World’s top 10 unique restaurants known for their fantastic view

When someone mentions Australia, the first images that come to mind are the futuristic Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. In case you are planning a vacation to this marvelous destination, let us share our secret of the best way to see these landmarks. Set against one of the world’s most beautiful natural landscapes, Altitude on level 36 of the Shangri-La Hotel, is an award-winning fine-dining establishment hovering above the city’s icons. After entering the elegant hall, walk up to the five-meter-high floor-to-ceiling windows and witness the panoramic views overlooking the harbor of Circular Quay and spanning from the Harbour Bridge to the Opera House.

Besides the vista, Altitude also has an amazing menu created by Executive Sous Chef Michele Menegazzi and Chef de Cuisine Francesco Iervolino. Indulge in gastronomic delights like pan-seared turbot with pickled nori, roasted cauliflower in green herb vinaigrette, braised lamb shoulder with apricot, and oxtail tartlet with bone marrow crumble in red wine jus. We recommend booking a table before sunset and enjoying a glass of young Riesling with pineapple-baked Alaska while taking in the majestic cityscape.

Chef’s signature menu – $130
3-Course tasting menu – $98

Kemin Lumilinna, or SnowCastle of Kemi, is the largest icy fortress in the world. Figuratively and literally, it is the coolest gastronomic spot on the planet. Every year, during winter time, the 20,000 square meters castle is rebuilt with a different design for the coming season and draws around 5,00,000 visitors annually. The best elements of Lumilinna are an icy restaurant, a chapel with sculptures, and a hotel. The dining space is carved entirely out of ice and snow. Upon entering the premises, guests are supplied with warm blankets and fur coats to ensure a pleasant experience.

The halls are decked with shiny mannequins illuminated with soft blue-white lights, and the atmosphere feels magical like stepping into a fairy tale land. The menu is made up of regional specialties that celebrate Lappish cuisine. You can sample unique creative items: reindeer tartare with pickled mustard, pan-fried white fish in carrot-fennel sauce, beef tenderloin with creamy celeriac purée, and roasted lamb shoulder with potato Rösti. Treat yourself to scrumptious desserts like lingonberry parfait with coffee mousse and apple crème brûlée with sorbet. Just remember: SnowCastle of Kemi is a fleeting beauty so check for its availability before planning a visit.

Menu Snowman – $56
Menu Sampo – $61
Menu Artic – $62

Talking about fantastic views, have you ever had a meal cooked by lava heat with far-reaching anthracite vista over an alien sci-fi landscape? This is exactly what the next spot offers to visitors. El Diablo in Lanzarote is a mesmerizing restaurant nestled on top of a dormant volcano in the Timanfaya National Park. Its architecture is amazing as it has been designed by a local legend, César Manrique, who is responsible for all major landmarks and attractions on the island. He has come up with a poetic way of blending nature and buildings harmoniously.

Guests are seated inside a semi-circular dome with floor-to-ceiling windows featuring a sweeping panorama of the desert-like Martian land. But the highlight of the place is the cooking process provided by Mother Nature. It is a basalt-clad grill chamber that is kept over a deep vent, releasing geothermal heat reaching temperatures of up to 450°C. Many of the dishes on the à la carte menu are prepared in hot vapor, gradually browning the meat and vegetables on the skewers. Some of the smoky foods you can enjoy here are chorizo sausage served with fried peppers, sirloin steak with jacket potatoes, grilled fish with roasted vegetables, and chicken in mojo sauce with sweet potatoes.

Average bill – $38

Dubbed the most beautiful balcony in the world, Lycabettus is a sophisticated open-air restaurant hosted by the Andronis Hotel in Santorini, Greece. You have probably been mesmerized by photos of the serene waters of the Aegean Sea on social media. Chances are those pictures were taken from this establishment. Lycabettus is in the attractive Oia village, positioned on the edge of the rugged Caldera cliffs. The balcony where patrons feast under the stars, provides iconic turquoise-blue views of the surroundings while exuding an elegant grandeur.

