How far would you travel for the perfect pint, celebrity chef meal, or creatively-crafted cocktail? Some of the most exemplary epicurean endeavors are a long plane, train, or car ride from civilization. Or, in some cases…. multiple modes of transport until you’re literally in the middle of nowhere. From the middle of the ocean to mountaintops to the ends of the earth, the places on this list are some of the most remote restaurants and bars in the entire world. They might be the only establishments you’ll see for miles and miles, but trust us, they are well-worth the trip.
Wade out to dinner at the remote The Rock Restaurant in Zanzibar
Located on the southeast coast of Zanzibar off the coast of Tanzania, The Rock Restaurant is not easy to access. Intrepid travelers must make their way to the remote restaurant, which is on a rock in the Indian Ocean just off Michamvi Pingwe Beach on the Michamwi Pingwe Peninsula. After a short walk in the water at low tide or after a complimentary boat ride at high tide, visitors can finally enjoy food and drinks.
Imbibe under the sea at Subsix in the Maldives
The Champagne breakfasts at Subsix are so legendary that fans are willing to take the trip by speedboat and then descend three flights of stairs nearly 20 feet below the cerulean waters of the Maldives, a nation of 1,192 islands in the Indian Ocean nearly 435 miles off the coast of India, to dine.
Dine in the trees at Treepod Restaurant in Koh Kood, Thailand
Located at the Soneva Kiri resort on the northern tip of Koh Kood island, travelers must fly from Bangkok to Koh Mai Si via the resort’s private, eight-seat Cessna and then take a five-minute speedboat ride, all arranged by the hotel, for one of the world’s most unique meals. Diners are seated in a bamboo pod and hoisted into the tropical foliage of an ancient rainforest at the aptly named Treepod Restaurant. During the two-hour dinner, waiters deliver food via zipline.
Feast on Faroese cuisine at the remote KOKS Restaurant in Leynavatn, Faroe Islands
Chef Poul Andrias Ziska helms the kitchen at KOKS in Leynavatn, Faroe Islands, 18 volcanic islands in the Atlantic Ocean between Norway and Iceland. Enjoy a seasonally changing tasting menu with perfectly paired wines in this remote wonderland.
Wet your whistle at the Soggy Dollar Bar on Jost Van Dyke, British Virgin Islands
You’ll have to wade through the water to get to the six-seat Soggy Dollar Bar located on a white sand beach on the island of Jost Van Dyke. It’s worth the trek to visit where the Painkiller cocktail (dark rum, cream of coconut, pineapple and orange juices, topped with freshly grated Grenadian nutmeg) originated.
Enjoy an eat-a-thon at Palacio de Sal in Altiplano, Bolivia
Indulge in a buffet of Bolivian flavors and fusion international cuisine at Tika in Palacio de Sal, the world’s first salt hotel, which is on the shores of the majestic Salar de Uyuni, the world’s largest salt flat (4,050 miles!). Salar de Uyuni is near both the Bolivia-Chile border and the Bolivia-Argentina border and it typically requires multiple days of travel to reach one of the most amazing world wonders.
Eat Scottish cuisine at The Three Chimneys Restaurant in Isle of Skye, Scotland
Located in a hotel of the same name, The Three Chimneys Restaurant is on the Isle of Skye, the largest island in the Inner Hebrides archipelago off Scotland’s northwest coast. The drive across the bridge from the mainland is worth it for Chef Scott Davies’ cuisine that incorporates the techniques of ancient Nordic and haute Scottish cuisine.
Pound hot dogs on the Delaware River with The Famous River Hot Dog Man in Milford, New Jersey
Since 1987, The Famous River Hot Dog Man has been serving hot dogs and snacks to river tubers, rafters, canoers, and kayakers. Located on the Delaware River, The Famous River Hot Dog Man is positioned at the halfway mark on any organized water excursion, which can also be arranged by the man himself.
Drink tea at the off-the-beaten-path Plain of Six Glaciers Teahouse in Canada
In the backcountry of the Canadian Rocky Mountains, teetotalers must hike more than three miles through a glacial valley from Château Lake Louise to reach the Plain of Six Glaciers Teahouse. From June to October, the rustic teahouse has no electricity and prepares beverages, light lunches, and desserts on propane stoves with ingredients flown up by helicopter twice a year or brought up daily in the backpacks of its staff.
Sip sundowners at Faraday Bar at Vernadsky Research Base in Galindez, Antarctica
It will take a few days on an organized tour to get to the southernmost bar in the world, but you’ll have a spot to toast your travels once you arrive. What was once a British expeditionary base in Antarctica is now the Faraday Bar owned by Ukraine that sells vodka distilled on site and other pub delights.
Toast to wild outback adventures at Birdsville Hotel in Birdsville, Australia
For more than 100 years, the Birdsville Hotel has welcomed weary travelers to the Queensland outback. The pub offers refreshments for adventurers who fly or drive to this remote bar and a motel that’s been a favorite travelers’ rest stop for decades.
Beach bum it up at Beto’s Beach Bar in Puerto Villamil, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
It’s worth the two or more flights needed to reach the beach in the Galapagos, an archipelago that is a protected national park, and its simple and welcoming Beto’s Beach Bar. Beto’s serves classic beach cocktails along with local favorites like Coco Loco (coconut water, rum or Manabita Caña, and coconut cream) and Michelada (beer, lemon, and Tabasco with a salted rim).
