If you’ve ever wanted to dine in a Tanzanian crater or beneath the Indian Ocean, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve compiled a list of some of the world’s most extraordinary restaurants and provided you with a route to take you there.
The culinary capitals of Paris and Singapore are well-known. However, some of the world’s most intriguing meals are prepared and served in far-flung culinary locales.
Restaurante el Diablo, Canary Islands, Spain:
In the restaurant el Diablo on Lanzarote Island, superheated steam from an active volcano vent in Timanfaya National Park is used to cook the food.
The park, which was founded in 1974, is centered on the Montaas del Fuego, or “Mountains of Fire,” in a barren volcanic landscape that looks like Mars. Prior to the establishment of the mountaintop restaurant, a visitor center, hiking trails, and a road for motorcoaches by park officials, the area was thought to be a barren wasteland.
Karczma Górnicza, Wieliczka Salt Mine, Poland The 180-mile-long Wieliczka Salt Mine is buried deep beneath Krakow in southern Poland. It features rooms, subterranean tunnels, a Catholic chapel, boutique lodging, and the restaurant Karczma Górnicza.
The Main Restaurant, Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania:
in Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania provides bird’s-eye views of the wildlife on the floor of Ngorongoro Crater, which is more than 2,000 feet below.
Locally sourced dishes like Kilimanjaro coffee panna cotta and marinated tilapia are scattered throughout the menu.
Ristorante Grotta Palazzese, Polignano a Mare, Italy:
A dramatic location for one of Italy’s most renowned restaurants can be found in a natural cave on the Adriatic Sea. Grotta Palazzese in Polignano a Mare in southern Italy offers four- and six-course tasting menus paired with wines from Puglia, such as Primitivo (Zinfandel) and Negroamaro.
Since at least the 12th century, when it is believed that Joan of Anjou, the queen of Sicily, visited, the stunning setting has been a popular tourist destination. Since the 18th century, when French artist Jean Louis Desprez painted the watercolor of a grotto feast that appears on the restaurant’s menu cover, the karst cavern has been a popular dining destination.
Perlan, Reykjavik, Iceland:
Almost a century ago, the well-known Icelandic painter Jóhannes Kjarval proposed constructing a landmark on Skjuhl Hill that would honor Icelandic nature, complement the northern lights, and serve as a symbol for the city.
Ithaa Undersea Restaurant, Rangali Island, Maldives:
The Ithaa at the Conrad Rangali Island resort is housed inside large, water-tight acrylic arches that are sunk about 15 feet below the surface of the Indian Ocean. Access to the restaurant is via a wooden pier and a spiral staircase. The water is awash in vibrant tropical fish, graceful eagle rays, and black-tipped reef sharks outside the translucent walls of the dining room. Inside, diners indulge in prawn tartare and lobster wontons.