From a supper club inside a London tube carriage to cat cafés and restaurants where dishes are delivered via roller coaster, the world is filled with weird, wonderful and downright wacky places to eat. Here we reveal the most unusual restaurants around the globe, guaranteed to drop jaws and get people talking.
Click or scroll through our gallery to discover the world's most unexpected restaurants, counting down to the strangest of all.
We've based our ranking on how unusual each restaurant is, and on the opinions of our well-travelled (and well-fed) team. The list is unavoidably subjective.
New Zealand's only rotating restaurant offers 360-degree views across the city of Auckland and the Hauraki Gulf. You'll find the Orbit brasserie at the top of Auckland's Sky Tower, with a modern menu featuring local and seasonal produce. Typical dishes include pastrami-cured salmon with horseradish crème fraîche and venison with beetroot and rhubarb.
If being housed in a giant roadside orange isn’t unusual enough, the fact that this is a burger restaurant – rather than a juice bar – takes this spot to brilliantly bizarre levels. The Mammoth Orange can be found just off the road between Little Rock and Pine Bluff and was built in 1966, inspired by a similar restaurant in Fresno, California. Hot dogs and hamburgers are the menu mainstays, though there are also milkshakes and specials like fried catfish on offer.
Cat lovers rejoice – this café is for you. The first of its kind in Australia, Cat Café is all about the furry residents, who come from rescue shelters and are just waiting to be cuddled. There's a small entry fee and the spot sells a range of cakes and coffees – while the menu might be short, the furry felines are the main attraction. Best of all, if you really like a cat, you can adopt it. There are similar coffee shops in the UK, France, Taiwan and Germany.
You can set sail along the Xoximilco canals in traditional trajineras at this special floating dining experience. Guests board one of the multicoloured vessels, complete with glowing floral lights and bespoke designs, before embarking on a set menu filled with classic Mexican dishes (think chicken mole, steak fajitas and corn flan). Best enjoyed at dusk, this unique restaurant allows visitors to discover Mexican traditions in the most magical setting.
Fans of Barbie (and the smash-hit Barbie movie) can get their fix of all things pink, plastic and fantastic at the Malibu Barbie Café. The pop-up cafe travels across the US, stopping in cities such as Houston, New York City and Miami. Expect plenty of photo opportunities, from a retro-style Barbie box to a pair of striped sun loungers surrounded by sand. But the café isn't just about good looks, it's actually got some decent foodie credentials too, with a menu courtesy of US MasterChef semi-finalist Becky Brown.
Fancy dinner with a side of rotating skyscapes? Perfect for special occasions, this unusual restaurant revolves while you dine, completing a full rotation every 72 minutes. Located inside the CN Tower, 360 Restaurant offers diners mouth-watering dishes with a focus on prime Canadian ingredients (think beef carpaccio, lobster risotto and seafood towers) alongside breathtaking views of Toronto.
This cool, quirky burger bar is housed in train carriages perched on the roof of a building overlooking Melbourne city. Easey's serves gourmet burgers and hot dogs alongside tasty sides like mac ’n’ cheese, Buffalo wings and Brazilian cheese balls. A retro soundtrack, original features and walls decorated with graffiti all add to the ambience.
The old saying may suggest we eat with our eyes, but Dans Le Noir takes that element away all together. Found in locations around the world, including London, Paris and Strasbourg, the restaurants are staffed by waiters who are blind or visually impaired and diners eat in complete darkness, relying on their other senses to navigate through the meal. We can’t tell you much about the food as all the dishes are a surprise and each location has a slightly different offering, but that's all part of the intriguing experience.
The Eagle’s Nest (known locally as Kehlsteinhaus) is unusual both in setting and history. The property was gifted to Hitler on his 50th birthday and, although he didn’t spend much time here, it became a symbol of Nazi rule. Today, it’s a seasonal restaurant (open May-October) serving traditional Bavarian cuisine from its position right on the edge of Mount Kehlstein in the Bavarian Alps. This gravity-defying engineering marvel is accessed via a wiggly (and at times terrifying) road carved into the mountains, with a brass elevator whisking guests to the dining room.