The kitchen is helmed by Head Chef Christos Karagiannis, who is famous for his Greek food inspired by the island’s top ingredients. The dining experience allows guests an opportunity to taste innovative and authentic items, such as red shrimp tartare with black garlic, pan-fried scallops in a lobster bisque, chicken with wild mushroom, broiled red sea bream with artichoke, and wagyu striploin with carrot purée. Pair your meal with fine local wines as well as exclusive vintages from all over the world.

Wine tasting menu – $530
Champagne tasting menu – $650

Situated just two hours away from the capital of the Philippines on the illustrious Villa Escudero resort plantation, Labasin Waterfall Restaurant is an unusual place that gives you a chance to dine in the middle of a flowing pool. It is a one-of-a-kind establishment built next to a man-made fall created by the country’s first hydroelectric plant. The unique charm of the restaurant is its ambiance, which transports you to another world. Visitors take a seat at bamboo tables to immerse themselves in delicious Filipino cuisine while soaking their feet in cool shallow running water. The meal is accompanied by traditional folk melodies combined with dance performances from local artists. You are also surrounded by an enormous amount of forest area where many species of exotic birds can be found.

The brunch here is a Kamayan-style buffet feast of roasted fish, fried chicken, grilled pork, wok-tossed chili shrimp, and fresh-cut fruits, all served on banana leaf plates. The seating is communal, and the food is had with your bare hands in a family-type gathering. Labassin Waterfall Restaurant also offers a small drinks selection consisting of fruity cocktails and bottled beer. After your meal, try out some of the hiking trails nearby.

Day package – $35

Our next highlight is one of the most impressive gems in Asia. The Grotto is part of an exclusive resort complex called Rayavadee on the edge of Phranang beach in Krabi, Thailand. It is an open-air restaurant set inside a limestone cave. The spot offers a rustic and intimate ambiance with comfortable seating arrangements tucked away under large stalactites hanging down and the gentle sound of waves lapping at the sandy shore. The strategically placed glowing lanterns within the cave walls give it a warm and welcoming vibe while highlighting the natural beauty. For these reasons, The Grotto is ideal for honeymooners, celebrations, and marriage proposals.

They present an international menu with a Thai flair revolving around fresh and local ingredients. Indulge in specialty dishes like char-grilled red snapper in chimichurri sauce, lemon garlic prawns, yellowfin tuna tartare, grilled rock lobster linguini, roasted tiger prawns in tomato sauce, and wagyu tenderloin with seasonal vegetables in green peppercorn sauce. The restaurant also has a small bar with a vast beverage list made up of mocktails, tropical cocktails, spirits, beers, and freshly squeezed juices.

Average three-night package – $2,900

Our journey around the world for spectacular restaurants brings us to the most romantic city – Paris. Le Jules Verne is a lavish Michelin-starred establishment housed on the second floor of The Eiffel Tower. Perched at a soaring height of 125 meters above the rooftops of the French capital and providing an exceptional panoramic view, it is considered one of the best venues in the country. A meal at this fine-dining place would be a transcendent experience. The interiors exude the 1900s elegance and timeless beauty with a sense of lightness achieved using airy upholstery and cream-gold color accents.

Chef Frédéric Anton, winner of the Meilleur Ouvrier de France award helms the kitchen and creates a menu of visually stunning compositions, elevated by local organic ingredients from Île-de-France producers and artisans. Expect to relish scrumptious dishes: soufflé of scallops with Oscietra caviar, crab served as a savory meringue lightly perfumed with curry, langoustine with truffle, sous vide cod in a spicy jus, farmhouse chicken with wild mushrooms in wine sauce, and calf sweetbreads with lobster velouté. In desserts, do try their chocolate biscuit bitter cream with roast buckwheat ice cream. Le Jules Verne is a must-visit destination in Paris, measuring up to the monument it resides in.

