The World's Most Beautiful Restaurants

In this Instagram-obsessed world, it's all too easy to forget your surroundings. But certain spaces demand your attention, and when it comes to the world's most beautiful restaurants, there's more than meets the eye.

Breathtaking settings, magnificent chandeliers and provocative artwork cast a mood and capture the imagination. Palatial rooms with Art Deco bars or midcentury-modern furniture transport you, even if just for a few hours.

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Though we're all for holes-in-the-wall, dive bars and street food, a truly stunning restaurant has a unique allure all on its own. So we've rounded up 10 of the most striking haunts—destinations in their own right—from all around the world for your viewing pleasure. Move these restaurants to the top of your bucket list.

The Maldives

Located not only in the Maldives but under the sea, this restaurant is nothing if not out of the way. But the experience of dining on dishes like agnotti of duck and Maldivian lobster carpaccio while fish, sharks and stingrays swim all around you truly puts Ithaa in a league of its own. But don't wait until you clear customs to make a reservation: This subterranean 12-seat stunner books up fast.

Antwerp, Belgium

Don't write off this Antwerp, Belgium, restaurant created by Dutch designer Piet Boon as nothing but a highly visual experience. The food is just as impressive at the space, which is a former chapel of a military hospital, featuring towering ceilings, giant windows, stained glass and majestic lighting. Once you finish taking in the incredible interior, get ready to tackle chef Sergio Herman's two-Michelin-starred tasting menu that won't disappoint. 

Hong Kong, China

With chandeliers that look like spiral staircases, copper piping and an illustrious sculpture behind the bar, this award-winning restaurant was inspired by the 1965 film noir masterpiece Alphaville. Enjoy the sci-fi vibe over fresh pasta and sous-vide cocktails.

London, England

Playful, theatrical and just the right amount of over the top, London's sketch has made an indelible mark on the city's dining scene in recent years. David Shrigley designed the Gallery, the bubble-gum pink, highly Instagrammable Mayfair space, and the accompanying art, china plates and bowls—all the better to serve the creations of famed Michelin-starred French chef Pierre Gagnaire.

Bucharest, Romania

On the banks of Romania's Lake Herăstrău, this casual spot, made even more special because it's only open during the summer months, feels like a stylish greenhouse from the future. While diners gaze out on the water, they can look inward at the award-winning space, featuring nautical props like the overturned boat hanging above the bar, while dining on dishes like grilled sea bass with olives and fennel.

Barcelona, Spain

Still just a few years old, this Catalan stunner boasts a serene yet utilitarian space in an urban environment, making the most out of natural light and the bustling scene just outside. To get from the dining room to the patio, guests travel through a ceramic-lined corridor that separates diners from a trio of elBulli alums in the kitchen. If you never made it to the now-closed Spanish restaurant, now's your chance to try the legendary disfruta de la aceituna. 

Guadalajara, México

A restaurant decorated with 10,000 bones may not sound like a beautiful sight to behold, but your reservations will melt away as soon as you step foot in this amazing Guadalajara spot, housed in a converted building from the 1940s. No bones about it. It doesn't hurt that the food and wine are exquisite, too. Start your night with a bowl of mussels or tender short ribs and end on a sweet note with crème brûlée for dessert.

Puglia, Italy

Lauded as "the most romantic restaurant in the world" by some, this cliffside cavern in Puglia, Italy, truly lives up to the hype. Quite literally carved out of rock and awash with waves from the Adriatic Sea below, Grotta Palazzese offers fine dining in an unbelievable setting, complete with white tablecloths, warm lighting and live music that puts diners in the mood for a bella notte. When it comes to the food, our advice is to skip the tasting menu and go straight for the bowls of fresh pasta. After all, this is Italy we're talking about.

Ukunda, Kenya

Dining in an underground cave said to be over 100,000 years old might sound like a tourist trap, but at Ali Barbour's, the natural setting, punctuated with beautiful chandeliers, mixes with the surf-and-turf fare for an elegant experience. The kitchen works with seasonal ingredients to create an ever-changing menu that features dishes like poached king prawns with mango or roasted duck breast with plum sauce. 

New York City, New York

Set on one of Manhattan's busiest blocks, Gabriel Kreuther is prime real estate for so many reasons, starting with the 350-seat dining room designed by Glen & Company in the Grace Building. Within nearly 14,000 square feet, you'll find green stripes, floral wallpaper, solid brass fixtures, walnut beams and stork chandeliers that all work together in harmony. The chef, who put The Modern on the map, is drawing on his Alsatian roots and blending classic French technique with local ingredients. Look out for langoustine tartare and baked dorade royale with fennel seed and coriander broth. And, do not skip dessert. Pastry chef Marc Aumont, who also runs the chocolate shop next door, is one of the city's finest.