If you like being waited on hand and foot, you’ll love @home Cafe, a role-play café in Tokyo. It’s one of many spots in Japan where patrons are assigned their own waitress who serves food, sings songs and plays games. The menu typically includes items like Japanese curry, ramen, hot dogs and a toy poodle–shaped cake. There's a small admission fee and guests are required to spend a minimum amount on food and drink.
Far from the curbside restaurant it once was, Andres Carne de Res is a giant, multi-floor dining emporium. This restaurant-meets-club experience will see you dining on barbecue dishes while soaking up the cornucopia of hanging objects, neon lights and colourful signs. Elsewhere, you’ll find a maze of live performances, costumed staff and club-esque rooms to explore. Over-the-top and eccentric, this restaurant is not for the faint of heart.
Virgilio Martinez earned his reputation for innovative Peruvian cuisine at his restaurant Central in Lima, where each course of the tasting menu reflects a different altitude in the country, from sea level to the Andes. MIL takes things to a whole new level, both in terms of the menu – focused on roots, tubers, herbs and fruit grown by Andean communities at high altitude – and location. The restaurant is in Peru’s remote Sacred Valley, 11,706 feet (3,568m) above sea level and surrounded by farming villages.
If you visit The Yurt at Solitude, trekking half a mile (0.8km) into the forest through heavy snow is first on the agenda (you'll be kitted out with snowshoes and helped down the moon-and-lantern-lit path by your host). Open during the winter season, the warmth of a Mongolian yurt and treats like pork loin with blue cheese potato gratin, seared scallops, caramelised onion tarts and molten chocolate cake await your arrival.
When it comes to both burgers and calorie count at this controversial Las Vegas restaurant, it's definitely a case of the bigger the better. Patrons weighing 159kg (350lb) or more eat for free in the hospital-themed dining room, where waitresses dress as nurses and drinks are served via an IV drip. It’s famous for its Octuple Bypass Burger with 40 slices of bacon and eight patties; at 19,900 calories, it's the most calorific burger in the world.
Step back in time at the dimly lit Bors Hede Inne, where guests (known as noble travellers when dining here) will be greeted by the innkeeper and treated to a 14th century–style banquet of authentic medieval dishes. Feast on fenberry pye (pork, chicken and cranberry pie), bourblier de sangle (roast pork), sanc dragon (cinnamon and almond chicken) and blamanger (similar to blancmange). Set in Camlann Medieval Village, it’s a dinner-theatre experience that’s equal parts educational and relaxing.
Guests might experience a close encounter of the third kind when visiting this alien-themed restaurant, shop and small inn, but everything else is far, far away. That's because Little A’Le’Inn in Rachel, which has a population of fewer than 100, is in the middle of the Nevada desert off the Extraterrestrial Highway, en route to Area 51. The restaurant serves up Alien Burgers, stories about alien sightings and advice on the best places for spotting extraterrestrial activity yourself.
Housed inside Europe’s largest aquarium, at Restaurante Submarino you can tuck into a selection of Mediterranean-inspired dishes while all manner of marine life, from clownfish to sting rays and sharks, swim about around you. Open for lunch and dinner, menu highlights include traditional paella and grilled cod with sweet and sour bilbaína sauce.
The restaurant at Arctic Bath sits in the middle of a river in the depths of nowhere. This floating hotel, whose unique, nest-like main building houses the restaurant, glides on the Lule River in summer and is frozen in place when the ice sets in and can then be accessed via a pontoon. The seasonal, ever-changing menu is driven by regionally sourced ingredients, from berries, mustard and honey to fish and reindeer meat.
It’s a long, arduous hike or a scenic ride on the Ebenalpbahn (cable car) followed by a shorter walk up to this 19th-century inn. Berggasthaus Aescher, open May-October, clings vertiginously to the side of the Ebenalp mountain in the Appenzell region of the Swiss Alps. It was built by farmers as a place to rest while their goats grazed. Now it’s a jaw-dropping guesthouse and destination restaurant, specialising in local ingredients and traditions, with views across the valleys to Lake Constance.
Perched above popular Manuel Antonio National Park on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast, El Avión offers the kind of views you might expect from a low-flying plane. Which is appropriate, because this unique restaurant is located inside a 1980s Cold War aircraft, the Fairchild C-123. Its sister aircraft was shot down over Nicaragua, while this one was abandoned at Costa Rica’s main airport in San José. It was transported here in 2000 and converted into this restaurant and bar, whose terraces overlook the ocean.
