The Australian luxury restaurant scene is exploding, and it seems that every month seems to bring with it an exciting new opening to check out, and new sensory experiences to enjoy. However, if you want to encounter some of the most exclusive dining experiences in the world, you’ll have to look a little further afield, and be prepared to be put on some very lengthy waiting lists. These aren’t your ordinary luxury dinners; these are culinary adventures to be remembered for a lifetime. Here’s our brief guide to five of the world’s most luxurious and exclusive eating encounters. Prepare your tastebuds, and get packing!

 

Big in Japan

Image: businessinsider.com.au

There can’t be many restaurants in the world whose three Michelin stars are maintained by a head chef who’s closing in on his 100th year, but that is exactly the case when it comes to Tokyo’s Sukiyabashi Jiro, the ultimate Mecca for lovers of fine sushi. Ninety-one year old sushi master, Jiro Ono, is widely regarded as the finest sushi chef on the planet, and getting one of the ten seats available at his restaurant has become something of a golden ticket. His waiting list has lengthened enormously in recent years, too, since he was the subject of the film ‘Jiro Dreams of Sushi’ which chronicled his rise to the top.

 

Oceanic Opulence

Image: Fourseasons.com

Luxury dining should be all about relaxation, indulgence and intimacy. With this in mind, there’s probably no dinner on earth which fits this bill quite as well as that which is served at the Four Seasons Resort Mauritius. Candlelit meals for two take place on a floating platform, lulled by the gentle waves of a private lagoon… while the sun sets over the Indian Ocean. Bliss!

 

Northern Delights

Image: Anthon Unger

Ranked as the best restaurant in the world in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2014, and holding two Michelin stars, it comes as no surprise that Noma receives 20,000 reservation requests every month. Seating just forty-five diners, Denmark’s Noma is one of the most sought-after restaurants on earth, thanks to its unique approach to Nordic cuisine and molecular gastronomy.

 

Something closer to home

Outdoor eating is one of the great Australian traditions, but at Longitude 131 – a luxury resort ten kilometres from the great rock of Uluru, they like to take things a little further. When weather allows, the resort puts on Table 131: a unique dining experience based on beautifully prepared outback food, fine Aussie wine, and unparalleled views of the night sky and one of the world’s great natural wonders.

longitude131.com.au

Feeling Hungary?

If you’re a classical music lover with $85,000 to spare, then why not jet over to Budapest and take advantage of the Four Seasons Hotel’s luxury opera house package? You and your partner can dine alone, amidst the magnificent opulence and splendour of one of Europe’s great theatres, while being serenaded by a full orchestra.