Munch on lunch at the remote Refuge du Plan de l’Aiguille restaurant in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, France
Perched above Chamonix-Mont-Blanc at an altitude of 7,240 feet, Refuge du Plan de l’Aiguille serves lunches featuring dishes from the Savoy region in France. Diners can take a cable car or hike up to the rustic remote restaurant and guesthouse that has been welcoming visitors for decades.
Grab sushi at Norð Austur in Seyðisfjörður, Iceland
It’s a nearly eight-hour drive from Reykjavik to Seyðisfjörður in Eastern Iceland, but the journey is rewarded with some of the world’s freshest sushi. At the entrance of Seyðisfjörður fjord is Norð Austur, which serves sushi made from fresh fish caught by local fishermen in the nearby rivers and sea. A delicious trip here is one of our favorite things to do in Iceland.
Sip on a rum punch at Floyd’s Pelican Bar in Jamaica
Half a mile off Treasure Beach on Jamaica’s south coast is Floyd’s Pelican Bar, a cozy bar nestled in the Caribbean Ocean that is accessible by boat only. Enjoy a rum punch or two before sailing back to shore.
Down a Guinness (or two) at the world’s highest bar in Namche Bazaar, Nepal
En route to Mount Everest is the world’s highest Irish pub, which is unreachable by car. It’s a two-day hike from the Tenzing–Hillary Airport in Lukla, which many believe is the world’s scariest airport. Reward your efforts hiking Everest with a stop at The Irish Pub, which is more than 11,300 feet above sea level.
Dine al fresco at the remote restaurant at Furneaux Lodge in Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand
Tucked in Marlborough Sounds on the northern tip of New Zealand’s South Island, Furneaux Restaurant & Bar at the Furneaux Lounge is only accessible by helicopter, a 10.5-mile hike or mountain bike ride, or via a scheduled hour-long boat ride from Picton. Diners can enjoy meals indoors or on the lawns overlooking Endeavour inlet.
Drink at the northernmost bar in Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Norway
After a flight to Svalbard, it’s only a 4.4-mile drive to the world’s northernmost bar. Sip cocktails and Champagne and enjoy light international cuisine at Funken Bar at Funken Lodge or cozy up by the fireplace with a book from the bar’s extensive polar literature selection.
Eat eco-inspired cuisine at Mil Near Cusco, Peru
Acclaimed chef Virgilio Martinez’s famous remote restaurant Mil, 11,706 feet above sea level, is worth the trek: a 70-minute flight from Lima, Peru followed by a 90-minute drive. Located nearly 33 miles northwest of Cusco in Peru’s Sacred Valley, the eight-course meal is based on the ecosystems at eight different altitudes.
Enjoy a pint at Old Forge Pub in Knoydart, Scotland
The only way to reach the Old Forge Pub is via an 18-mile hike or a 7-mile sea crossing. The pub’s remoteness is what helped it earn the Guinness Book of World Records record for remotest bar on mainland Britain. On the jovial bar’s walls are fiddles, guitars, whistles, and spoons for patrons to pick up and play into the wee hours.
Eat seafood by the sea at Die Strandloper in Langebaan, South Africa
On the beach in Langebaan on South Africa’s coast is Die Strandloper where its famous 10-course seafood meals are served on the beach. After a 74.5-mile drive north of Cape Town, sink your toes in the sand and sip drinks from the Beach Bar while enjoying the blissful vibes.
Drink a duck fart at Salty Dawg Saloon in Homer Spit, Alaska
What was once the town’s first post office, railroad station, and grocery store is now the beloved Salty Dawg Saloon, a bar on the southern tip of the Kenai Peninsula famous for the Duck Fart: a shot of Kahlúa, Bailey’s Irish Cream, and Crown Royal.
Eat breakfast in the Grand Canyon at The Phantom Ranch Canteen in Arizona
Located at the bottom of the Grand Canyon in Grand Canyon National Park, The Phantom Ranch Canteen serves breakfast and dinners to hikers visiting the Grand Canyon. Diners must hike 9.6 miles down the Bright Angel Trail or 7.8 miles down the Kaibab Trail for a breakfast or dinner they won’t soon forget.
Travel back in time at Cold Spring Tavern in Santa Barbara, California
Enjoy dinners reminiscent of a time gone by at Cold Spring Tavern, which was a stagecoach stop on the San Marcos Pass off Highway 154 between Santa Barbara and Santa Ynez. Enjoy American fare, including home-baked molasses bread, in the glow of gas lanterns surrounded by the beautiful mountains.
Eat alien burgers at Little A’Le’Inn in Rachel, Nevada
Near Area 51, a highly classified United States Air Force facility in Southern Nevada, is Little A’Le’Inn, a remote restaurant and motel located just off Route 367, dubbed the ‘extraterrestrial highway.’ Some 148 miles outside Las Vegas, the restaurant sells a variety of alien memorabilia for enthusiasts who hope for an alien encounter. Check out our Las Vegas trip planner to plan your road trip from this alien hotspot to Sin City.
Drink cocktails in a cave at Bat Bar in Ridgedale, Missouri
Don’t miss a stop at the Bat Bar, part of a two-and-a-half-mile journey by electric cart through the Top of the Rock Lost Canyon and Nature Trail in the Ozarks. The bar itself is inside a mountaintop cave and adjacent to a waterfall and serves drive-through cocktails and beer.
Visit No Scum Allowed Saloon in White Oaks, New Mexico
The ghost town of White Oaks, New Mexico on the outskirts of Lincoln National Forest is home to a handful of businesses, including the remote restaurant: No Scum Allowed. The cowboy bar, which was once run on the honor system, is named for the town’s depiction in a ‘Young Guns’ movie as home “of 756 Respectable People NO SCUM ALLOWED.”