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A truly enjoyable meal should satisfy both the mind and body. Which is why dining environment is as important as the chef’s mastery. Unique restaurant experiences can be found throughout the world – let us have a look at some of them.

Tokyo-based Ryoji Iedokoro Architecture Office have developed the Yakiniku Nikunotoriko restaurant located in Tokyo. This place aims to change customers’ perception of what a yakiniku restaurant should be like.

The design of the restaurant’s two floors places an emphasis on the sense of touch and texture, as Ryoji Iedokoro believes that “the memory of a taste is actually the memory of that entire experience”.

A specially constructed 6.5-meter glass table sits on the first floor and has a unique look: as if smoke has been captured in the glass. The stucco-like texture of the walls creates a rough uneven surface resembling an actual cave wall.

The second floor’s theme is ‘earth and greenery’: the landscape of the area is layered and asymmetric. The steel pipes imitate trees and are used as partitions to create a sense of privacy for the diners.

Denver-based Tres Birds Workshop designed a Japanese restaurant in Denver and topped it with a greenhouse.

This two-story building is rectangular in its plan and has a solid brick and concrete base, while its upper part is a fully glazed volume topped with a multi-gable roof.

Uchi takes the ground floor and features an L-shaped dining area that is organized around a central sushi counter and bar. The two rooms offer different atmospheres – one is light and warm, the other is designed in darker tones.

The southern wall of the restaurant is composed of reclaimed red bricks and custom-made crystal blocks which transfer light and energy, thus connecting the interior to the distant cityscape while at the same time sharing the warmth of the inside with the passers-by. The ceiling is made of raw wooden planks that help soften noise and add to the room’s sense of enclosure.

The 650-square-metre greenhouse featuring aeroponic towers that require no soil supplies the kitchen with organic greens available throughout the year. Moreover, this urban farm provides leafy greens for several local restaurants and markets too.

Norwegian Snøhetta have created Under – Europe’s First Underwater Restaurant in Lindesnes.

The 34-meter long monolithic form of the restaurant is half-sunken into the sea from the craggy shoreline, and offers visitors a unique view of marine life. The design of the structure is built to withstand pressure and shock from the sea conditions and meant to fully integrate into the surrounding marine environment over time: its rough concrete shell will serve as an artificial reef, welcoming limpets.

The area is known for its severe and rapidly changing weather conditions. But inside the restaurant’s rich interiors create a warm and welcoming atmosphere: hushed oak-clad foyer, sunset colored textile-clad ceiling panels and bespoke furniture. A huge horizontal window of the restaurant serves as a visual gateway connecting the guests to the wildlife in the water.

The project will also welcome interdisciplinary research teams studying marine biology and fish behavior through cameras and other tools, which are installed on and outside the facade of the restaurant.