You Can Dine Under The Sea At Europe’s First Underwater Restaurant
Everything’s better under the sea — just take it from our favorite Disney singing crab. Or even better, take it from the architectural team that created Europe’s first underwater restaurant.
Aptly named Under (the word also means “wonder” in Norwegian), the restaurant was built halfway submerged into the sea. Under is located on the very tip of Norway’s southern coast in the village of Båly.
At 16 feet below the water’s surface, the restaurant’s windows give diners a glimpse into the Nordic marine life. It’s a tribute to the wild and rocky ocean surrounding the country.
The design team from Snøhetta created the spot to blend entirely into the sea. Eventually, even the concrete surface will be covered in mollusks and mussels, and eaters can expect to see fish swim outside the window at any given moment.
For those with a slight fear of submarine-type structures, eat easy. The restaurant has concrete walls that are more than three feet deep, and the building was constructed with the harsh Nordic seasons in mind.
There’s also a champagne bar located at the divide between shore and sea, and the color scheme mimics the way light filters through the ocean.
And yes, if you’re eating here, you’re eating straight from the sea. The menu includes locally sourced cod, lobster and mussels. But the real wow factor comes from native kelp that tastes like truffles. Yum.