Sure, if you’re gonna splash some cash on a bougie meal, the food is going to be the focal point. But when restaurants take just as much pride in their décor and furnishings as they do in their ingredients and plating, it’s the real cherry on top.
Handily, Prix Versailles, a prestigious architecture award, has just unveiled its annual list of the world’s most beautiful restaurants, which the secretary general Jérôme Gouadain says ‘serves as a tribute to the architecture and overall experience,’ according to Forbes.
So, where was included in the shiny new list? One of them is a place called Shell, in Nusa Penida, Indonesia, which sits on a clifftop overlooking Diamond Beach. Bamboo structures help support a huge shell-shaped roof which covers the restaurant, and reclaimed wood from old Javanese houses (known as joglos) has been used to make furniture.
Smoked Room in Dubai was also included, which is a Michelin-star space with a sophisticated, moody aura. Black bricks have been used alongside mirrors and brass mesh, and its intimate semi-circular layout allows only 14 people at a time to enjoy the restaurant’s Omakase experience.
In Europe, Bouchon Carême, a restaurant in central Helsinki offering a Finnish take on Lyonnaise bouchon, was included. As was Lobster Club, a sleek, contemporary space in southwest Majorca with a stunning panoramic terrace and lots of wood in a nod to a traditional beach house vibe.
These are the world’s most beautiful museums, according to Prix Versailles
- Gerbou, Dubai, UAE
- Smoked Room, Dubai, UAE
- Blackswan, Beijing, China
- Ōrtensia, Shanghai, China
- Lobster Club, Palma de Majorca, Spain
- Bouchon Carême, Helsinki, Finland
- Ladurée Rue Royale, Paris, France
- Ducasse Baccarat, Paris, France
- Julie’s, London, UK
- Shell, Nusa Penida, Indonesia
- Coro, Orvieto, Italy
- Seven Island, Busan, Republic of Korea
- Kimyoa, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Another Smith, Tha Sai Luat, Thailand
- Beefbar, New York, USA
- Japón, Miami Beach, USA
Did you see that this South American restaurant was just crowned best in the world for 2025?
Plus: World Food Photography Awards 2025: All the winning shots
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