The most unique restaurants in the world

The church crypts

The dark depths of church crypts were traditionally used as burial sites. However, in modern times, the coffins in many of these crypts have been removed, leaving behind dark, uneven spaces. Parishioners have found creative ways to use these spaces. Many have been repurposed as warehouses, homeless shelters, and even military barracks in times of war.

Nhà hàng trong hầm mộ nhà thờ St Madeleine ở Paris — Restaurant in the crypt of St Madeleine church in Paris

However, you may be surprised to learn that many former burial sites have been converted into restaurants and cafes. In fact, catacomb cafes seem to be a growing trend around the world. Sydney, Paris, and London are among the cities that have restaurants converted from old church crypts. St Madeleine Church in Paris runs a charity restaurant that provides cheap meals to the elderly and homeless from its crypt dining area. And St James Church in Sydney has gone from a small courtyard cafe to a gourmet meal in the crypt.

Quán café trong sân nhà thờ St James ở Sydney — Cafe in the courtyard of St James's Church in Sydney

St Martin-in-the-Field Anglican Church in Traggar Square, London, even has ancient tombstones lining the floor of the Crypt Cafe. Artifacts such as an old manuscript and sculptures from the church are displayed right next to diners' tables.

Quán Cà phê Hầm Mộ bên trong St Martin-in-the-Field ở London — The Crypt Cafe inside St Martin-in-the-Field in London

Old toilets

A toilet block is also one of the places you’d expect to find a restaurant or cafe. They’re another set of disused buildings that are becoming increasingly popular hangouts for charming foodie haunts. Buildings that were once dingy, dirty and covered in graffiti have been repurposed as trendy eateries.

Burgermeister ở Berlin vốn là một toilet công cộng — Burgermeister in Berlin was originally a public toilet

A popular burger joint in Berlin retains the unmistakable tiling from its former public toilet days. The building's character has been preserved, even the napkins are taken from a toilet paper holder!

Nhà hàng WC Clapham ở London — WC Clapham Restaurant in London

Nhà hàng Attendant vốn là một toilet cũ thời Victoria — The Attendant Restaurant was originally an old Victorian toilet.

Nhà hàng Ladies & Gentlemen ở London — Ladies & Gentlemen Restaurant in London

In the UK, it’s becoming quite popular to convert unused toilets into trendy cafes and pubs, with some smaller towns turning them into restaurants instead of demolishing them.

Old train tunnels

Most modern cities have labyrinths of dark tunnels hidden beneath the streets. Some were used as train and tram lines; others became wartime bunkers or drainage channels. All are usually dark, scary places that few people really want to visit.

However, the value of these tunnels is being recognized, sparking a trend of underground restaurants and bars. You might expect to find a cafe, snack bar or vending machine at a train station, but now restaurant owners are digging a little deeper to offer unique dining experiences.

Nhà hàng ngầm ở Toronto — Underground restaurant in Toronto

In Sydney, a planned expansion of the city’s rail system was abandoned during the recession. A pair of tunnels at St James station have remained largely dormant since then. Inspired by tunnel restaurants overseas, plans are now underway to redevelop the dank tunnels into a mix of pubs and restaurants.

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Nhà hàng ngầm ở London — Underground restaurant in London

In London, you can dine in a decommissioned passenger carriage located in an underground tunnel. The original 1967 décor has been retained. Diners can enjoy a four-course menu on board, and ticketed events are held on specific dates each year. In Paris, plans are also underway to turn disused metro tunnels into luxury restaurants and bars.

Dining table in the open air

Fancy having dinner on a floating table? It’s actually possible, provided you’re not afraid of heights. In 2006, a Belgian media outlet teamed up with a theme park to come up with a bizarre dining concept – “Dinner In The Sky” – that has gone viral around the world. 22 diners sit on a platform, which is then lifted 50 meters above the ground to enjoy a mid-air feast.

Word has spread and diners in over 40 countries have enjoyed a meal in the sky. It sounds like a fun dining experience, just don't drop your napkin.

