The most romantic restaurants in the world
If you’re the type of person who woos their loved one with a tired bunch of roses purchased from the local gas station the night before, why not up your game this year? We’ve made the task slightly easier by rounding up the world’s most romantic restaurants.
Tantris
Ochre walls and subtle lighting (provided by individual table lights) make this one of Munich’s most romantic spots.
Tantris has two Michelin stars and is famous for its dedicated team of staff, many of whom have worked at the restaurant for years – so if you’re lucky enough to get a proposal here, which happens quite regularly, there’s a high chance the waiter who poured your celebratory champagne will still be around when you return to toast your tenth anniversary.
Tantris, Munich, Germany
La Sponda
This hotel’s oyster and champagne bar is the perfect spot for a pre-dinner tipple prior to dinner at La Sponda. Silver screen lovebirds Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor are just two of the celebrities who’ve dined at this beautiful restaurant, perched on the Amalfi coast, high above the waters of the Mediterranean.
Inside, vines hug the white stone archways, light is provided by hundreds of candles and the soundtrack is created by a duo of musicians who’ve been serenading diners for over 30 years.
La Sponda, Le Sirenuse Hotel, Positano Italy
Rock Maison
Rock Maison, at the Cap Maison hotel, isn’t a restaurant, but a small area of decking overlooking the Caribbean sea. There’s room for just one table, making it one of the Caribbean’s most romantic spots. But if the setting isn’t enough to blow you away, a zip line connects your private dining area with the bar.
But don’t worry – it’s not intended as a mode of transport but as a method of delivering champagne straight to your table. As for the recommended dish? “For couples enjoying a romantic meal I’d suggest a dessert called Wait and See,” says Ross Stevenson, general manager at Cap Maison. “It’s prepared table-side for guests. Our pastry chef creates a dessert, on a mirror, which the couple shares – it’s a real work of art.’
Rock Maison, Cap Maison Hotel, St Lucia, The Caribbean
Sierra Mar Post Ranch Inn
If you like your romantic dinners to come with a spectacular backdrop, Sierra Mar is for you. This beautiful restaurant sits atop the cliffs of Big Sur.
And the view is gorgeous wherever you sit, but never the same – whether you opt for a seat inside, where floor-to-ceiling glass windows provide shelter from the breeze, or outside on the decking, where the air is filled with the scent of fragrant herbs. Sunset is the best time to dine here.
Sierra Mar Post Ranch Inn, California, USA
5.8 Undersea Restaurant
If you’re searching for a table with a jaw-dropping view, but don’t want to be hassled by selfie stick-wielding tourists, this new restaurant is for you, because it’s located 5.8 metres beneath sea level. Every table seats just two people, making it the perfect place for a romantic meal.
The restaurant’s style is deliberately minimalist, allowing you to focus solely on the colourful fishes floating past your table – while trying to forget that you’re probably feasting on their distant relatives.
5.8 Undersea Restaurant, Hurawalhi Island Resort & Spa, The Maldives
Wiener Riesenrad
Probably not one for those prone to vertigo, this particular table for two can be found inside one of the luxury cabins on the Wiener Riesenrad, a Viennese Ferris wheel which dates back to 1897. As you spin over the city’s rooftops, you’ll enjoy a candlelit dinner for two in this beautiful cabin, which has been decorated with the help of Swarovski.
On the menu? Goose liver with Eisvogel brioche, turbot wrapped in crispy potato and served with vegetable pearls, and candied walnut brittle for dessert – washed down with plenty of Austrian wine.
Wiener Riesenrad, Vienna, Austria
Apsara
What could be more romantic than a cruise along Thailand’s Chao Phraya in a traditional sailing boat? Set sail on the Banyan Tree’s Apsara and you’ll feast on fresh fish and decadent desserts as you float past Bangkok’s most beautiful sites, including the Grand Palace and Wat Arun.
The menu is a tribute to Thailand’s best bits, and includes delicacies like crab claw in coconut broth, steamed snow fish with lime and coriander, and massaman lamb curry.
Apsara, Bangkok, Thailand
La Cúpula
The darkness of Tenerife’s night skies recently resulted in Teide National Park being recognised as a top stargazing destination by the Starlight Foundation, and what better place for a romantic meal than an island where the main source of light is the stars above?
La Cúpula’s position, on an upper floor at the Hotel Jardines de Nivaria, combined with floor-to-ceiling glass windows, allows diners uninterrupted views of the night sky. The most romantic options are the booths, which have intimate circular seating, positioned to make the most of the beautiful setting.
La Cupula, Hotel Jardines de Nivaria, Tenerife
By Tamara Hinson www.avis.co.uk/inspires/