Five Ideas for an Unforgettable Dining Experience

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Eating out is a great way to celebrate. It’s also a fun way to reconnect with our loved ones, just because. Unfortunately, many of us revisit the same restaurants time and time again. Even if we don’t go to the exact same restaurants, we go to chain restaurants and locations with similar dining experiences.

That’s not such a bad thing. What’s familiar can be comforting, but you may be looking for a different kind of dining experience—one that you will never forget.

Whether you’re celebrating an important anniversary or you want to plan something fun while you’re on vacation, if you’re looking for the kind of dining experience you will never forget, you have to think outside the box and try something a little different.

Eat Aboard a Riverboat

Most restaurants are stationary. That doesn’t mean all restaurants are!

Riverboats are popular in many areas because they are ingrained in the local history. You can find riverboat tours that will take you up and down historic rivers, riverboat trips that feature world-class entertainment, and you can find riverboats that offer five-star dining experiences.

One popular riverboat cruise is the Savannah Riverboat Sightseeing Cruises in Savannah, GA. There are many cruises to choose from when you hop aboard, including sunset cruises with dinner, luncheon cruises, dinner entertainment cruises, brunch cruises, and more.

Take your significant other for a special dinner entertainment cruise or grab brunch with your mom. Many waterways sport riverboats, so you can probably find one near where you live!

Experience the Farm-To-Table Movement

The farm-to-table movement is all the rage these days. Many restaurants claim to be farm-to-table, which means they source all of their ingredients from local farmers directly. However, if you really want an unforgettable dining experience, buy a ticket to a farm-to-table dinner event.

These dinners often take place outside in a rustic setting. In many cases, one long table is set, contributing to the collective farm-to-table experience. Most of the time, the farmers attend the dinner to tell guests more about the ingredients, and the chef often mixes and mingles with guests during and after each course. It makes for a truly unforgettable dining experience.

Find a Place to Snuggle with Animals While You Eat

Who said your table companions have to be humans! At one of the many cat cafés across the country, you can snuggle with kitties while you sip on coffee. It’s true that you won’t be eating a five-course meal in a café full of cats, but you will still have a memorable experience!

It’s not just cats. Some establishments focus on dogs, and even bunnies! In some cases, the animals are up for adoption, so you can go home with a new furry friend.

Don’t really want to snuggle, but still want a dining experience with animals? Consider a restaurant like the Rainforest Café at the Zoo in Omaha, NE.

Make a Trip to a Themed Restaurant

Many restaurants may serve slightly different food and have slightly different interiors, but they end up leaving you with the same experience. That’s not the case when you visit a themed restaurant.

Although some of these restaurants may serve burgers, fries, and pancakes, like you might expect, their décor is unlike anything you’ll see anywhere else.

A few of the very best themed restaurants include:

• Saved by the Max in West Hollywood is themed after Saved by the Bell.
• The Upside in Chicago is modeled after Stranger Things.
• Stay Classy New York in N.Y.C is themed for Will Ferrell.
• Rue’s Café in N.Y.C. is perfect for fans of the Golden Girls.
• The Lockhart in Toronto is every Potterfile’s dream.

Find a Restaurant with a View

Sometimes it isn’t about the restaurant, and it isn’t about the food. Instead, it’s about where the restaurant is located.

There are many amazing dining establishments that are located in out-of-this-world places. Just a few of the most amazing restaurants with a view include:

• Sierra Mar in Big Sur, CA allows you to gaze out at the Pacific Ocean.
• Asiate in N.Y.C. features 16-foot-high windows on the 35th floor in Midtown Manhattan.
• Top of the World in Las Vegas rotates 800 feet about the Las Vegas Strip.
• El Tovar Dining Room at the Grand Canyon is set 50 yards from the edge of the south rim.

It doesn’t matter why you’re looking for a different kind of dining experience, you’ll be glad to discover there are many unforgettable experiences to choose from!