For many people, dining out isn't just about discovering exceptional cuisine. It's about having an outstanding experience, something that feels truly special and out of the ordinary. Here, we have curated a list of must-visit MICHELIN Guide restaurants in unexpected locations, that are all guaranteed to linger long in your memory. Stretching across the globe, each one combines top-notch cooking with an otherworldly setting.
Europe
Under, Lindesnes, Norway
Nestled 18 feet beneath the icy North Sea, Under is Europe’s first, and the world’s largest, underwater restaurant. From the moment you arrive outside the establishment — housed in a striking, half-sunken structure that appears to have slipped off the rocky shoreline — it’s clear this is no ordinary dining experience. Step into the underwater dining room and you’re greeted by a 36-foot panoramic window that serves as a living, marine-themed art installation. Perhaps unsurprisingly, seafood leads the way on the One-MICHELIN-Starred menu.
Iris, Rosendal, Norway
As special as underwater dining in Norway is, the country offers an equally unique over-the-water alternative in the glacier-hugged fjords along its western coast. A short boat ride takes you to Iris, inside an elliptical floating structure known as the Salmon Eye. Part visitor center for the aquaculture industry, part destination restaurant, it’s a place where architecture, education and culinary innovation come together. The tasting menu, featuring over 18 courses, highlights often-overlooked ingredients like lumpsucker fish, aiming to raise awareness of the ocean’s fragile ecosystem.
Alchemist, Copenhagen, Denmark
To call Alchemist simply a restaurant doesn’t do it full justice. Rather, it’s an immersive journey where Chef Rasmus Munk’s cuisine becomes a medium for art, science and social reflection. Dinner unfolds like a theatrical performance, with the technically masterful dishes divided into acts and set across various locations — from a planetarium-like dome to a sterile operating room. Expect a thought-provoking, sometimes challenging experience, complete with themes that explore climate change, ethics and human fragility. It’s a feast for all the senses — and the intellect, too.
Eatrenalin, Rust, Germany
There are many ways to describe the concept behind Eatrenalin, but “futuristic” might be the most fitting. Sign up for the two-hour Eatrenalin Experience, and you’ll be guided on floating chairs through a series of themed worlds and rooms. In each, guests sample aperitifs and inventive dishes — featuring ingredients like aniseed, Kampot pepper or moon shoots — that reflect the atmosphere of the space. The tour begins in the lounge and ends in matching style at the bar, with DJ music, champagne and cocktails.
Locanda Don Serafino, Ragusa, Italy
Ibla — the picturesque historic center of Ragusa — is often photographed from above, but dining at the One-MICHELIN-Starred Locanda Don Serafino offers a fresh perspective on this storied Sicilian city: The restaurant is carved into a cave at the foot of the hillside on which the old town rests. Yet despite the dramatic setting, there’s nothing rustic about the experience. The service and tableware are refined, the atmosphere romantic, and the cuisine among the most exciting on the island.
El Vagón de Beni, Hoyo de Manzanares, Spain
Train travel was once synonymous with chic dining wagons. At El Vagón de Beni — a charming restaurant housed in two meticulously restored vintage railway carriages and the adjoining station platform in the hills northwest of Madrid — it still is. While the setting pays homage to the golden age of locomotives, the cuisine blends local and international recipes with contemporary flair. The menu is intentionally short, giving the kitchen freedom to experiment with an ever-changing lineup of flavors.
Le Jules Verne, 2nd Floor of the Eiffel Tower, Paris, France
Perched on the second floor of the Eiffel Tower, Le Jules Verne is a feat of technical ingenuity in more ways than one. First, you experience the engineering marvel of Paris’ most iconic tower up close, alongside breathtaking views from 380 feet above the city. Then comes the challenge of preparing One-MICHELIN-Starred fare in a kitchen with limited space and storage. The result is an ever-evolving menu — courtesy of Chef Frédéric Anton — that showcases creativity and seasonality at their finest.
North America
Nōksu, New York
Dining in a New York City subway station might sound unlikely, but Nōksu, an innovative seafood-focused Koreatown restaurant led by Chef Dae Kim, turns it into a thrilling experience. Hidden behind a code-locked door beneath Herald Square, Nōksu features an elegant black marble counter where every seat offers a front-row view of the chefs at work. Don’t miss the signature dry-aged squab, prepared table-side in a dramatic, Peking duck-inspired ritual — accompanied by the nostalgic sound of 1980s music.
Middle East
Ossiano, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
In a city famed for its anything-is-possible spirit, Ossiano fits right in. At this Dubai hot spot, guests enjoy MICHELIN-Starred cuisine while immersed in an extraordinary aquarium teeming with 65,000 marine animals — from sharks to stingrays — gliding by. The restaurant is housed within the aptly named Atlantis The Palm Hotel, and each dish on the 10-course tasting menu is inspired by a renowned ocean explorer.
Jiwan, Doha, Qatar
It’s not every day you dine in a restaurant celebrated not only for its menus but also for its architecture. Jiwan — located in Doha’s National Museum of Qatar — earned the title of one of the World’s Most Beautiful Restaurants by UNESCO’s Prix Versailles, bringing well-deserved recognition to Koichi Takada Architects, who dreamed up the space. The design draws inspiration from Qatar’s unique position between sea and desert, with over 4 million Swarovski crystals suspended from the ceiling in a shimmering, wave-like pattern.
Asia
HAJIME, Osaka, Japan
At first glance, little suggests that Hajime Yoneda, chef-owner of the Three-MICHELIN-Starred HAJIME, was once a system engineer. Look a little closer, however, and his previous career reveals itself in the gastronomic journey he crafts for his guests. Centered on the theme of “a dialogue with the Earth,” Yoneda interprets the changing seasons through his unique lens, weaving story-like messages into his cuisine. The house specialty, Chikyu — meaning “the Earth” — tells the tale of nature’s bounty shaped by the cycles of mountain and ocean, all on a single plate.
Shigetsu, Kyoto, Japan
Shigetsu is as close as you can get to dining like a Buddhist monk in a World Heritage-protected site. Located within the Tenryu-ji temple in ancient Kyoto, it serves shojin ryori, a vegetarian cuisine rooted in Buddhist ascetic traditions. Diners kneel or sit cross-legged on tatami mats, with food thoughtfully presented on low tables before them. The serene setting mirrors the deeper purpose of the meal: Shojin ryori is believed to quiet worldly desires, cleanse the soul and inspire spiritual awakening.
Yong, Guangzhou, China
As you might expect from a restaurant set in a heritage building in Guangzhou’s historic Dongshankou neighborhood, Yong boasts a museum-worthy collection of ancient Chinese porcelain and other dining utensils crafted by local artisans. After passing through the impressive stone archway at the entrance, push open the wooden door to discover a gallery of artifacts. The dining room is located on the first floor where the restaurant specializes in Sichuan cuisine: Think handmade golden noodles, thick and refreshing, served in a rich broth made from aged chicken, old duck and ham. The flavor is intensely concentrated, making it a true classic.
Hero Image: Iris, one of the most original and unusual restaurant locations in the world. © Tobias Lamberg Torjusen/Iris
