Trying different foods is one of the best parts about travel and while a great feed is never far away, finding an amazing, knock-your-socks-off kind of dining experience can be challenging if you don’t know where to look. From the quirky to the downright weird, we’ve rounded up some of the most unique restaurants and cafes from around the world that will drive your imagination (and taste buds) wild.
Say hello to the world’s most famous kitty, in Hong Kong
Since it opened its doors in 2015, kitty lovers everywhere have been going crazy for Hong Kong’s Hello Kitty Chinese Cuisine restaurant, including Australian travel blogger Brooke Saward, of World of Wanderlust. Of course, every dish on the menu features the world’s most famous kitty in some shape or form, from custard buns to Cantonese sponge cakes. Dumplings are arguably the most popular choice on offer and rightly so – Kitty’s head is the perfect shape! With a cult-like following, this feline-themed eatery is a must-visit Hong Kong institution.
Flights to Hong Kong from $474** Stay at Regal Oriental Hotel from $106*
Chow down like Elvis in Las Vegas
America is famous for its supersize food culture where bigger is always better, but Heart Attack Grill in Las Vegas takes this philosophy to another level. No stranger to controversy, the hospital-themed fast-food outlet, prides itself on its high-calorie menu, featuring the likes of ‘Flatliner Fries’ cooked in pure lard and the ‘Quadruple Bypass Burger’; a 9,982 calorie monstrosity complete with 20 slices of bacon. If you’re the health-conscious kind, you’ll need to run 20 hours to work it off… if you can finish it, that is.
Flights to Las Vegas from $959** Stay at Treasure Island Hotel & Casino from $102*
Monkey business in Japan
You’d be forgiven for thinking Kayabukiya Tavern is a run-of-the-mill Japanese sake house, however, with monkeys for butlers this venue is anything but ordinary. Kaoru Otsuka, the restaurant’s owner, has two very intelligent pet macaques who learned their top-notch waiter skills from watching Otsuka work. Stylishly dressed in shirts and shorts, the macaques love making guests happy, taking and delivering orders and giving them hot towels on arrival. Now that’s service!
Flights to Fukushima from $1216** Stay at Utsunomiya Tobu Hotel Grande from $77*
Dine with giraffes in Nairobi
If you’re an animal lover, save on the cost of a safari and get up close and personal with a long-necked giraffe instead at Giraffe Manor, a hotel restaurant of a different kind in Nairobi, Kenya. The Manor’s surrounds are home to a herd of endangered Rothschild giraffes that like to poke their heads through the window while you’re eating breakfast, in hope of a treat.
Flights to Nairobi from $1452** Stay at Nairobi Serena Hotel from $247*
Eat straight from the toilet bowl in Taiwan
Just when you thought things couldn’t possibly get any weirder, Taiwan’s Modern Toilet restaurant chain takes eating out to another level. A visit to Modern Toilet will not only have you sitting on toilets as you dine, but you’ll also eat from them too! Dishes like stir fries, curries and hotpots are served in miniature toilet bowls, while drinks are served in glasses that resemble urinals. Need a napkin? Just grab one from the toilet roll holder…
Flights to Taichung City from $1213** Stay at Howard Prince Hotel Taichung from $116*
*The hotel prices above are for double occupancy and (including taxes and fees) were collated on nz.KAYAK.com on 1 July 2016 for travel in August 2016. Prices may be subject to change, and offers may no longer be available.
**The flight prices given above are for one return economy seat (including taxes and fees, excluding baggage fees) and were collated on nz.KAYAK.com on 1 July 2016 for travel in August 2016. Prices may be subject to change, and offers may no longer be available.
Also Read>> Five Dishes Worth Travelling the Globe to Taste
