Unusual, once-in-a-lifetime dining experiences around the world

Are you a foodie looking for a unique dining experience that goes beyond the setting of a typical restaurant? If so, you’re in luck! There are many unusual dining experiences offering a one-of-a-kind meal you will remember for the rest of your life. From dining in complete darkness to cooking your food over an active volcano on the top of a mountain, these experiences are sure to simultaneously satisfy your cravings for adventure and scrumptious food. Join us as we explore some of the most unique and unforgettable dining experiences around the globe.

Dinner in the Sky, Dubai, UAE
A dining experience that takes place 50 meters above the ground, Dinner in the Sky offers a unique fine dining experience with a panoramic view. Tables and chairs are attached to a crane and are lifted into the air, offering diners a bird's-eye view of their surroundings while they enjoy their meal.

The dining table seats up to 22 guests and is served by a chef and waiter who work on a platform in the centre of the table. This experience is priced between USD 160 and 220 per person depending on the day of the week and the time of the booking. You can also enjoy sky dining in other locations such as Brussels and Las Vegas.

Dans Le Noir? London, United Kingdom
Dans Le Noir? (French for ‘in the dark?’) is a distinct dining experience that involves eating in complete darkness. The idea behind the restaurant is to heighten your senses of taste and smell by removing your sense of sight.

Patrons at Dans Le Noir? have little knowledge of the entrées, appetizers, desserts, and wine choice of their meal, which is primarily inspired by French cuisine. Ranked among the 10 most original restaurants in the world, its staff is blind or visually impaired. Dans Le Noir? is now a chain with branches in Paris, Barcelona, New York and other locations.

El Diablo, Lanzarote, Spain
Located in Lanzarote, Spain, El Diablo is a unique dining experience that involves cooking food over a volcano. The restaurant uses a specially designed grill that harnesses the heat from the volcano to cook meat and vegetables.

The menu features grilled meat and fish, as well as local wines and other Spanish-inspired dishes. Aside from the distinctive cooking methods, El Diablo also boasts of an astounding ethereal view of Lanzarote’s Timanfaya National Park, a Martian landscape of red sands and volcanic rock.

Ithaa Undersea Restaurant, Maldives
Part of the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, the Ithaa Undersea Restaurant is a matchless dining experience that involves feasting 16 feet below sea level. The restaurant is located in a transparent acrylic tunnel that offers a 180-degree view of the surrounding coral reefs and marine life.

The menu features contemporary European cuisine, as well as Maldivian-inspired dishes. With a capacity of 14 people, this restaurant is also used for private parties and weddings.

Giraffe Manor, Nairobi, Kenya
If you’ve ever dreamed about having breakfast with giraffes, don’t miss a visit to Giraffe Manor in Nairobi, Kenya. Giraffe Manor is a boutique luxury hotel that is home to a herd of endangered Rothschild giraffes.

The giraffes roam freely around the property and are known to stick their heads into the windows from time to time, in the hope of a treat. The giraffes are very friendly and are used to having humans around.

The historic manor is set in the midst of a 140-acre forest around which they curate various other wildlife experiences and safaris as well.

Dinner in a Cable Car, Singapore
Cable car dining in Singapore allows you to enjoy stunning views of the city skyline while enjoying delicious food. The experience takes place in a cable car, which is suspended high above the ground and travels between Mount Faber and Sentosa Island.

The cable car dining experience typically lasts for about 90 minutes and includes a four-course meal, complete with drinks and dessert. Guests can choose from a variety of menus, including traditional Singaporean cuisine, Western cuisine, and vegetarian options.

The Rock Restaurant, Zanzibar
The Rock Restaurant in Zanzibar offers a romantic and unforgettable meal to its patrons. Located in front of the Michamvi Pingwe beach on the southeast coast of Zanzibar, it has sometimes been referred to as the floating restaurant.

The restaurant is perched on a rock in the middle of the sea and can only be accessed by wading across during low tide or by a short boat ride during high tide. The menu features seafood caught by local fishermen, as well as other African-inspired cuisines.

The Clink, United Kingdom
The Clink is an unusual restaurant chain in the United Kingdom that provides training and employment opportunities to prisoners nearing the end of their sentences. Prisoners work in all aspects of the restaurant, from the kitchen to waitstaff, under the guidance of professional chefs and hospitality experts.

The goal is to provide inmates with valuable skills and experience that will help them secure employment once they are released from prison, reducing their likelihood of reoffending. However, The Clink isn't just a social enterprise- it's also a high-quality dining experience, as well. The menus feature locally sourced, seasonal ingredients prepared to a high standard. The first Clink restaurant opened in 2009 at HMP High Down in Surrey, and since then, additional locations have opened at several other prisons across the United Kingdom.

So, which of these mind-blowing dining experiences has made it to your bucket list? Because one thing is for sure, you are bound to remember unusual dining experiences like these for a lifetime, long after the tantalizing taste of the delicious food has left your tastebuds!