The “Under” underwater restaurant: Underwater dining in Norway looks amazing

Under the Sea

Time to turn Disney-version The Little Mermaid’s “Under the Sea” ballad into a reality.

Michelin-star rated restaurant Under is located in Lindesnes Municipality, one of Norway’s southernmost counties.

The incredible dining space sits five and a half meters below the surface – and it’s the first of its kind in Europe.

Since its opening in March 2019, Under remains the largest submerged restaurant in the world.

Fantastic food to match the ambiance

Lindesnes Municipality boasts a diverse marine life and landscape. This richness is reflected in Under’s gastronomic offer, as the restaurant uses only fresh, usually local ingredients free of any preservatives and artificial flavorings.

As a guest, you can be treated to a seasonal menu – featuring a little bit of everything. Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage pairings are also available, with prices ranging from 850 to 2,250 NOK.

Seafood on the menu includes local crab, lobster, and other crustaceans, and numerous types of clams.

The restaurant also features a plethora of fresh sea ingredients you won’t find in any other eateries. Think sea arrow grass, sea rocket, and sea kale.

On the land-loving food side, Under provides a delightful, locally sourced array including wild berries, mushrooms, seabirds, and sheep.

Experience

The restaurant aims for not only culinary excellence but informative insight into marine biology as well. It offers guests a total nautical package.

Through the restaurant’s unique location, chefs and guests gain a better understanding of the food on our plates, how it got there, and the sea, in general.

Architecture

It’s not easy to build a fully functioning restaurant underwater. That’s why a team of expert architects invested their best efforts to create one of the best around.

The concrete exterior and interior of Under help the restaurant withstand fierce water pressure and erosion – plus, they look neat! Under’s floor-to-ceiling windows offer a glimpse of what it’s like to live underwater, with surroundings of aquatic flora and fauna that are unlike anything on land.

As you slip away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and enter the restaurant grounds, you’re greeted with a pristine, wooden foyer. Vibrant oak counteracts the dark concrete interior within. Upon entry to the dining area, a handful of chairs are dashed around enough tables to seat up to 100 guests, with a dramatic backdrop of the ocean straight ahead.

If you’re an adrenaline lover, visit when the weather is stormy – you’ll get to see up the tumultuous waves close and personal. On nicer days, you’ll be able to view sun rays dancing across the water.

Eventually (far into the future, we hope!), the Under team will allow the restaurant to succumb to the forces of mother nature, turning into an artificial reef that will house many aquatic animals in need of a home.  

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COURTESY norwaytoday

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