Part of going on holiday is being able to enjoy delicious cuisine prepared by some of the world’s best chefs in some of the most spectacular destinations on Earth. And the Maldives offers this in abundance.

Here you can dine looking out onto white sandy beaches and azure turquoise lagoons, sip cocktails on floating decks while manta rays and a myriad of colourful fish swim beneath your feet, or even venture below the sea for a unique meal in an underwater restaurant!

Here are five of our favorite restaurants in the Maldives that you simply have to see to believe.

H20 Underwater Restaurant

This magnificent underwater eatery at the romantic adult’s only You & Me by Cocoon is one of a very select few in the Maldives. Here you can enjoy your meal fully submerged with a 360-degree view of life beneath the waves in the Maldives rich marine environment. A truly once in a lifetime experience.

Maghrib Grill

Sit on the beach with your toes in your sand and enjoying watching the fresh catch of the day or a delicious steak prepared on the grill right in front of you. This magnificent restaurant is located at Sun Siyam Olhuveli and one of the best dishes has to be the amazing signature ocean platter, complete with eight different types of fresh seafood.

Barrique

An unexpected find on a tropical island, this unique Maldives restaurant is located at Siyam World resort in an underground wine cellar. With only a handful of seats, it offers an intimate and exclusive experience for a privileged few.

At Barrique gourmet tasting menus are served as part of a wine flight with the resort’s sommelier hand picking your wines for the evenings from the hundreds of world-renowned vintages that surround you. A fine dining experience you won’t soon forget.

Baani

Paris meets Beruit meets the Maldives at Baani at the five-star Heritance Aarah, a restaurant exclusive for guests of the Ocean Suites. Here Cafe culture takes to the water for a unique space where you can relax, share and socialize.

The menu here is modern Mediterranean but if there’s something else that takes your fancy just let the chefs know and they will go out of their way to accommodate you.

Jing

Jing at Constance Halaveli is an Asian inspired treat. Set on stilts in the beautifully blue waters features its own bar and a richly varied Asian menu that includes duck, tuna and sea bass alongside a unique Thai curry ice cream.

Jing also features an impressive wine cellar that holds some 18,000 bottles. Blue lights under the restaurant attract a myriad of marine life including reef sharks and sting rays to add some unique entertainment to your evening.