What is it that makes a restaurant truly great? The food? The service? Maybe. But I think it's something else. If you ask me, the really important thing is location. Any restaurant can have excellent food and service, but not all can provide amazing, breathtaking scenery. A good setting can change the entire dynamic of a restaurant for the better. And the views at the below restaurants are second to none. 1. Altitude at Shangri-La, Sydney, Australia A first class dining experience awaits from the dizzy heights of the Shangri-La's 36th floor at Altitude. Overlooking Sydney's most iconic attractions such as the Harbour Bridge, Opera House and Sydney Harbour, Altitude is the perfect place for a special occasion. Apart from the picture-perfect views, the restaurant is equally noted for its sophisticated Modern Australian cuisine and well-rounded wine list. 2. Hotel Edelweiss, Mürren, Switzerland Image: Imgur The newly renovated, cosy 3-star superior Hotel Edelweiss is located right in the heart of the Bernese Oberland. From your bed, you can admire the Big Three of the Swiss Alps - Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. The hotel is situated in the centre of the town of Mürren and enjoys an excellent location for walks or hikes in summer and skiing in winter (very close to the ski lifts). The hotel has 24 cosy rooms equipped with the listed facilities. Most rooms feature a balcony with view of Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. 3. El Farallón, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico Image: Trip Advisor Tucked into the cliffs of The Resort at Pedregal and stocked daily with bounty from local fishermen, El Farallon is the most sought after dinner location in Los Cabos. Meaning “a rock that comes out of the ocean”, El Farallon has become a hallmark of exquisite dining at our luxury resort. Situated overlooking The Pacific Ocean, where Chef Yvan Mucharraz sets only the best selection of local catch on mounds of shaved ice. Our fish experts will guide your selection with an old-fashioned scale that weights each choice. Carved out of the rock appears The Champagne Terrace with a selection of over 15 different champagnes ranging from Blanc de Blancs to Rose to Vintage Champagnes. All you and your guests need to do is decide how many and what measure of each one you want. Eduardo Contreras, our Wine Director, and his team will be able to guide you through the process as well as help you learn about the champagne with a selection of imported cheeses and artisan salts. 4. Tosca at The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong, China Image: Ritz Carlton Relive the passion and enchantment of one the world’s most beloved operas through the inspired cuisine of Tosca. High ceilings, stately fountains and majestic chandeliers lend a Romanesque feeling to this stylish dining destination, open for lunch and dinner. The innovative Italian menu features improved favorites and thrilling interpretations of the region’s notable cuisine, and an open kitchen allows guests an even more theatrical dining experience. 5. The Rock, Zanzibar, Tanzania Image: The Rock Restaurant Zanzibar It takes just one look understand that no pencil nor brush could draw such beauty – only Mother Nature could have reach such heights. We simply added the love for cooking, courtesy, our professional skills and the joy to share all of this splendour with you.Rock Restaurant rises on a rock not distant from the shore of the beautiful Michanwi Pingwe beach. Eating at Rock Restaurant is an experience you can’t miss: colours, relish and sensations blend together in unique magic. 6. Sierra Mar, Big Sur, California Image: Post Ranch Inn Overlooking the Pacific Ocean with a spectacular view of the California coast, the award winning Sierra Mar Restaurant serves world-class cuisine in an awe-inspiring setting. This Big Sur restaurant features an innovative, four course, prix fixe menu, which changes daily and utilizes organic, seasonal fare. Sierra Mar offers wine selections from one of the most extensive collections in North America. 7. Fangweng Restaurant, Hubei, China Image: AVowZone Fangweng Restaurant is located in China, in Hubei Province, about 12km north of the city of Yichang, near Sanyou Cave, or “The Cave of the Three Travelers”. The restaurant is in the Happy Valley of the Xiling Gorge, an especially scenic stretch of cliffs, caves and park land located around the area where the Chang Jiang River flows into the Yangtze. The entrance to the Fangweng Restaurant is an uninspiring grey brick building, but at the far end of a narrow concrete bridge, the restaurant caves into the cliff, the floor hanging several hundred feet above the ground. From this end, customers can view the flowing water of Yangtze River. For the daredevils, a bungee jumping platform is nearby. 