While we love London for its buzzing restaurant scene, sometimes we do like to look further in our quest to find foodie experiences which are beyond the regular seat at the table. In fact, some make you trek for your lunch, others make you dine amidst some friendly marine life and others even insist that you don’t visit for a first date. We travelled the world (with the power of the internet), to uncover some seriously cool foodie experiences from the hills of India to the beaches of the Maldives, and streets of Denmark.

1. NAAR, Ladakh, India

What sets it apart: NAAR is a culinary playground where the spirit of the Himalayas comes alive. Translating to ‘fire’ in Kashmiri, NAAR refers to chef Prateek Sadhu’s passion and mission to spotlight Himalayan cuisine with his signature playful and respectful approach while telling the stories of this vast land and its people.

Featured in TIME World’s Greatest Places to Visit in 2024, NAAR is all about authentic, local cuisine that champions regional recipes, using Himalayan ingredients that are freshly foraged. Expect honest, rooted and minimal food that has a deep-rooted respect for its surroundings, including recipes that stem from the chef’s childhood memories. Even the cocktails here are made with ingredients you’ll find in the local area, like the Anthracite cocktail – vodka with an infusion of charred tomato, burnt butter, charcoal, red wine vinegar, mustard and Himalayan raw honey. The 16-seater restaurant has six menus throughout the year that follow the distinct seasons in the mountains. From trout sandwiches and buckwheat biscuits to lamb neck smoked with juniper leaves, the recipes are inventive, delicious and straight from the Himalayan heart.

From trout sandwiches to buckwheat biscuits these recipes are inventive, delicious and straight from the Himalayan heart.

Where: KASAULI, DISTRICT SOLAN, HIMACHAL PRADESH 173206, INDIA
Website: www.restaurantnaar.com

2. Ithaa Undersea Restaurant, Maldives

What sets it apart: Dining in the Maldives is bound to be an aesthetic experience – but the Conrad Maldives take it up a notch with an underwater experience where you can watch the incredible marine life swim by as you dine.

Ithaa serves fusion menus matched with fine wines that you can enjoy five metres below the surface of the ocean. You can soak in panoramic coral garden views with set lunch and dinner menus that showcase local flavours mixed with Western influences. Or, if you’d rather just have a drink, guests can also wander in for a midday cocktail. Plus, if you prefer sharks over doves floating by on your special day, then you can even book the spot for weddings, special occasions and private dining.

Where: conraD maldives, rangali island, 20077, maldives
website: www.conradmaldives.com

3. Alchemist, Denmark

What sets it apart: Science, technology and theatre come together in this sensory experience in Copenhagen. Led by chef Rasmus Munk, the restaurant regularly tops best restaurant lists, and dining here can take three to six hours, so be prepared for a long evening, but one that sounds absolutely worth it.

Expect gasps of shock from tables around you, as this immersive experience promises a slew of surprises. The Alchemist experience offers a 50-course meal, or what they refer to as “50 impressions” accompanied by a beverage pairing of your choice.

This is not just a restaurant – there are several moving parts which come together to create one phenomenal experience.

This is not just a restaurant – there are several moving parts which come together to create one phenomenal experience. The design studio works closely together with the culinary research team and visual arts studio to create unique plates, serving utensils, and showpieces just for the restaurant. The food served here is described as “holistic cuisine” that aims to broaden your mind with respect to culinary art – so literally, anything is possible. A word of warning, though: choose your company wisely, as the restaurant itself claims that it is not the right choice for business discussions or first dates.

where: Refshalevej 173C, DK-1432 Copenhagen, Denmark
WEBSITE: www.ALCHEMIST.DK

4. Giraffe Manor, Kenya

What sets it apart: It’s not every day that you get to breakfast with the world’s tallest species. But what’s even better is that each guest at the Giraffe Manor pays a donation to the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife, so your dollars (and Instagram photos) go towards wildlife conservation across Kenya.

Reserved exclusively for overnight safari guests of Giraffe Manor, the experience brings you up close with these elegant creatures, as they lope across the manor lawns and peer in through the large windows while you sip on your coffee. The giraffes here are endangered Rothschild’s giraffes who can never be seen at such close quarters anywhere else, which gives you a real appreciation of just how beautiful and soulful these creatures are. Watch out for their inquisitive tongues though – they can grow up to twenty inches long. If breakfast with a giraffe wasn’t on your bucket list yet – we hope it is now. Or, if you miss breakfast, you always hang out with them over afternoon tea that you can have as the sun sets behind the Ngong Hills while you dig into homemade cookies, cakes and scones.

