The restaurants with the world's best views

The criterion that goes into creating a list of the world's best restaurants often centres around the food, the service and the ambience - rarely is the environment outside ever considered. But there are restaurants around the world, often in remote and isolated locations, where the unforgettable experience is as much about the view from the windows as it is about what you are eating. And with idyllic and unusual spots like the snow-capped Alps, the volcanoes of Lanzarote and even the Hobbit film set in New Zealand to choose from, these really are the restaurants that are worth the journey.
Restaurant Le 3842, Aiguille du Midi, France
Situated at 12,605ft (3,842m) above sea level on one of the peaks of Aiguille du Midi is Restaurant Le 3842. The restaurant offers unrivalled views of the mountains and visitors can reach the remote spot via a special cable car service.

El Diablo, Timanfaya National Park, Lanzarote
El Diablo, a barbecue restaurant in Timanfaya National Park, offers its guests panoramic views of the Fire Mountains. Its specialism is barbecue food, which is cooked over a custom-built grill that's heated over a volcano.

The Green Dragon Inn, Matamata, New Zealand
The Green Dragon Inn is set in the surreal surroundings of the Hobbiton film set (above), which appeared in the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies. The film set continues inside the inn where guests can enjoy different flavoured pies in the surreal environment.

Suhail, Abu Dhabi, UAE
If the desert is your idea of an escape then the Suhail restaurant at Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara (above) in Abu Dhabi is where you should head. The Suhail restaurant is an open-air space with views of the Arabian desert - a view that's particularly stunning at sunset.

Piz Gloria, Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland
Piz Gloria is perhaps best known for its appearance in the 1969 James Bond film, On Her Majesty's Secret Service. The film location, which has since been turned into a restaurant, is now a popular tourist spot - especially with skiers.

Ithaa Undersea Restaurant, Rangali Island, Maldives
Ithaa Undersea Restaurant at the Conrad resort (above) in the Maldives is perhaps the most iconic of the underwater restaurants in the world. The underwater experience is perhaps best enjoyed at lunch though be prepared to bring your sunglasses.

Faviken, Jarpen, Sweden
It takes serious planning to reach Faviken, a restaurant that's situated in Jarpen, an hour's flight or seven hours by car from the capital of Stockholm. The restaurant is considered by many to be among the world's best and there are room where guests can stay overnight if they can't make the journey back.

Stratosfare, Queenstown, New Zealand
Located in the Ben Lomond Scenic Reserve, the elevated Stratosfare restaurant looks over the town of Queenstown and the shores of Lake Wakatipu. Although the views of the lake (above) is spectacular during the day, it's perhaps even more beautiful at sunset.