5-Course tasting menu – from $276
7-Course tasting menu – from $298

Standing atop the 61st floor of the Banyan Tree Hotel, Vertigo Restaurant and Moon Bar offers unmatched al fresco dining with uninterrupted views of Bangkok’s stunning skyline. It is regularly ranked as one of the world’s best 10 rooftop bars, where you can enjoy invigorating cocktails along with succulent grilled seafood and premium quality steaks. The breezy destination has an unusual protruding shape, similar to an elongated deck of a ship but sitting on a skyscraper. This helps give its patrons a feeling of floating in the air and desire to exclaim: “I am the king of the world”.

The design of the hotel is giving Art Deco, with contemporary leather furniture, granite table counters with flickering candles, and dazzling bottom flooring called The Moon Walk. The revamped menu features international cuisine with an Asian flair. Some noteworthy items are pan-seared foie gras in cherry reduction with toasted brioche, jasmine tea-smoked lamb loin with garlic mash, lobster tail in bisque with croutons, spicy ahi tuna ceviche with lemon caviar, and Australian steak with mushrooms in béarnaise sauce. Elevate your meal with drinks, such as the Vertigo Sunset, mojito, or a glass of sparkling Domaine Chandon Shiraz.

3-Course set menu – $59
4-Course set menu – $109
4-Course set with wine – $142

Stratosfare is a picturesque and adventurous restaurant in Queenstown, New Zealand, that every adrenaline lover should visit at least once in their life. Guests start their dining experience by taking a scenic ride in the Skyline Gondola to the top of Bob’s Peak. It is the steepest cable car in the Southern hemisphere. Upon reaching the summit, you will be welcomed by a bird’s eye view of Queenstown Bay and Lake Wakatipu extending up to The Remarkables mountain ranges.

Stratosfare boasts local contemporary cuisine consisting of fresh seafood, prime meat, and delicious vegetarian fare cooked in different stations inside an open kitchen. The scrumptious buffet presents delectable dishes, including coconut curry laksa soup, chicken liver paté with sautéed mushroom, beef rib with garlic mash, steamed mussels in red curry sauce, and ginger marinated tiger prawns with soba noodles. Do not miss out on their decadent desserts, such as pavlova with seasonal fruits, blueberry pudding with meringue, and baked cheesecake. The adventure does not end after the hearty meal, as now you have to choose between luging, mountain biking, or taking the gondola back down the peak.

Gondola + Lunch – $79
Gondola + Premium Lunch – $98
Gondola + Dinner – $99
Gondola + Premium Dinner – $118

Poised on the brink of the rugged Big Sur in California, Sierra Mar is the flagship restaurant of the Post Ranch Inn Hotel. It is nestled atop a hill enveloped by jagged cliffs, pristine endless blue waters, and lush redwood forests. Visitors can spend the entire day gazing at the natural landscape from behind the floor-to-ceiling glass walls of the contemporary building. The decor is calming and simple, complete with reclaimed parquet flooring, leather-furnished chairs and banquettes, and subtle dim lighting. They also feature a heated outdoor patio for people who like to savor their meal under the sky while overlooking the ocean.

Besides the stunning vistas, guests are treated to a farm-to-table dining experience that celebrates ingredients from the surrounding coastline, nearby mountains, and the Hotel’s garden. You might find creative specialties, such as Monterey red abalone with lettuce, black cod with baby turnips, kohlrabi with trout roe, fermented octopus with gochujang aioli, grilled chicken with citrus herb marinade, and beef tenderloin with chanterelle mushrooms. Sierra Mar also hosts an award-winning wine cellar with over 3200 selections of rare and exceptional labels to complement your meal.

Lunch prix fixe – $75
Dinner menu – $145

Whether you are looking for a romantic dinner with a partner, a special occasion with family, or just a fun outing with friends, these eccentric restaurants will surely not disappoint. Share your insights about the best dinner & view duo in the comments below.