The 11 Most Beautiful Restaurants in the World
From opulent restaurants in Paris to midcentury icons and modern minimalist dining rooms in Barcelona, these eye-catching restaurants are worth planning a trip around
When it comes to dining out, you might say that our eyes eat first. The most beautiful restaurants in the world will have you transfixed even before you sitting down to eat; their architecture, design and scene setting signal the kind of experience you’re about to have. And though the cuisine certainly plays a very important role, certain restaurants are worth going to for the incredible design alone. From historic restaurants that ooze opulence to sleek new restaurants that lean more minimalist, we surveyed 11 restaurants around the world that are worth visiting at least once in your life.
For a truly special experience, check out AD's guide to the most beautiful restaurants in Dubai.
The greatest design stories from AD Middle East, delivered to your inbox
Photo: Henry Wilson1/11Bar Palladio
The chance to dine enveloped in the peacock-blue interiors with Mughal architectural motifs and Indian block print textiles at Bar Palladio might just be reason enough to travel to Jaipur. The fantastical restaurant was dreamed up by Italian owner Barbara Miolini and brought to life by Dutch designer Marie-Anne Oudejans. It’s located in the Narain Niwas Palace Hotel, whose gardens are replete with mango trees and actual peacocks. Bar-palladio.com
Photo: Courtesy of the Dorchester Collection2/11Restaurant Le Meurice Alain Ducasse (Paris)
Versailles-inspired opulence meets modern design at the gourmet restaurant by Michelin-starred chef Alain Ducasse at Le Meurice, a member of the renowned Dorchester Collection in Paris. A renovation by Philippe Starck preserved historic details like gilded crown moldings, a beautiful ceiling fresco, and crystal chandeliers while adding modern elements like Eero Saarinen’s tulip armchairs. The gorgeous room is the perfect backdrop for gourmet creations by Ducasse and the hotel’s award-winning pastry chef Cédric Grolet. Dorchestercollection.com
Photo: Edmund Dabney3/11The Gallery at Sketch London
One of the most Instagrammed restaurants in the world, the Gallery at Sketch London got a makeover last year courtesy of designer India Mahdavi. Though it now bears a bright yellow color scheme instead of pink, it’s still a must-visit for any design lover in London. In addition to its curvy chairs and art by David Shrigley, it now also features pieces by African artists and handmade wall lights. Sketch.london
Photo: Joan Valera4/11Disfrutar (Barcelona)
Holding one of the top spots on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, Disfrutar feels surprisingly laid-back considering its credentials. Created by three alums of El Bulli, the restaurant occupies a bright, airy space in Barcelona’s Eixample neighborhood. Guests pass through a corridor featuring geometric shapes made of clay, with a view of the kitchen, before entering the sleek white dining room inspired by Spain’s small fishing villages. Disfrutarbarcelona.com
Photo: Rocco Forte Hotels5/11Le Jardin de Russie (Rome)
The signature restaurant overseen by renowned chef Fulvio Pierangelini at Rome’s luxurious Hotel de Russie is gorgeous both inside and out. Tucked away just off the bustling Piazza del Popolo, the hotel is known for its tiered secret garden. When the weather is good, the restaurant terrace overlooking the bar is the place to be. The interior dining room is stunning too, thanks to the recent addition of a fresco painted by Gio Bressana. Roccofortehotels.com
.jpg)
Photo: Adrian Koh/Bacha Coffee6/11Bacha (Marrakech)
There is something so magical about Morocco, and this elegant bistro, hidden inside the historic Dar El Bacha—now the Musée des Confluences— tells you why! Built in 1910 in the medina of Marrakech, a sort of jardin d’hiver featuring black-and-white checkered floors, a glass roof, marble tables, and oversized palms, it seems to transport you back in time to the colonial era. It’s a must-visit spot for lunch or coffee and pastries in Marrakech. Bachacoffee.com
.jpg)
Photo: Violet Oon Singapore7/11National Kitchen by Violet Oon (Singapore)
Tucked inside Singapore’s National Gallery, this elegant restaurant by the country’s original celebrity chef is a gorgeous place to get to know Peranakan cuisine, which fuses flavors and techniques from China, Malaysia, and Europe. The design evokes the colonial era, when Singapore was under British rule, with rich materials like wood, leather, and marble, as well as beautiful tiles and chandeliers. Violetoon.com
.jpg)
.jpg)
Photo: Nikki To8/11Bennelong (Sydney)
Did you know that you can dine inside Sydney’s iconic Opera House? The striking cathedral-like space designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzen and finished by Peter Hall is dramatic in its own right thanks to its soaring ceilings, but it also offers breathtaking views of Sydney Harbour. The setting is especially enchanting in the evening, when the lights are low and the restaurant seems to glow from within. Bennelong.com.au
.jpeg)
Photo: Christian Horan9/11Merois (Los Angeles)
Perched on the rooftop of the Pendry West Hollywood, this buzzy restaurant by celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck features stunning interiors by AD100 designer Martin Brudnizki. The vibe can best be described as dramatic, thanks to the fabric draped from the ceiling that has an almost tented effect, with chandeliers dangling from the folds. Brudnizki has a way with color that’s certainly on display here. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame stunning views of Los Angeles. Pendry.com
.jpeg)
Photo: Scott Frances/Major Food Group10/11Torrisi Bar & Restaurant (New York City)
New York City’s most buzzed-about new opening is a tour de force of design by Garrett Singer and cuisine by Chef Rich Torrisi of the Major Food Group. Representing the rebirth of Torrisi’s groundbreaking restaurant, this incarnation is bigger and better than the original. Housed in the historic Puck Building in downtown Manhattan, it has cinematic swagger, with exposed brick walls, original cast-iron columns, marble mosaic floors, crushed velvet booths, and original art by Julian Schnabel. Torrisinyc.com
Photo: Brechenmacher & Baumann, Courtesy of Le Sirenuse11/11La Sponda (Positano, Italy)
It’s a toss-up whether the most eye-catching aspect of this restaurant inside Le Sirenuse, an überchic member of the Leading Hotels of the World, is the elegant interior design or the bird’s eye views of Positano and the colorful tiled dome of its famous cathedral. Hotel guests understandably love to linger over breakfast here, but in the evening, it transforms into a romantic, candlelit setting serving Neapolitan dishes. Sirenuse.it
Originally published in AD US.
