There is a school of thought that when it comes to the success or failure of a restaurant, the only thing that matters is the quality of the food, and to some extent, everything else is quite literally just window dressing.
Fortunately, that isn't entirely true. When we visit a restaurant for a meal, clearly, the food, and how tantalizingly delicious it is, is a high priority, but it isn't the only reason we take the time to go out to eat.
If that were the case, no one would waste the energy of traveling to the relevant location when they could order from the same location and consume the same food at their own dining table.
For most of us, the act of going to a restaurant to eat is a huge factor in the overall experience, and since the coronavirus pandemic, we've perhaps learned to enjoy it all over again.
Our visits to restaurants are, however, reducing in frequency as we as a society change our mindset, not least because the financial constraints that weigh heavy on us all make a trip to a restaurant, especially a high-end one, much more of a luxury than previously.
The quality of an establishment's interior design, from restaurant chairs to the layout of the dining space, and a myriad of other points, do play a part in the overall dining out experience.
There are, of course, some world-class restaurants that go all-in in terms of their decor, and below, you'll find a handful of the most famously opulent and well-designed locations that are well-known for attracting visitors from far and wide.
Alchemist - Copenhagen
This Danish restaurant is known worldwide for its interiors, and they are genuinely a feast for the soul. The location used to be the site of the Royal Danish Theatre, and as such, this is a vast space that is dripping with class.
It's a gastronomical wonder of the world and is the most luxurious restaurant in Denmark and is known the world over. It has an old-school feel to it but also beautifully incorporates other styles, such as work from New York graffiti artist Lady AIKO.
Le Louis XV - Monte Carlo
Now, this Michelin-starred restaurant isn't going to be within the price range of many who read this article, but if you can possibly sneak a peek into the place from the outside, then you'll instantly fall in love with the grand design of the place.
It's situated in Monaco, which is known for its grandeur, and even within this setting, the Le Louis XV stands out from the crowd.
It sits in the Hotel de Paris, and as well as being an ornate masterpiece, it has a stunning wine collection, which, again, is likely too rich for most of us to sample.
Le Colonial - Atalanta
Now, this restaurant is unconventional within the realms of this list as a whole. It's a New York-based French-Vietnamese delight that opened in Atlanta in 2019 and has been THE place to visit ever since.
There is a French colonial air to the venue, and the wall designs and the dedication to detail make you stand up and notice. It's the work of Mark Knauer and brings to mind early 20th-century Saigon, and to top it all off, the food is astonishingly good.
Odette, Singapore
This white-paneled beauty is situated in Singapore's National Gallery, which only adds to its classy appeal, and the chic and understated style inspires calm, and the glass kitchen area lets you see how everything is being prepared.
It would be so easy for such a design to feel a little sterile, but there is a sense of warmth within the space, making it a truly inspiring location to enjoy a meal. Its placement within the gallery makes you feel as if the restaurant itself is an exhibit, and in a sense, it is, such is the impact of the interior design from Sacha Leong.
Myrto, Porto Cervo
This Italian restaurant draws its inspiration from the caves of Sardinia, and the look and feel of his pizzeria make you feel as if you are dining inside an art installation. It's all very sparse, and the light comes drowning in from outside, and the cave-style walls make the whole place feel cozy and homely.
There are dabs of eccentricity dotted around the place, and the overall vibe is warm and inviting. We particularly adore the outdoor area, and the entire ambiance is something of an intimate one, and it sits perfectly within the beautiful town that it resides within.
An added bonus comes from the fact that Myrto's gourmet pizzas are likely to be the best you've ever sampled.
The selection of restaurants we've highlighted is a collective marvel, all of which are truly outstanding examples of how excellent interior design can give a whole new dimension to the dining experience.
What makes these particular restaurants so unique is that the interior design behind each of these doesn't overcrowd and negate the culinary powers at work. Indeed they perfectly complement each other, and that, in many ways, is the key to getting the balance right.
It's a delicate balancing act that is hard to perfect, and you can often find yourself in a restaurant that has hopes of being enigmatic in terms of its overall design but does so in a way that doesn't fit the menu or, indeed, it's clientele of the general surroundings.
Marrying the two together, the menu and design is where the magic truly happens.
