The World's Most Beautiful Seaside Restaurants

Just scrolled through your best friend's perfectly curated vacation pics? Recently walked past the mirror and are now worried your summer body has a "good personality"? If you or someone you know suffers from FOMO — the Fear of Missing Out — it's high time you shake things up. Or put them on ice. Or blend them with coconut rum and stick a cherry and a paper umbrella on top. Escape civilization as you know it, and free yourself while feeding yourself.

With views like these, this is finer than fine dining. The oceans, the sailboats, the cliff sides, and sunsets. The ridiculously romantic couples-themed wine tastings; the only rules that matter are when brunch starts and when room service stops serving.

So dust off that passport, break out the Platinum Card, and choose your most unforgettable adventure. Read on for the most picturesque dining locales around the world.

California is nothing without the sprawling beaches, winding highways, and rocky cliffs along its iconic coastline. But amidst a bounty of lush seascapes in Big Sur, Sierra Mar at Post Ranch Inn is truly out of this world. Enjoy a little California-luxe farm-to-table? The purveyors are local and your table sits 1,200 feet above the Pacific Ocean, with a jaw-dropping, 180-degree view. With a chance that you might even dine above the rare cloud cover, no matter the weather, the oceanic panorama demands your undivided attention.

But it won't be mad if you grab a bite and a glass of something fun. With a fresh prix fixe menu that fluctuates daily, along with the seasons, you might find Handmade Agnolotti, White Asparagus, or Sea Bass Crudo that tastes like the ocean. Moments later, you'll be feeling like you were always meant to commune with nature in this way. Perhaps it's the magic in the salt air.

Awarding the outpost four stars of "verified luxury," Forbes also noted, "Your eyes dart to the incredible scene behind the floor-to-ceiling glass walls: jagged cliffs, blue sky and the pristine, endless ocean. You could spend the entire day gazing at the striking natural surroundings."

Bienvenue sur la Côte d'Azur! Enter Club Dauphin at the Four Seasons Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat, where the glimmering, heated, Olympic-sized saltwater pool, the Michelin-starred chefs and the jaw-dropping views make it worth the airfare. Where does the infinity pool end and the French Riviera begin? Blur the boundaries and let your imagination run wild. 

At the hotel's poolside restaurant, you can truly have your Frozen Melba Strawberry and eat it too. Taste the Mediterranean with fresh-caught oysters, sip a tipple like the Golden Hour signature cocktail, or share a light Provençal lunch abounding with vibrant ingredients found locally in the countryside. Your most whimsical wish is their command.

It will be hard to rip yourself away from a sweeping vista like this one. As Condé Nast Traveler described it, "This opulent seaside palace is a one-of-a-kind Riviera vestige of tranquil days gone by... even King Leopold II of Belgium, a regular to the Cap Ferrat in the 19th century, would still be impressed by the 14-acre blooming gardens and flowering succulents, designed by French landscape architect Jean Mus." 

Give in to nature rolling out the red carpet before you, and melt into the changing colors of the sky; golden to blue, pink to purple. Before nightfall calls you to retreat to your suite, cozy up in a lounge chair by the pool and watch the moonlight dazzle the ocean waves.

The Rockhouse Restaurant seamlessly blends fine dining with island culture, flowing along with the equally chill crystal clear waters of Jamaica's west coast. Travel + Leisure called it "The Adult Summer Camp You've Always Wanted," and, faced with grilled fish and jerk sausage, frozen Rockachinos and golden sunsets, you'll agree.

Seemingly carved out of a craggy cliffside by the waves of the Pristine Cove, almost every winding stone walkway leads to an icy, tropical cocktail or a thrilling dive into the water. Since the dining room is low-lit for ultimate romance in the evenings, you might be doing both activities — either on purpose, or not. The restaurant offers a fresh take on Jamaican favorites, in a setting that can't be beat.

But whether you come for a breakfast of ackee and saltfish and bottomless Blue Mountain coffee, smoked marlin sandwiches and Red Stripes, or crispy whole snapper and coconut cream pie for dinner, the accompanying seascape is the true spéciale du jour. The layout feels intimate, yet meant for everyone to enjoy the sunset. With a brand mission to instill a deeply soothing and calming vibe across the board, you'll happily kick off your flip flops and let the sea wash your troubles away.