Fancy dining under the sea? Your dreams can become a reality at M6m, the underwater restaurant located on the OZEN Life Maadhoo resort in the Maldives. Decked out in plush furnishings, the fine dining restaurant serves an indulgent, four-course seafood menu (vegetarian and meat options are available), with diners sitting shoulder-to-fin with fish, sharks and stingrays.
Dining at Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar is a surreal experience. In the Fairmont San Francisco hotel, this tiki-style bar has a huge lagoon in the middle, extravagant decor and periodic tropical rainstorms with (simulated) thunder and lightning. The Island Groove Band bang out hits from a thatch-covered barge while the dance floor rocks and guests feast on Polynesian-fusion cuisine.
Here diners can check out Bientang's varied menu of breakfasts, seafood dishes, sharing platters, burgers and salads while watching whales leap out of the ocean, literally a stone's throw away from the tables. Housed in a cave, Bientang's spills out onto the rocky shore of Walker Bay and was previously inhabited by a Koi Strandloper of the same name.
This restaurant clings to a rock on Michamvi Pingwe beach on Unguja, part of the Zanzibar archipelago. The Rock – reached via a paddle or, at high tide, via a short boat ride – resides on what was once a fisherman’s post and now has just a dozen tables sheltered by a roof made of palm fronds. The seafood-heavy menu, peppered with zingy local flavours, is the perfect complement to the Indian Ocean views.
Diners really are able to chill out in this icy wonderland in Dubai, the first of its kind in the Middle East. Guests can relax on chairs made of ice in temperatures of -6°C (21°F). But don’t worry – on arrival you’re given a hooded parka and woollen gloves, shoes and socks and you'll also spend a few minutes in a buffer zone to help you acclimatise. There's an entry fee and items from the menu, which consists of sandwiches, soups and hot chocolate, are extra.
Fancy dining inside a loo? The Attendant’s original Fitzrovia, London branch is actually housed inside a former Victorian public toilet building. Thankfully, the space has been beautifully restored, spotlighting some of its original features so guests can get their coffee and pastry fix in a rather unconventional way. The menu isn’t too unusual, however, with breakfast, brunch and lunch on offer every day, as well as takeaway drinks and snacks available.
If history is your thing, take a trip to Kenya and rewind a couple of hundred centuries in Ali Barbour’s Cave Restaurant. The magical location is situated 22 miles (35km) south of Mombasa, hidden inside a coral cave thought to be up to 180,000 years old. The natural holes in the cave ceiling mean you can dine on locally sourced food, such as fresh Kilifi oysters and chilli crab, under the stars.
Reaching this restaurant on Koh Kood, off Thailand’s southeast coast, starts with a 90-minute flight from Bangkok airport to a private airport island owned by Soneva Kiri resort, where the dining treepods are located. Even then there’s still a speedboat ride to reach the resort itself, so naturally most people sleep over. It’s well worth the trek; diners are nestled in their own bamboo pods, which hang amid the trees with bay views, while traditional Thai dishes are delivered by waiting staff via a zipline.
The laundrette-meets-diner Harvey Washbangers has found the solution to time-efficient laundering. Head to the restaurant and load up a washing machine, then order a plate of food while you wait. This place is known for its burgers topped with chorizo, Cajun flavours or jalapeño cream cheese. No need to worry about your clothes – a light system at the bar will notify you when your washing is done.
Dine under the sea at this quirky restaurant. Located at the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island resort, Ithaa sits 16 feet (5m) below sea level and gives guests panoramic ocean views – think scuba diving meets fine dining without the risk of getting wet. The adults-only restaurant offers a selection of lunch and dinner set menus to choose from.
Carved out of limestone rocks and overlooking the Adriatic Sea, Ristorante Grotta Palazzese feels like something out of a fairy tale. Steeped in history – it supposedly held banquets for local nobles as far back as the 1700s – the cave restaurant is open May-October so you can enjoy that warm summer breeze. The menu changes with the seasons, but expect Italian dishes, like seafood and pasta, done beautifully.
Dine under the stars and soak up the magical atmosphere of the Australian outback with this four-hour experience. Located on top of a dune overlooking the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, this outdoor restaurant is truly breathtaking. Guests watch the sun set while enjoying drinks and canapés, before sampling a bush tucker–inspired buffet and listening to a live didgeridoo performance. Sounds of Silence also includes a guided tour of the night sky.
