10 Unique Restaurants Around The World

Food, whether you are a foodie or not, we all need to eat. One of the best things about traveling is getting to taste and experience the different cuisines around the world. It’s an opportunity to become adventurous with our food choices. Planning your next vacation has never been easier, download the Tripio app now and start creating your custom itinerary and generate your very own custom top 10. If you absolutely live for food then rank good eats high when creating your personalized, custom itinerary. Today, we are exploring Tripio’s list of 10 unique restaurants around the world.

Here at Tripio, we have done all the research for you. That means all that’s left to do is to actually enjoy your vacation. Adventure is out there, even with where we eat. Sometimes when we travel, we are on the go all the time, barely having a moment to actually sit down and enjoy a meal. Well, let me tell you, these next 10 places will make you wish you had a bottomless tummy (and wallet) so that you’d never have to leave. Let’s delve into Tripio’s list of 10 unique restaurants around the world. Kicking off at number 10, in a very cool way is bucket list worthy, Seven Glaciers in Alaska. 

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10. Take A Sky Tram Up To Dine In The Seven Glaciers Restaurant- Alaska

Photo by @mariahhenson on IG

The Seven Glaciers restaurant is perched 2,300 feet above sea level on Mount Alyeska. In order to get to the restaurant you do have to take a sky tram and the journey takes about an hour, so definitely factor that in when planning your visit. Seven Glaciers is 1 of only 3 restaurants in Alaska classed as a AAA 4 Diamond restaurant. 

The menu is focused around locally sourced produce such as fresh seafood and game. It also boasts one of America’s best wine selection menus. Just look at that view!

9. Unique Restaurants Around The World: Dine In A Cave At Grotta Palazzese- Italy

Photo by @felipepalermo on IG

At number 9 on our top 10 list is none other than dining in a cave. The Grotta Palazzese restaurant is one of the most sought after dining destinations in the world. It has appeared in countless magazines and travel shows. This gorgeous and ambient restaurant in Mare is literally in a cave. Not only is the atmosphere incredible, they offer a five star menu with Monkfish, Lobster and Lamb. They have an excellent wine pairing menu to match. Sit in the cave and gaze out over the cliff’s edge and out to the ocean while you enjoy your meal. This one has to be on Batman’s bucket list.

8. Dine On The Edge Of A Waterfall At Yuvarlakçay Defne Restaurant- Turkey

Photo by @yuvarlakcayyesilvadi on IG

Instagrammers alert! Splashing in at number 8 is a restaurant on the edge of a waterfall. Not only that but Yuvarlakçay offers a gorgeous instagrammable swing over the falls. Yuvarlakçay Defne Restaurant is a picturesque restaurant in Turkey and is one of a kind. Set on the edge of a waterfall, you can dip your feet in the cool running water while enjoying a delicious meal. They have a swing that you can glide over the water on and even jump in for a swim if you’re brave. They serve fabulous breakfasts and hot plate dinners with a good selection of alcohol.Get those cameras ready!

7. Dine In A Cable Car Suspended Over Sentosa Island In Singapore

Photo by Aditya Citratama on Unsplash

Gliding in at number 7 is an experience in my hometown of Singapore. The Sentosa cable car is iconic in itself, now you can even dine in it! The Cable Car Sky Dining is a unique culinary experience in Singapore. There are several options to choose from to suit both your tastes and situation, be it a family dinner or romantic dinner for two. The maximum number of people per cabin is 4.

Your total dining experience will last for 90 minutes, the first 30 minutes are spent at Arbora restaurant where you will enjoy your Appetizer, soup and welcome drink. Then you will embark on your cable car journey for an hour ride with main course and dessert. Just incredible! Make sure to get lots of photos.

6. Dine In An Abandoned Airplane At El Avion- Costa Rica

Crashing in at number 6 on our Tripio custom top 10 is none other than El Avión, the world famous, C-123 Fairchild cargo plane which is now a restaurant. During the 1980’s, the Reagan administration was involved in an arms deal scandal trying to free hostages in Lebanon. In 1986, El Avión’s sister plane was shot down over Nicaragua, luckily, the pilot ejected to safety.

After this incident, this plane was abandoned at the international airport in San Jose after fears it would suffer the same fate. It remained there until it was bought in 2000 where a massive effort went underway to get this plane to her final spot overlooking the hillside and sea. 

Today, El Avión serves as a wonderful seafood bar and restaurant. Spread out over two levels, you get the most amazing view over the cliffs, sea and hillside. This cold war relic is one that has to be experienced, what a wild journey this plane has been on. Try their famous coconut shrimp, seafood Curry, tuna steaks, fried calamari and toast to second chances with a cocktail in hand. Why not climb into the cockpit for a photo to finish off a once in a lifetime experience!

5. Unique Restaurants Around The World: Dine With Wild Giraffes At Giraffe Manor- Kenya

Photo by Jason Zhao on Unsplash

Coming in smack bang in the middle has to be dining with our long neck friends, giraffes. I know not everyone is as fond of animals as I am so instead of bombarding this custom top 10 with a bunch of animal experiences, I thought I’d save the best for the middle. Giraffe Manor is an exclusive boutique hotel, owned by The Safari Collection. Due to its wild, long necked residents, this has become one of the most instagrammed properties in the world. The Rothschild giraffes live wild and free around the property.

