The World's Most Beautiful Dining Rooms

After a 2007 redesign that updated the chairs and lighting, Le Louis XV is as opulent as ever, with gilded walls and ceiling frescoes — not to mention Alain Ducasse's sumptuous French cuisine.

For 50 years, celebrities from President John F. Kennedy to Heidi Klum have nestled in the banquettes in the walnut-paneled Grill Room, as well as the Mies van der Rohe- and Philip Johnson-designed Pool Room, with its seasonal trees, two-story windows and white marble fountain.

Floating in a protected inlet, this restaurant from star chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten includes Malaysian wood floors, sea-grass walls and windows with expansive views of Mount Otemanu.

Philippe Starck's first South American project, featuring the French-influenced dishes of Ferran Adrià protégé Mariano Cid de la Paz, combines a blinding white color scheme with amusing touches like plaster unicorn heads and giant candelabras.

This elegant 18th-century building has layer upon layer of marble, mirrors and gilded details, as well as views of the Place de la Concorde. Jean-François Piége, who spent many years working under Alain Ducasse, took over the menu in 2004 and has won great acclaim for his cutting-edge haute cuisine.

Thanks to the Western Cape’s mild climate, patrons can try the African-influenced Continental menu at Bosman’s on the outdoor terrace, with its incredible views of the Paarl valley, almost year-round. The interior of the restored Cape Dutch manor feels intimate and elegant, with historical paintings on the walls and black-marble columns.

Designed by Ilse Crawford, this eponymous restaurant by one of the world's most talented chefs is separated by a gilded screen into two areas: the casual Matbaren bar and the more formal Matsalen dining room, with soft gray tones and curving tables.

Housed in the former U.K. headquarters for Michelin, Sir Terence Conran's first restaurant venture shows off his signature modern style. In the kitchen, chef Matthew Harris turns out classic bistro food with British flair.

Inspired by Turkish style from the 1960s and ’70s, the Autoban design team created custom Scandinavian-style furniture for the space and added Noguchi lamps and brass-toned mirrors. London-based chef Peter Gordon gets credit for the Mediterranean menu.

Hidden in a renovated warehouse, this Michelin two-star Nordic restaurant with mind-blowing regional cuisine has a simple, pared-down design—think unfinished wood floors, whitewashed brick walls and chairs covered in sheepskin.