As the number of high-rise buildings around the world grows, so too does the number of rooftop restaurants. And while they nearly all charge top rates to go with their sky-high views, if you are looking to celebrate a special occasion, nothing beats a bird's-eye view.
In London, Hutong occupies the 33rd floor of the Shard, Europe's tallest building, as the London outpost of a revered restaurant of the same name in Hong Kong. The décor is reminiscent of the original, with dark-wood panelling lit by red lanterns, a wishing tree festooned with diners' desires, and smart but remarkably uncomfortable chairs. It is huge, with a bar on the east side and a separate dining room seating 130 on the west, and expensive, but the excellent food, a hybrid of Shandong seafood and Sichuan flavours, and top-notch service make it worthwhile.
Tokyo's Skyrestaurant 634, or Musashi for the Japanese reading of the number, sits in the Skytree, a 634-metre broadcasting and observation tower that ranks as the second tallest structure in the world after the Burj Khalifa. The restaurant is in the first observatory, roughly midway up at 345 metres, still high enough to make it the highest restaurant in Tokyo. The kitchen is run by Michelin-starred chef Naoya Makimura, whose dishes blend French and Japanese influences.
On the 24th floor of the sleek black Ritz-Carlton in Downtown Los Angeles, WP24 is a quintessential Wolfgang Puck restaurant, mixing dramatic design with adaptive cooking under local chefs Lee Hefter and David McIntyre. The food is mostly Chinese, with the occasional Thai or Malaysian dish. The prix fixe is steep, so the à la carte menu leaves more room for the cocktails.
Set 442 metres above the ground on the 122nd floor of the Burj Khalifa, At.Mosphere is the world's highest restaurant, reached through the Armani Hotel and a descent down a helical staircase from the observation deck. The interior was designed to recall the Art Deco luxury of the S.S. Normandie, with silk, velvet, leather and polished mahogany, though the décor is rather uninspiring. The food, updated by innovative British chef Christopher Graham, is far better than you would expect.
In Paris, Le Jules Verne has drawn presidents, celebrities and well-heeled tourists since 1983 from its perch 125 metres up on the second level of the Eiffel Tower. With chef Frédéric Anton now at the helm, the food is once again the primary draw. "I want Le Jules Verne to become a gastronomic destination before being considered a tourist destination," he said at the re-opening, which revealed a pared-back interior by Lebanese architect Aline Asmar d'Amman.
In Riyadh, The Globe sits in the golden sphere atop the Norman Foster-designed Al Faisaliah Tower, offering a unique perspective over the largest city on the Arabian Peninsula. The décor is on the heavy side and in need of a refresh, but the seven-course tasting menu will have you coming back, and an unusual cigar lounge lets you retire after your meal high above the Kingdom's capital.
Finally, Barcelona's Torre d'Alta Mar has been a hot spot since 2002, 75 metres up at the top of a cable-car tower in the old port. The funicular dates to 1931, but the restaurant is thoroughly modern, its monochrome décor letting the 360-degree windows take centre stage with the Mediterranean on one side and a cityscape stretching to the Montserrat mountains on the other. Even the menu suggests guests care more for the view than the food, though the seafood remains top quality.
