{"id":582,"date":"2016-06-05T06:54:42","date_gmt":"2016-06-05T06:54:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/stories\/listopedia-once-in-a-lifetime-restaurants-to-visit-around-the-world\/"},"modified":"2022-08-08T23:21:27","modified_gmt":"2022-08-08T23:21:27","slug":"listopedia-once-in-a-lifetime-dining","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/stories\/listopedia-once-in-a-lifetime-dining\/","title":{"rendered":"Listopedia: once in a lifetime restaurants to visit around the World"},"content":{"rendered":"

Forget four walls and fancy fit outs, fine dining has broken free of the restaurant and run wild. From the sand dunes of the Dubai desert to the ocean floor in the Maldives, here\u2019s Expedia\u2019s Listopedia of the world\u2019s most unusual dining experiences.<\/p>\n

Under the Sea \u2013\u00a0Ithaa, Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, Maldives<\/h2>\n

Just like the song goes, the world\u2019s first underwater restaurant sits \u201cdown where its wetter\u201d, five metres below sea level to be precise. The domed frame of Ithaa at the Conrad Maldives Rangali<\/a> is completely see through, so you can watch the sea life swim past while you indulge in a four course lunch or a six course dinner. Modern European cuisine is painstakingly brought down to your table, where you\u2019ll be so distracted by giant manta rays and clusters of clown fish that you\u2019ll probably miss your mouth with the fork a few times. The restaurant was originally shipped over from Singapore and sunk with 80 tonnes of sand \u2013\u00a0to this day it\u2019s an impressive feat of engineering that requires daily cleaning by a team of scuba divers.<\/p>\n

Under the Stars \u2013 Londolozi Private Game Reserve, South Africa<\/h2>\n

After a day driving around the wilds of South Africa, the last thing you\u2019ll feel like doing is being tucked up inside. The wilderness of South Africa is literally on your doorstep at Londolozi<\/a>, where there are no fences between you and the roaming animals. Don\u2019t worry, the staff won\u2019t let a baboon burst in on your boma \u2013\u00a0the traditional wooden enclosures are the setting for a dinner under the stars. The circular space is filled with tables set for two, with hurricane lamps and tiki flames providing just enough light for you to enjoy your flame grilled steak without taking away from the plethora of stars laid out in the sky.<\/p>\n

Sit under the sails \u2013 Bennelong, Sydney, Australia<\/h2>\n

We\u2019re not talking about supper on a sail boat. The sails of the Sydney Opera House are the dramatic setting for Bennelong Restaurant<\/a>. One of Sydney\u2019s finest dining establishments, Bennelong has a reputation for food as fine as its five star view. Request a table right up against the glass as you work through a menu showcasing the best of Australian produce. The Opera House-inspired pavlova is a must for dessert.
\n<\/p>\n

Dune Dining \u2013\u00a0Al Maha, A Luxury Collection Desert Resort and Spa, Dubai, UAE<\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re keen to escape Dubai\u2019s towering sky scrapers and high rise hotels, head straight to the Al Maha resort<\/a>. Tucked into the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, the resort blends into its surrounds, with a low impact design that includes an oasis-like pool and tented restaurants. Get even closer to the desert with a private picnic dinner in the dunes. Now this is no ordinary picnic \u2013\u00a0a Persian rug is more appropriate as a magic carpet \u2013\u00a0but you\u2019ll sink your feet into the expensive thread count as you sit down at a table for a meal to be remembered. White table cloth, fine china, champagne buckets, rug and lanterns are all in place when you arrive for your meal under the stars.<\/p>\n

Over water dining\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan, Bali, Indonesia<\/h2>\n

We\u2019re not talking about your standard over water dining experience \u2013\u00a0this five star resort tucked into the lush Sayan Valley offers an extra special experience. The hotel\u2019s<\/a> rooftop lotus pond is turned into a private open-air dining room for two during a romantic evening you won\u2019t forget any time soon. Sit perched on a wooden platform out in the middle of the pond, surrounded by candles and look out across the lotus flowers to the rainforest and Ayung River below.<\/p>\n