Climb aboard this 1950s Boeing KC-97 for a history-rich dining experience. Set up in 2002, this striking restaurant offers a journey through aviation history – feast on teriyaki burgers, chicken quesadillas and fried shrimp while marvelling at the hundreds of pictures and rare artefacts on display.
Those longing for a real-life mission to Mars can get their fix courtesy of Stellar in Paris. This intergalactic-inspired restaurant brings the magic and awe of space to Earth, complete with star showers, moon close-ups and sensational sun displays. The food is equally memorable, with plenty of globally influenced dishes available (think miso eggplant, sea bream ceviche and smash burgers).
It's easy to see why Prime is Niagara's top-rated rated restaurant. With the most stunning views over Niagara Falls, this fine dining eatery serves fantastic steaks and mouth-watering seafood. Located inside the Crowne Plaza hotel, Prime also offers a four-course set menu featuring lobster bisque, mushroom ravioli and sticky toffee pudding.
London’s only dine-in tube carriage, Supperclub.tube showcases a vintage 1967 Victoria Line tube carriage in all its glory, with the added bonus of allowing guests the chance to eat on board. Located at the Walthamstow Pump House, the stationed carriage seats up to 35 guests and offers an impressive six-course tasting menu of Colombian-inspired cuisine.
Hidden inside the futuristic Salmon Eye experience centre, Iris is a high-end restaurant that literally floats in the middle of the Hardanger Fjord in Norway. Surrounded by stunning mountains and glaciers, the silvery orb opened in 2022 to teach visitors about marine life. The restaurant launched a year later and continues to wow guests. Helmed by Danish chef Anika Madsen, known for her commitment to sustainability and use of unusual ocean ingredients, Iris offers an 'expedition dining experience', including a multi-course tasting menu, a scenic boat trip from the mainland and a pit stop at the island of Sniltsveitøy.
Bringing a taste of Thailand to New York, diners can embark on a journey through Bangkok thanks to this multi-sensory experience. Guests jump aboard a bus-style restaurant, where immersive video technology of the Thai capital is projected around them while they enjoy a 10-course tasting menu showcasing the flavours and ingredients Thailand is famous for.
For a truly refreshing dining experience, look no further than Labasin Waterfall Restaurant in the Villa Escudero resort in the Philippines. Located right next to the man-made Labasin Falls, the restaurant has long bamboo tables where guests dine on a kamayan-style Filipino buffet of fish, rice, barbecue chicken and bananas, traditionally eaten by hand.
For a thrill-seeking dining experience, head to Rollercoaster Restaurant with various locations including Hamburg, Vienna, Abu Dhabi and the UK's Alton Towers theme park. Customers place orders on tablet computers, then kick back and wait for their meal to be delivered via a roller coaster–style conveyor belt. The menus include crowd-pleasers like roast chicken with fries and coleslaw, pasta carbonara and cheeseburgers.
This semi-submerged restaurant in the North Atlantic Ocean is an atmospheric experience. Guests at Under are exposed to the wild seas and aquatic life of Norway, while the thoughtful architecture is designed to act as an artificial reef attracting limpets, kelp and other marine life. It’s also the world’s largest underwater restaurant at 5,328 square feet (495sqm) and plunges to 18 feet (5.5m) below the water’s surface, looking rather like a sleek, minimalist capsized ship. It opened in 2019 and quickly gained a Michelin star for its tasting menu of local seafood, seabirds and wild meats.
What makes this restaurant special is its unique cooking method: chefs at El Diablo barbecue meat and fish to perfection using the heat of a volcano. A giant grill has been laid across an opening where, just six feet (1.8m) below, lava bubbles at 400°C (752°F). If you’re worried about any underground rumblings interrupting your dinner, don’t be – the dormant volcano has been peacefully gurgling below the surface since its last eruption way back in 1824.
If you don't have a head for heights, Dinner in the Sky might not be for you. Diners are strapped to a table that's attached to a crane, elevated around 100 feet (30.5m) – not a dining experience for the faint-hearted. Originally from Belgium, this sky-high mobile restaurant has been rolled out everywhere from Australia to South Africa, with guest chefs devising different menus.