As the world opens up again after a ravaging pandemic, travel is back on the upswing. If faraway places are beckoning to you, consider a few of the world’s most stylish, romantic and/or whimsical restaurants to visit if you’re in the neighborhood.
- Ristorante La Sponda, Positano, Italy – Part of the exquisite Le Sirenuse hotel, overlooking Positano on the Amalfi coast, the romantic La Sponda looks like something out of a fairy tale. The Michelin-starred restaurant features arched floor-to-ceiling windows with vine-coated roofs and prides itself on having 400 candles illuminating the dining room. The menu is focused on local ingredients prepared in the best Neapolitan tradition.
- Clos Maggiore, London, England – Lauded as the city’s (and perhaps the world’s) most romantic restaurant, Clos Maggiore offers the feeling of stepping into another world. White cherry blossom canopies adorn the ceilings of the dining room and the conservatory, which has a retractable roof for summer dinners alfresco. The food, a contemporary take on classic French cuisine, is as elegant as the setting.
- The French Laundry, Yountville, Calif. – Often described as an experience of a lifetime, a dinner at chef Thomas Keller’s famous Northern California establishment involves a delicious parade of signature dishes served as part of a nine-course tasting menu. The restaurant welcomes guests through a series of manicured gardens that lead to indoor and outdoor dining areas with wrap-around windows and a courtyard full of ever-changing floral displays.
- Botanic, Mallorca, Spain – Housed in a 16th-century mansion turned into a boutique hotel, the restaurant’s whimsical décor features ivy creeping along its walls, bird cages hanging from the ceilings, and color-themed décor in regal shades of sage, blush and blue. A plant-based menu offers many ingredients grown in the chef’s garden, but also offers delightful options for carnivores.
- The River Café, New York, N.Y. – Tucked away underneath the Brooklyn Bridge, right on the banks of the East River, this restaurant’s view is hard to match. Floor-to-ceiling windows expose a stunning panorama of Lower Manhattan across the water. Enjoy breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner in a romantic interior set off with lush flower arrangements and live piano music all the time.