"Meal in the Sky" also appeared in Vietnam for the first time in 2015.

Dining on the plane

Airline food is notoriously unappetizing; so an airplane is not the place where you will find good food. However, there are old planes that have been repurposed into restaurants that offer some truly delicious dining experiences.

Nhà hàng trong máy bay Boeing 737 ở Malaysia — Restaurant in a Boeing 737 in Malaysia

Nhà hàng Máy bay ở Colorado Springs — Airplane Restaurant in Colorado Springs

Nhà hàng Máy bay ở Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica — Airplane Restaurant in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica

In Malaysia, diners can enjoy a three-course meal in a repurposed Boeing 737. True to the aviation theme, menus range from Economy to Business to First Class. Similarly, in Colorado, you can enjoy a meal in a former US Air Force jet, while in Costa Rica, you can dine under the wing of a derelict military aircraft.

Cave restaurants

You might think of stalactites and stalagmites when you visit a cave or even go diving to discover underwater treasures. Caves have always been popular spots for picnics and parties and setting up cave restaurants is a growing trend.

Nhà hàng hang động Grotta Palazzese ở Ý — Grotta Palazzese Cave Restaurant in Italy

The Grotta Palazzese cave restaurant in Italy is said to date back to the 1700s, as evidenced by a 1783 watercolor painting. Today, it offers a fine dining experience with views of the Adriatic Sea.

Nhà hàng Fangweng trên vách đá dọc sông Dương Tử, Trung Quốc — Fangweng Restaurant on a cliff along the Yangtze River, China

Along China’s Yangtze River, diners walk along a 30-meter-long protected walkway on a cliff face to a cliffside where they can enjoy an unusual dining experience. Many Asian vacation spots are also following the underground dining trend, with luxury cave restaurants popping up near many popular resorts.

Restaurant in the laundromat

Laundromat restaurants, cafes and bars are a thing these days. Some ingenious laundromat owners around the world are capitalizing on the time their customers waste doing their weekly laundry.

Quán The Bar of Soap ở Asheville, North Carolina, Mỹ — The Bar of Soap in Asheville, North Carolina, USA

The concept first emerged in Germany, where laundromat owners began serving barista coffee and snacks to their patrons. The idea soon spread across Western Europe, spreading to the United States and Australia. Many laundromats resembled nightclubs and upscale restaurants. Some served fast food and coffee, while others served as bars, and even hosted dance parties and entertainment.

Old mental hospitals

Many large psychiatric hospitals are now abandoned. These buildings exude a dark, gloomy atmosphere. However, their size, architecture and location make them ideal for redevelopment into luxury hotels and restaurants. That is why around the world, many of these old buildings have been converted from hospitals to restaurants.

Khách sạn Henry ở New York — Henry Hotel in New York

New Mexico and New York have both seen historic asylums transformed into luxury hotels and restaurants. Many European asylums now offer romantic weekend getaways. In Tasmania, a restaurant has been set up in the dormitory of one of the region’s oldest asylums.

Cemetery Restaurant

Cemetery restaurants are not without their charm. Many larger cemeteries have cafes where visitors and mourners can stop for refreshments. Restaurants often surround large cemeteries to cater to visitors.

Nhà hàng New Lucky ở Ahmadabad (Ấn Độ) nằm trên một nghĩa địa Hồi giáo cũ — New Lucky Restaurant in Ahmadabad (India) is located on an old Muslim cemetery

The New Lucky restaurant in Ahmadabad, India, is located on a former Muslim cemetery. Rather than disturb the dead, tables are set up around graves. Metal fences surround raised coffins, while diners enjoy coffee and curry next to their graves.

Dine in the trees

In Costa Rica, there is a restaurant and cafe built around the branches of an ancient fig tree that you have to climb a flight of stairs to reach. In Thailand, you can be hoisted into the treetops by crane into your own private dining room. Food is served to you via a series of cables from the ground below.