If you're partial to fresh-caught seafood — and looking at its former saltwater home while you drown it in garlic butter — the exquisite offerings from the Azure Restaurant at The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa, in Cape Town, South Africa, fits the bill. Set against the dramatic panorama of the Atlantic, this spot is pure luxury, perched on the edge of the world.

You'll find the fynbos — Africa's most biodiverse vegetation — carpeting the hills, while the ocean waves crash against the rocky shore. A well-equipped staff stands at the ready to fulfill your every desire, whether it be a wedding, or breakfast in your jammies. TBD on whether they can manage a devastatingly gorgeous sunset that lasts longer than a fleeting moment. Condé Nast Traveler described it as "a great date-night choice — a combo of watching the sun sink below the horizon, excellent cuisine and fabulous wines." But the morning sun is available too, with breakfast beginning at 7am. Dibs on the cute mini pots of honey that come with the fruit and yogurt.

Breathe in the healing sea air while you enjoy a curated private picnic among the wildflowers, and watch pink skies fade to purple over Table Mountain.

Wait a minute. A seaside restaurant in Cornwall that is actually (clears throat)... beautiful? Believe it. If you pop in from May through July, you might even see enough sun to forget you're dining by the St. Ives Bay and not at an all-inclusive in Cabo. 

The Porthminster Beach Café offers cuisine that boasts a Michelin thumbs up and an Asian and Mediterranean flair. An interior dining room leads to a glass terrace that's heated on days that aren't so summery, and delightfully open-air when it's mild. Even better if you get to watch a thunderstorm roll in, while cozied up at your table with a vanilla creme brûlée and a cappuccino, protected from the elements.

But sunny days or stormy skies, there's always dinner and a show, whether you're seated by the sand or gazing through the windows. Those misty, peachy, evening skies might even remind you of another favorite destination. As The Guardian explained, "They call the hue of the local sky 'Mediterranean light'... the town's five beautiful beaches and array of seafood, though, are better than anything you'll find in the Med, whatever the weather."

Maybe you're thinking "isn't it hard to see the view from inside a grotto?" You aren't wrong. It is hard to see, since it's essentially a dark, tiny cave. Yet, your intriguing invitation to the southwestern coastal town of Krabi, Thailand still stands. Because you just have to see The Grotto; the most gorgeous of dwellings in which to share a true bucket list experience.

In what may possibly be the sun-shiniest cave anywhere on the planet, the Rayavadee Resort celebrates the riches of the Andaman Sea, hosting lunch and dinner at The Grotto, under ancient limestone cliffs. From your secret hideout on Phra Nang Beach, you'll enjoy a dreamy landscape, featuring the Happy Island rock formation that almost appears to be listening in on your conversation.

Stop in during the early afternoon for a light snack of roti pancakes, mango, banana, and vanilla ice cream, and maybe a cocktail at the bar while you take refuge from the sun. Heads up, you might be sharing those bananas with the locals; friendly and human-curious spectacled langurs. Reserve a seat for twilight dinner and you'll witness the sun gently dipping into the sea, as well as the arrival of about a million more stars than you ever remember seeing. After you enjoy a bounty of local favorites — Seared Hokkaido Scallops, Charbroiled Andaman Lobster, Wagyu Beef & Prawn, and the like — take your cocktail on the road and walk barefoot in the sand as the water gently laps at your feet.

From the city that brought you King's Landing in "Game of Thrones" comes an equally lauded seaside stunner: the Nautika restaurant in Dubrovnik, along the southern coast of Croatia. Built to stand up to the Adriatic Sea, the restaurant took over the historic Dubrovnik School of Maritime Studies; now, it's a stone-walled relic that might read a little "tactical" if it weren't for its striking beauty, as well as the population of diners sharing a cocktail and a raucous laugh on the sun-drenched terrace.

Old town, otherwise known as The Pearl of the Adriatic, is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site; chock-full of historical landmarks, welcoming global travelers for new adventures. Take part in the Michelin-recommended offerings at Nautika and dive straight into the flavors of the sea: tuna tartare, lobster and sea urchin with oyster foam, and bisque shrimp with caviar. Dramatic cocktail presentation is meant to playfully steal the show, and it might, if you can take your eyes off the vista.

Sipping old world wines, imagine another lifetime when the nearby Lovrijenac fortress featured a different kind of theater than it does now. Meanwhile, Fort Bokar stands nearby. Is there a color blue that's more blue than the Adriatic sea, or the sky at just the right moment? With views like this, your wanderlust will never be satiated.