8. Ngorongoro Crater Lodge, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania Image: HomeDSGN The Ngorongoro Crater Lodge is located in Tanzania on the edge of the world famous "World Heritage Site" of the Ngorongoro Crater. Surrounding the lodge, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area spans 8,300 square kilometres, stretching from the Rift Valley to the Serengeti. The design follows the Maasai mud-and-stick manyatta (homestead) style. The Ngorongoro Crater Lodge is without doubt one of the most architecturally spectacular safari lodges in Africa. 9. Two Oceans, Cape Point, South Africa Image: Youth Village The Two Oceans Restaurant, opened its doors in December 1995, and is an integral part of the development at Cape Point, which is now part of the newly proclaimed Good Hope Section of the Table Mountain National Park. Recent renovations have vastly improved the spectacle that is Two Oceans Restuarant. There is much here for visitors from excellent dining and browsing through the curio shop, to witnessing the crashing waves where two oceans do battle near the tip of Africa. Set into the cliffs high above the south-western most tip of the Cape Peninsula, the Two Oceans Restaurant offers spectacular views over False Bay and comfortably seats some 350 guests. The innovative design of the restaurant ensures that all guests are able to enjoy the stunning views of this unique location- a view that is unrivalled and world-renowned. The ceiling is inspired by the rib cage of a whale and also reflects the movement of the wind. Neutral beach colours and a nautical element are part of the design. Look out for the gorgeous chandelier above the sushi bar and the "kelp" screen on entering! 10. Soho House, West Hollywood, California Image: The Richest Soho House was founded in London in 1995 as a home from home for people working in creative fields. There are now 13 Houses located in the UK, Berlin, Istanbul, New York, West Hollywood, Miami, Chicago and Toronto. Unlike other club concepts, which often focus on wealth and status, we aim to assemble communities of members that have something in common: namely, a creative soul. The majority of our members work in traditional creative industries, with the film, fashion, advertising, music, art and media sectors, among others, heavily represented. We offer four types of membership: Local House, Every House, Under 27 Local House, and Under 27 Every House. Local membership to Soho House West Hollywood gives you access to all club spaces and facilities. Every House membership provides access to all Soho House clubs internationally. 11. WP24 by Wolfgang Puck, Los Angeles, California Image: Wolfgang Puck Twenty four floors above the Los Angeles skyline sits WP24 by Wolfgang Puck at The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles at L.A. Live. The restaurant features Wolfgang’s award-winning modern Chinese cuisine and reflects Puck’s time spent in the Far East and passion for Asian ingredients and techniques. Surrounded by spectacular panoramic views of the city, the dynamic, fine dining menu offers guests the option of creating a three or four course menu of Asian-inspired dishes. Wine aficionados can appreciate an extensive list of more than 400 labels that complement the flavors of the menu. In addition, the beverage menu offers a selection of Asian beers and sakes by the bottle and glass. Adjacent to WP24 sits Nest, a new, modern restaurant & lounge concept from Chef Puck. Nest’s dedicated menu of Asian-inspired snacks, appetizers, sushi and large plates allows for a leisurely multi-course dinner or a more casual dining experience. The expansive menu includes items exclusive to Nest, as well as signature guest favorites from WP24. Nest offers the elegant ambiance and elevated cuisine at WP24 but with the approachability of a modern lounge experience. 12. Panorama Alm, Mauterndorf, Austria Holidays To Austria 13. The View, San Francisco, California Travelocity 14. Le Jules Verne, Paris, France Alain Ducasse 15. Canlis, Seattle, Washington Canlis 16. The Grotto, Krabi, Thailand Places To See In Your Lifetime 17. Siroco, Bangkok, Thailand Lebua 18. Al Mahara, Dubai, U.A.E. Burj Al Arab Jumeirah 19. Piz Gloria, Mürren, Switzerland Wikimedia Commons 20. Vertigo and Moon Bar, Bangkok, Thailand Banyan Tree Bangkok 21. Le Panoramic, Chamonix, France Chamonix 22. Torre d'Alta Mar, Barcelona, Spain b-guided Barcelona 23. Skyline Restaurant, Queenstown, New Zealand Fine Dining Lovers 24. Dasheene, St. Lucia, West Indies Fodors 25. Caldera, Santorini, Greece Volcano View 26. Ristorante Grotta Palazzese, Puglia, Italy Arrivederci Puglia 27. Asiate, New York, New York Booking 28. Labassin Waterfalls Restaurant, San Pablo City, Philippines Panorimo 29. Ithaa Undersea Restaurant, Rangali Island, Maldives Conrad Maldives Rangali Island 30. Ali Barbour’s Cave Restaurant, Diani Beach, Kenya Wilson Travels Even if you're not a foodie, the incredible scenery at these restaurants is more than worth the trip. Just be wary of your footing in a few of these locales - you don't want to fall over the edge!