacular views over the ocean. The pod is hoisted up after you take your seat! Talk about a unique dining experience.
Casa Palopo, Guatemala This hotel looks out over beautiful Lake Atitlan with 3 volcanoes as backdrop: San Pedro, Toliman and Atitlan. The restaurant is perched on a slope and gives a unique vantage point for Guatemala’s beauty.
Redwoods Treehouse, New Zealand Only available for group events, this wooden structure sits atop a tree. You reach it from a raised wooden walkway, and at night the structure is beautifully lit creating a magical atmosphere. It can seat up to 30 guests.
Huvafen Fushi, Maldives These guys have combined not one but several unique dining experiences into one resort. You can eat under the stars perched on the edge of a reef, or you can eat over the swimming pool while sparkling lights are submerged all around you. Oh and then they have a submerged wine bar.
O.NOIR, Toronto We’ve written about dining in the dark before, and this is where it all began. The idea is that your other senses are used more and provide more stimuli if one of them is not used, in this case the eyes. Luckily you can still read the menu in the bar when you arrive, where there are a few lights, and you can choose your dishes for the evening. You then go into a dark room for dinner where everything will be explained and you will have to find your way around your plate and table!
Trinity Place, New York We’re guessing most people haven’t seen the inside of a gi-normous bank vault, and wouldn’t mind a sneak peek. Why not combine a sneak peek with some bites and a drink? You enter through 35 ton doors into a heavily fortified dining room and bar area. The other dining area is the former board room of the bank.
Moon Bar and Vertigo, Thailand Set on the 61st floor, the small Moon Bar and larger Vertigo restaurant are a beautiful rooftop venue, providing 360 degree panoramas of Bangkok. Because it’s one of the the highest building in the area, the views are unobstructed and an evening here promises to be very memorable. Central Perk, Beijing The owner of Central Perk has re-created the café from Friends, including the sofa, the logo and lots of other details that will make you feel like you are part of the hit-series set. There are episodes running on screens across the café, and they serve decent coffees and cocktails, so what’s not to like after a tiring day of sightseeing?
Snow Castle Restaurant, Finland Imagine a castle built completely from snow and ice, with tables made of ice, and all your food and drink being served on ice plates and in ice glasses! Finland has its own unique snow castle and it opens from January to April every year. There’s even a chapel where you can get married. Bring on the fur!
Singapore Flyer Take the Singapore flyer, but have a four course menu with a group of close friends while the flyer rotates two full turns, giving you ample time to enjoy magnificent views of the Singapore skyline.
Napa Valley Wine Train Imagine gently gliding through the Napa Valley vineyards while enjoying cuisine expertly paired with regional wines. They have differently themed trips which include a romantic version with magnificent views from a dome on top of the train, a murder mystery themed trip and other trips take you past a number of vineyards and give you a full history and tasting session.
El Tovar Lodge, Grand Canyon Imagine digging into a succulent perfectly grilled steak on the rim of the grand canyon while watching the sun set. El Tovar Lodge is magnificently located on the edge of one of the world’s most stunning landscapes and has built their restaurants with beautiful views of the canyons.
Le Panoramic, France Whether you’re skiing, snowboarding, hiking or just want to get a glimpse of Mont Blanc, Panoramic remains a unique place to have a snack and sit in awe at the scenery around you. You can only get there by gondola or cable car, but the ride alone is worth the trip crossing over snowcapped ridges in winter and lush green slopes in summer.
Nekorobi Cat Café, Tokyo Maybe spectacular is not the right word, but unique certainly applies to this restaurant. This is cat lover heaven, with dozens of cats lounging about and looking for a cuddle and a stroke. The food and drinks for humans is limited, and comes from vending machines.
De Kas, Amsterdam At the Kas you eat vegetables and produce that have come straight from the greenhouse that is part of the compound, harvested on the morning of your meal. The Chef is a Michelin-star entrepreneur who spends a lot of his own time gardening and nursing plants.
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