Where: Giraffe Manor, Nairobi, Kenya
website: www.thesafaricollection.com

5. Under, Norway

What sets it apart: Five and a half meters below the ocean surface in Southern Norway, the gourmet restaurant Under is one of the world’s most unique restaurants. With space for up to 90 guests in an area of about 500 square metres, the submarine restaurant is the world’s largest of its kind. Expect striking architecture, beautiful interiors and exquisite food.

Five and a half meters below the ocean surface in Southern Norway, the gourmet restaurant Under is one of the world’s unique attractions.

The location is what makes this stunning, remote spot so exciting. The experience is all about knowing, appreciating and exploring what’s under the surface of the sea – and what better place to do it than semi-submerged in the North Atlantic? The drama begins when you just look at the architecture of the building. Under has been designed so that, in time, the structure will become a part of the marine environment, as the rough concrete shell will work as an artificial reef. Functioning somewhat like a sunken periscope, the restaurant has massive acrylic windows that offer views of the seabed as it changes through seasons and weather conditions. The menu is super seasonal and you can find a unique set of dishes including scallops with radish and apple, carrot, koji rye bread and an interesting cauliflower and gooseberry langoustine.

where: Bålyveien 48, 4521 Lindesnes, norway
website: www.under.no

6. Krasota, Dubai

What sets it apart: Eating at Krasota is more of a show than a dinner-table experience. There are interactive real-time games involved, animation, and rare ingredients on your plate so that it all feels like one big spectacle.

Dubai’s dining scene never fails to surprise, but Krasota takes things to an entirely new level. Nestled in the heart of the city, this restaurant is where haute cuisine meets high art, creating a multi-sensory experience that’s nothing short of theatrical. The “Imaginary Flavour” show allows you to indulge in a seven-course menu designed with a futuristic flair, showcasing some unexpected tastes. On the set menu, there’s everything from tuna, caviar and sea urchin miso soup to burgers with wagyu and crab, all beautifully presented in seven unique “stories” that they say present a “futuristic view of humanity’s development.”

Dubai’s dining scene never fails to surprise, but Krasota takes things to an entirely new level.

If you’re looking for something more arty, choose the “Imagery Art” option which is an eight-course menu inspired by eight exceptional artists of the late 19th and early 20th centuries Revived paintings and haute cuisine dishes come together with literal art on your plate in the form of peach sashimi and pickled blackcurrant buds; tuna, red currant and rhubarb milk, and more.

where: Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard Downtown Dubai, PO Box 123234 Dubai,
website: WWW.krasota.art

7. Gaggan, Bangkok

What sets it apart: Gaggan in Bangkok is the kind of restaurant that doesn’t just serve food—it serves an experience. This legendary spot, led by chef Gaggan Anand, has a reputation for pushing boundaries with playful innovation and bold flavours. It’s not your typical fine dining; instead, it’s like being in on a creative secret, where traditional Indian dishes meet modern gastronomy in ways you didn’t know were possible.

One moment you’re enjoying a deconstructed pani puri, and the next, you’re diving into molecular gastronomy with a touch of whimsy.

Picture a tasting menu where every course is a surprise—one moment, you’re enjoying a deconstructed pani puri, and the next, you’re diving into molecular gastronomy with a touch of whimsy. Each dish feels like a conversation piece, beautifully crafted and a little provocative, much like the vibe of the restaurant itself. It’s easy to see why Gaggan has held its place at the top of the world’s culinary ranks. The ambience is edgy yet inviting, the service is impeccable, and the food? Well, it’s the kind you’ll be thinking about for weeks. Gaggan is more than just a meal; it’s a journey through flavours, textures, and imagination. If you’re in Bangkok, this is one reservation you don’t want to miss. Called “food opera”, Anand describes Gaggan as the “analogue of theatrical cooking” – a place where guests are taken on a multi-sensory journey of touch, sound, lights, smell, taste and the sixth element of surprise, combined together and served as an artistic production.

Where: 68 Sukhumvit 31, Sukhumvit Rd, Klongton-Neu, Wattana, Bangkok 10110
Website: www.gaggan.com

Food & Drink, International, Restaurants, Travel

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