Jaw-Dropping Dining Experiences Worldwide

Some people eat simply to sustain themselves, others consider food a form of art. As self-proclaimed foodies, we are always excited to learn what culinary artists are doing around the world. Whether it is the environment, the ingredients, or the way food is presented, a particular meal can stay in your memory for a lifetime. Below are some jaw-dropping dining experiences you should add to your bucket list. 

Did you know that you can dine 5.8 meters (19 feet) underwater? 5.8 Undersea Restaurant is the largest all-glass underwater eatery on the planet. However, the restaurant, housed within the Hurawalhi Island Resort, accommodates no more than 10 couples. Guests dine under a spectacular arched tunnel offering kaleidoscopic views of the Indian Ocean’s local marine life. 

You can choose from a 5-course lunch or 7-course dinner, and specify whether you would like seafood, meat, or vegan offerings. Despite the incredible surroundings, the restaurant is relatively affordable – $130/person for 7 courses.

The Belmond hotel chain has recreated the golden age of train travel by refurbishing the opulent carriages of the British Pullman. The coaches date from the 1920s to 1950s, and their original art-deco style interiors have been meticulously restored. Guests can choose from a variety of day trips leaving from London’s Victoria Station, including sparkling afternoon teas, visits to period mansions, and wine tasting trips to local wineries. For all Murder On The Orient Express fans, we highly recommend the “Moving Murder” experience. You get to consume an exquisite 5-course meal, while you interact with live actors and solve a murder mystery. 

You will be treated like royalty while you steam across the English countryside. You can expect a luxurious gastronomic experience akin to the best London restaurants. Depending on the journey, you may receive a 3-course or 5-course meal, and there are vegan and vegetarian menus available. 

In this Vienna restaurant, your food arrives by roller coaster! Start by placing your food and drink order on an electronic tablet. Next, sit down at a table set below a winding roller coaster track. Watch your meal loop-de-loop its way down the 8-meter track before landing on your table! Another high-tech feature in the dining area is the pair of robots that mix your cocktails and dance along to light shows. The menu at ROLLERCOASTERRESTAURANT contains Austrian favorites such as Cordon Bleu, as well as hamburgers, pastas, and salads. 

One of the oldest restaurants in Paris serves a unique French delicacy that has attracted diners for over 400 years. First, we should mention that you can enjoy gorgeous views of the city of lights from the 6th floor restaurant, including the iconic Notre Dame Cathedral. In addition, The Silver Tower’s cellar has one of the finest collections of French wine in the world — you can choose from over 15,000 wines! Please note that dining at this gastronomic institution comes with a hefty price tag. Its five-course menus start at 360 euros (approx. $390 USD) per person. 

Tour D’Argent is famous for its traditional (some say barbaric) way of preparing duck. The tableside presentation involves a sterling silver press that costs thousands of euros. Your waiter will remove the skin, legs, breast and liver from a medium rare roasted duck. He or she will proceed to crush the duck’s carcass in the press until the blood, bone marrow, and organ juices run into a dish. The liquids will then be turned into a rich sauce by adding stock, pulverized liver, brandy or cognac, and butter. Whether you are intrigued or repulsed, you cannot deny that eating pressed duck in blood sauce is a once in a lifetime opportunity. 

Most foodies despise dinner theater, because the cuisine is typically an afterthought. We have seen some wonderful Cirque du Soleil shows, broadway musical tributes, etc. but had to digest the tasteless meal that accompanied the entertainment.

By contrast, the SW Steakhouse in Macau is primarily a fine-dining restaurant. It serves sumptuous steak and seafood dishes in an elegant environment. However, you will be pleasantly surprised when a curtain opens every 30 minutes to reveal a 2-3 minute show. The restaurant has a series of six 3-D shows that combine computer animation, puppetry and animatronics. The visual displays provide you with cute moments of entertainment, but they are not too long or loud to disturb your meal. 

If you are looking for dinner with a difference, head to this iconic cliffside cave restaurant in Puglia. Its terrace is carved out of limestone rock and diners can gaze out at the beautiful Adriatic Sea. Ristorante Grotta Palazzese is open during the spring and summer months, and serves refined Italian cuisine. The menu features dishes based in the Apulian culinary tradition, and you will find decadent ingredients such as Wagyu beef, truffle, and Beluga caviar. 

Unless you are scared of heights, why not try eating in the sky? You will be seated at a table that is attached to a crane. After putting on your seatbelt, you, the chef, and your fellow diners will be raised 50 meters (165 feet) into the sky. Enjoy epic views while you hover over your chosen city, and dig into a tasty meal prepared before your eyes. If you are not hungry enough for a multi-course dinner, Dinner In The Sky also offers cocktail experiences and wine tastings. 

Bored with your usual Starbucks’ coffee? Elevate your java by adding 24K gold! In the striking lobby lounge at Dubai’s Burj Al Arab hotel, you can sip the “Signature Gold Cappuccino” for 120 dirhams (approx. $33 USD). The lavishly decorated Sahn Eddar Lounge is on the first floor of one of Dubai’s most expensive hotels (it is considered a 7-star hotel), and it is known for its sophisticated afternoon tea service. 

The coffee itself is made from 100% Arabica beans, and it is topped with foamed milk that has been blended with 24-carat gold dust. If you prefer your coffee with some booze added, you can opt for a “Golden Espresso Martini” instead. 

If you don’t mind getting wet, you should consider dining at Villa Escudero. The restaurant has secured bamboo tables to the base of a small waterfall! Guests remove their shoes and dip their feet into the rushing waters of the Labasin waterfall as they tuck into a Kamayan-style buffet with barbecued fish or chicken, rice, and fruit spread across banana leaves. Obviously the location is Instagram-worthy, but the restaurant is also known for its solid culinary offerings and friendly staff. 

You can dine in a winter wonderland at the Ice Restaurant in Finland. You will be seated in all-white dining room that has been carved entirely out of ice and snow. The restaurant serves a three course dinner menu for 80 euros. The chefs rely on local ingredients to make dishes such as reindeer carpaccio, charred Bothnian whitefish, and fried Arctic char. Be sure to dress warmly for this one-of-a-kind dining experience!

We hope this article has made you hungry! If you are looking for other places to add to your bucket list, please read some of our other travel- related content such as Incredible Castles Around The World, Top 5 Places To Ring In The New Year, and Waterfalls Worth The Trip.