You can enjoy breakfast and afternoon tea with these incredible creatures. However, they are around for most of the day, the reason being that giraffes only need about 30 minutes of sleep a day so if you see a sleeping giraffe, be sure to snap a pic. They will be poking their heads through the windows in hopes that you’ll share your meal with them, I mean, how could you resist! This one is my personal favorite.

4. Unique Restaurants Around The World: Dine In A Tree Pod At Soneva Kiri- Thailand

A vacation to Thailand is bound to boast an itinerary full of adventure. How about dining up in a tree and having your waiter serve you on a zip line? Yes, you read that right, at Soneva Kiri you can live out your Tarzan dinner fantasy. You will have to make a short trek through the island’s beachside rainforest to reach your dinner “pod.” The pod is shaped like an egg, suspended 36 feet into the sky and made of a combination of steel, bamboo and rattan. You sit in these canopy pods and are raised by a pulley-lever system into the air. This gives you a birds eye view over the ocean and tree canopies. Your waiter will then serve your food and drinks from their zipline. Enjoy the locally sourced produce of Thai cuisine consisting of seafood and vegetables from the resort’s very own organic garden. 

3. Unique Restaurants Around The World: Enjoy Dinner Suspended 130 Feet In The Sky- Greece

Photo by @iamthomascole on IG

We are going from heights to heights here on our Tripio top 10 list. Dinner in the sky, Athens, is an amazing and unique dining experience. Enjoy a chef prepared 6-course meal whilst your table is suspended over 130 feet in the air. The views over Athens and the Acropolis are spectacular. You can even book for sunset which is just magical. What a view over this ancient city and what a thrill. Kids can attend as long as they are taller than 4 feet for safety harness restrictions. Vegetarian and Vegan menus available. This experience is also available in Dubai. This is definitely one of the most unique restaurants around the world.

2. Dine Under The Sea With Sharks And Rays At Ithaa Undersea Restaurant- The World’s First Undersea Restaurant- Maldives

Photo by @monster_joe on IG

From dining high to dining low, at the Conrad hotel in the Maldives, you can dine 17 feet below the surface of the ocean at Ithaa Undersea Restaurant at the Conrad hotel in the Maldives! That’s right, enjoy dinner underneath the wild, swimming sharks, rays and fish. Ithaa is the world’s first undersea restaurant and boy does it offer up a unique experience. Enjoy their  set lunch and dinner menus which are a fusion of local flavors on western dishes. They are also perfectly matched with a selection of wine. Feeling daring and fresh in the morning, well, Ithaa is open for a mid-morning cocktail to get your day started. Don’t forget your camera! Best enjoyed during daylight hours for an optimal viewing experience.

1. Enjoy Dinner A Mile High In The World’s Only Hot Air Balloon Restaurant – CuliAir Netherlands 

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Soaring in at number 1 on our Tripio custom top 10 list of most unique places to dine out is CuliAir, dining in a hot air balloon! CuliAir Luchtballonrestaurant | Skydining | Angelique Schmeinck offers the world’s only hot air balloon restaurant. Be served a Michelin starred meal above the clouds, a mile up into the sky!  Globally acclaimed master chef, Angelique Schmeinck,  cooks your dinner right in front of you in the hot air balloon as you soar across the sky over the Netherlands. Whilst, Niels Kon, award-winning hot air balloon operator takes the helm. 

Enjoy a gourmet menu of  lobster, seabass, duck, lamb all cooked with the heat of the hot air balloon. Children can join in as long as they are at least 4 foot 2 inches tall and can see over the basket. You can book this once in a lifetime experience for one of the scheduled flights or can contact CuliAir for a private booking. Just incredible!  Flights run from April to October. 

Bonus: Glass Bar- Enjoy A Drink In A Glass Bar Suspended Over Tsalka Canyon With Kass Land- Georgia

Photo by @michaelkhachidze on IG

Tsalka Canyon in Georgia (the country, not the US state haha) has unveiled a 780 foot long glass bridge and diamond-shaped glass bar that is suspended over the canyon gorge more than 900 feet below. Soon a zipline and canyon swing will be added to this thrill-seekers dream. You need to walk across the glass bridge in order to get your drink, maybe after a few drinks, liquid courage will kick in and you’ll decide to swing back. Once verified by the Guinness book of world records, this will officially be the largest suspended glass structure in the world.

I hope that these unique dining destinations have made it onto your bucket lists. Why not download the Tripio app right now and start planning your dream vacation. One of the most amazing aspects of travel is stepping out of your comfort zone, trying some adventure, I mean, look, there are even adventures to be had while dining. The world is full of amazing places to see and experience. On the Tripio app, we have searched hard and found the best places for you to visit. This means an epic vacation awaits you. Start adding activities to your custom itinerary today, it’s as easy as can be. Thank you for reading and I hope you have enjoyed Tripio’s top 10 most unique places to dine out. Bon Appetit!

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-Gemma Winchester, Tripio Guru

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