Restaurants in Strange and Wonderful Locations

Are you steadily working on your bucket list? After checking out this collection of restaurants with a range of views, locations, degrees of luxury, and thrills, you may find you have a few more items to add to your list.

In Italy, almost every building and neighborhood has a rich history. The site where Ristorante da Pancrazio sits, in Rome, is no exception. The restaurant is set over the ruins of the Theatre of Pompey, which was the site of Julius Caesar's murder, among other events. Thanks to preservationists and an excellent foundation, this space is open to diners and travelers alike. The only question that remains: does Spaghetti alla Carbonara taste better when you're dining in a historial Italian setting? There's only one way to find out.

Piazza del Biscione, 92 00186, Rome, Italy; dapancrazio.it

Restaurant De Kas is an eatery that relies on local ingredients and a gorgeous setting to create memorable dining experiences. In 2001, chef and founder Gert Jan Hageman rescued and gave new life to an old greenhouse that was set for demolition. Now the land that surrounds the restaurant provides much of the food for the menu. Most days you will find Hageman in the fields working the soil, planting, seeding, and harvesting. After working for 20 years around "white tiles under fluorescent lighting" in numerous kitchens, the outdoor activities are a welcome change for Hageman. If you're lucky, the same garden that produced the herbs in your meal will be open for outdoor dining when you visit.

Kamerlingh Onneslaan 3, 1097 DE, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; restaurantdekas.nl

The Cave is America's only in-cave restaurant. It has limited natural light — it is a cave, after all — but it does offer a view of the Gasconade River. Diners enjoy plates of steaks, salads, sandwiches, and more. One item on the menu that caught our eye: Deep Fried Alligator Tail. We say go for it! How many people can say they ate alligator tail in a restaurant built inside a cave?

26880 Rochester Rd., Richland, MO; (573) 765-4554; thecaverestaurantandresort.com

Have your sea legs ready? Good. Prepare to dine in a floating restaurant! In 1941, DiMillo's was just a car ferry, but in December 1982, "DiMillo's Floating Restaurant" was born. Today the restaurant, which is the only one of its kind on the Upper East Coast, is maintained by family members who strive to keep the same standards as those established more than half a century ago. Enjoy a mixture of seafood and Italian fare with 600 other boat enthusiasts. On a nice day you can take a seat on one of the outdoor decks to enjoy the sun, the sea, and the food. But beware of neighboring pirates. The lobster on this ship is valuable booty!

25 Long Wharf, Portland, ME; (207) 772-2216; dimillos.com/restaurant

Guests at The Yurt, located about 40 miles outside of Salt Lake City, UT, have to work a bit before they get their dinners. One has to ski, snowshoe, or hike for about a mile under the "moon and lantern lit forest" to get to this Mongolian yurt, where Chef Abbigail Carlson prepares a four- to five-course meal in front of her guests. Although the meal is a bit pricey ($100 in the winter and $65 in the summer), the entire experience is unforgettable, regardless of the season. In the summer, you can dine while watching a beautiful sunset, and in the winter, the Yurt keeps you warm while you enjoy your hard-earned meal.

Solitude Mountain Resort, 12000 Big Cottonwood Canyon, Solitude, UT; (801) 536-5709; skisolitude.com/dining/yurt.php

It seems almost too good to be true: a waterfall, warm weather, and good food. Where is this place? Villa Escudero Plantations and Resort, in San Pablo City, Philippines, wants its guests to relax and enjoy themselves. The resort offers bamboo rafting, tropical hikes, bird watching, coconut harvesting, and, as shown here, a dining space beside a natural waterfall. Enjoy your meal as the cool spring water runs over your feet. This is the life!

Villa Escudero Plantations and Resort, San Pablo City, Philippines; villaescudero.com/waterfalls-restaurant.php

It's not too luxurious, but the setting of the quirky Rootmaster restaurant is quite intimate. This vegetarian restaurant inhabits a double-decker bus. Maybe taking public transportation would be more enjoyable if all buses and subways offered delicious meals. Until then, you'll just have to commute to Rootmaster.

Hosts Beny and Claudia Knechtle are ready to welcome you and whomever you are traveling with at Berggasthaus Aescher, located in the beautiful Swiss Alps. This restaurant also offers comfortable accommodations. It can house and entertain up to 40 people. Waking up on the side of the mountain may trump whatever food you will eat, but know that Beny and Claudia have developed a menu ranging from small plates and barley soup to roast beef and goulash, all culled from local butchers, farms, and breweries.

Wildkirchli, Ebenalp, Weissbad 9057, Switzerland; aescher-ai.ch