Put these restaurants on your foodtrip bucket list!
Part of the fun of traveling is discovering new restaurants and unique concepts. It gives you a peek into the culture and minds of the people from that place…most of the time, at least. Other times, you’re just left wondering, “What were they thinking?”
Regardless of what the answer is, there’s one thing for sure: the restaurants on this list make for fun, unique dining experiences!
Ithaa – Underwater Restaurant (Maldives)
If you’ve ever wanted to try eating underwater, this is the place for you! Located 16ft under the sea, Ithaa serves six courses of contemporary European cuisine. The restaurant is built with glass walls to give diners a 180-degree view of their surroundings: a beautiful coral garden and, of course, all sorts of exotic sea life swimming by.
TIP: Ask for a table as close to the glass walls as possible so that you can really enjoy your unique surroundings.
The Bunyadi – Naked Restaurant (London, UK)
The Bunyadi is London’s first clothing-optional restaurant. The idea behind it is for everything to be au naturel (all natural), from the ingredients, to the food, to the diners themselves. A bit shy? Don’t worry– part of the restaurant is allocated for diners who want to keep their clothes on. It’s set to open in June but already has a waiting list of over 30,000 people!
DID YOU KNOW: As part of the all-natural experience, diners aren’t allowed to use their gadgets throughout the meal. It goes without saying that pictures are also not allowed.
Nocti Vagus – Dinner in the Dark (Berlin, Germany)
The idea behind dining in the dark is that losing your sight will heighten your other senses– smell, touch and taste– allowing you to better appreciate your food. Nocti Vagus was one of the first to do it in Berlin, having been in operation for over 10 years. Dining in the dark can be quite a challenge, but we hear that it’s worth it.
DID YOU KNOW: There was a Dinner in the Dark pop-up restaurant here in Manila back in 2014. Were you able to try it? Let us know how it went in the comments.
Robot Restaurant – Robot Waiters (Tokyo, Japan)
The Robot Restaurant located in Shinjuku, Tokyo, is an otaku’s dream come true. Diners are served by waitresses who go around the restaurant riding giant robots, wearing costumes straight out of an 80’s mecha anime. There’s also a must-watch live show that comes after dinner that is impossible to describe– it has to be experienced to be understood.
TIP: You can opt to watch the live show without eating at the Robot Restaurant, but who are we kidding? The robot waiters are part of the experience! Either way, be sure to reserve ahead because seats sell out fast!
Dinner in the Sky – Midair Dining (Worldwide)
This definitely isn’t for the faint of heart! Dining in the Sky is the concept of a company called Events in the Sky which offers once-in-a-lifetime dining experiences at famous locations around the world, such as near the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris or along the beach in Barcelona. Up to 16 diners are strapped to a table and lifted by a crane 164 ft (!) into the air for a five course meal. Incredible!
TIP: We’ve heard rumors that Dining in the Sky is coming to the Philippines! Read our feature here.
Villa Escudero – Waterfalls Restaurant (Laguna, Philippines)
The Waterfalls Restaurant in the Villa Escudero resort gives guests a watery thrill, as its bamboo tables are right next to the Labasin Falls, which is man-made. The restaurant promises diners a refreshing buffet meal – while they’re soaked from head-to-toe between courses.
DID YOU KNOW: From the gates of Villa Escudero, guests are taken to the Waterfalls Restaurant by a carabao-drawn cart ride while being serenaded with folk songs by musicians in native Filipino costumes.
KinderKookKafe – Kiddy Cooks & Servers (Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
This might just be the most adorable restaurant on our list! At Kinderkookke Cafe, cooking, cleaning and serving are all done by kids aged 8-12 (with some adult supervision, of course). The idea is for these kids to get to experience what it’s like working in a restaurant.
DID YOU KNOW: Kinderkookke Cafe is actually connected to a daycare center, so a lot of the “employees” come from there. The children’s parents are the cafe’s usual customers, but it’s open for everyone to visit.
Giraffe Manor – Dining with Giraffes (Nairobi, Kenya)
Giraffe Manor is a small hotel located in the middle of a wildlife sanctuary that protects a herd of endangered Rothschild giraffes. While the giraffes are still wild animals, they’ve also gotten used to tourists. As a result, they sometimes stick their heads into the hotel restaurant windows just to say hi or to ask for food. This IS as awesome as it sounds.
DID YOU KNOW: The hotel cooperates with the Giraffe Centre located next door in breeding the endangered giraffes, which are eventually reintroduced into the wild.
Kayabukiya Tavern – Monkey Servers (Utsunomiya, Japan)
We’ve heard of cat cafes, dog cafes and even owl cafes, but Kayabukiya Tavern is the first restaurant we’ve found that has monkeys acting as servers! Don’t worry– the restaurant has been double and triple checked by the proper authorities to make sure that everything is clean, so you can just focus on having a good time.
DID YOU KNOW: The monkeys are named Yat-chan and Fuku-chan and accept tips in the form of soybeans. Due to regulations, they’re only allowed to work two hours a day.
Culiair Skydining – Hot Air Balloon Dining (Netherlands)
The only hot air balloon dining experience in the world is in the Netherlands! Master chef Angélique Schmeinck demonstrates her culinary art during a balloon trip over the most beautiful parts of the Netherlands.
DID YOU KNOW: She uses the hot air of the balloon itself to cook her dishes! Guests can book unique package deals from sunset dinners to an exclusive champagne breakfast at sunrise. It can accommodate up to 14 people at a time.
What are some unique restaurant experiences you’ve had? In greater Metro Manila, we found 21 fun and unique restaurant concepts you should definitely check out. Here’s the link.
Share your stories with us in the comments section below, or tag Booky on Instagram!