Cable cuisine \u2013\u00a0Cable Car Sky Dining, Singapore<\/h2>\n

Who said you had to be stationary while you sit down to dinner? Brining new meaning to a meal with a view, Singapore\u2019s famous Cable Car<\/a> offers a 90 minute dining experience that\u2019s definitely different. Your own private cable car is set up for a romantic four course meal that starts as you descend down from Faber Peak across to Sentosa Island. You\u2019ll complete three circuits of the cable whilst wining and dining.
\n<\/p>\n

Tree top dining \u2013\u00a0Nest, PER AQUUM NIYAMA, Maldives<\/h2>\n

The Maldives is possibly the last place you\u2019d expect to be sitting in a tree canopy but at this hotel\u2019s new restaurant, you\u2019ll forget you\u2019re in a tropical paradise within minutes of walking through the front archway. We say archway because there are no doors at Niyama’s<\/a> Nest\u2013\u00a0only a garden path that winds its way past ancient banyan tree trunks and up a wide spiral staircase onto platforms tucked between the trees. The Asian fusion menu takes its design cues from the surrounds \u2013\u00a0sake hibiscus cocktails are garnished with ice nests, chicken lemongrass skewers are grilled over coconut husks and the signature dessert, a Luwak coffee brulee, is made using the world\u2019s most expensive coffee, Kopi Luwak, made in Indonesian rainforests.<\/p>\n

A floating feast \u2013\u00a0Banyan Tree Mayakoba, Mexico<\/h2>\n

The Riviera Maya\u2019s network of rivers and rainforests are a world away from Cancun\u2019s party beaches and one of the best ways to experience them are aboard the Banyan Tree Mayakoba’s<\/a> traditional trajinera. The gondola-like boat is a lot more sedate than the brightly coloured versions you\u2019ll find floating through Mexico City\u2019s canals. With a daybed for two on the bow and a thatched roof, the boat floats through the canals as you devour breakfast or lunch, made to order by the hotel\u2019s chefs.
\n<\/p>\n

In-ocean dining \u2013\u00a0Saffire Freycinet, Tasmania, Australia<\/h2>\n

Arguably one of the most unusual settings for a meal is the white linen-clothed table you\u2019ll find waiting for you in the water at Coles Bay. You\u2019ll scoff fresh oysters and sip bubbles in the private tasting by Freycinet Marine Oyster Farm, which happens in ankle deep water. The tasting experience is just one of many at Saffire Freycinet<\/a>, Tasmania\u2019s ultra luxe resort which sprawls in the shape of a giant sting ray above Coles Bay.<\/p>\n

Snow dining \u2013\u00a0Cloud 9 Alpine Bistro, Aspen Highlands, Colorado, America<\/h2>\n

In a ski resort that draws a serious celebrity clientele, the restaurant menus are almost as important as the mountains. Almost. French champagne and fondue are the lunch of choice at Aspen Highland\u2019s must visit on-mountain eatery, Cloud 9<\/a>. Whether the bubbles are served chilled straight from the giant ice blocks on the deck or inside the quaint mountain cabin, a long lunch here can easily lead into apr\u00e8s drinks. Just remember, you still need to ski down. If you don\u2019t want to sip and ski, book in to one of the special Snowcat Dinners, which includes return snowcat transfers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

From sand dunes to under the sea, here\u2019s our Listopedia of the world\u2019s most unusual dining experiences.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17,25,6,28,2,39,14,7],"tags":[8,186,223,44,112],"authors":[],"class_list":["post-582","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-asia","category-celebration","category-destination","category-europe","category-experiences","category-food-and-wine","category-interests","category-oceania","tag-australia","tag-listopedia","tag-maldives","tag-mexico","tag-singapore","entry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nListopedia: Once in a Lifetime Restaurants | Expedia.com.au<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"From sand dunes to under the sea, here\u2019s our Listopedia of the world\u2019s most unusual dining experiences.\" \/>\n<meta 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