10 Scenic Restaurants In The US Where The Food Comes Secondary To The Views

Usually, when you make a dinner reservation, you do it for the culinary experience. For most, going out to eat is about what delicious foods you're eating, and everything else is secondary. But there's something you might miss if you're only in it for the menu: A sit-down meal is actually the perfect opportunity to enjoy a scenic view. Choose a restaurant with a spectacular skyline vista, a dramatic backdrop of snowcapped mountains, or a sweeping view of the sea, and you're positioning yourself for a couple of hours of free access to some of America's most beautiful visuals — along with a great meal.

All across the nation, you'll find restaurants that will leave you with a full stomach and a full camera roll of scenery shots alike. So while these 10 scenic restaurants undoubtedly excel on the culinary front too, that's not the only reason to vie for a coveted table if you find yourself in the area. And while we could have chosen dozens of restaurants with equally special visual appeal, these represent the breadth of America's diverse landscapes, and each offers scenery found nowhere else. Check out the 10 best U.S.-based restaurants known for the most scenic views.

California's Highway 1 — you might know it as the Pacific Coast Highway, or PCH —  is one of the nation's most iconic road trip spots for the breathtaking coastal views along its 1,650-mile run from Southern California to the Olympic Peninsula in Washington. Tourist hotspot Big Sur (which has a secret state park known for its coastal views) lies along this stretch, and if you've ever watched a car commercial, there's a pretty good chance you've seen it. But you definitely haven't seen it like you will during a meal at Nepenthe.

Located between two canyons along the PCH, Nepenthe is in a perfect spot for road trippers to stop for some tapas and a view. It's perched atop a cliff for some of the most dramatic seaside views you'll ever see, and with an outdoor dining area, you get the added touch of that salty sea breeze ruffling your hair while you dine. It's been open since 1949 and frequented by Hollywood royalty and bucket-list-chasing travelers alike ever since — that epic view tends to attract an interesting crowd. If the restaurant's classic American menu — try the famous Ambrosia Burger, elevated by the restaurant's beloved in-house "ambrosia sauce" — doesn't appeal, the original restaurant later added Café Kevah on a terrace below the main restaurant. It's a much less involved stop for baked goods and coffee in an equally scenic setting.

Alaska is often more closely associated with rugged wilderness and outdoor adventure than fine dining, but that's exactly what makes a meal at the Seven Glaciers restaurant at the Alyeska Resort in Girdwood such an experience. Start with the fact that it's only accessible by tram — you'll have to travel 2,300 feet up Mount Alyeska to reach the restaurant. After stunning views of the Chugach Mountains from the windows of your tram, you'll arrive at one of Alaska's premier fine-dining establishments. Oh, and about the name: Seven Glaciers is so-called because you can see no less than seven of Alaska's famous "rivers of ice" from the restaurant — though, maybe not all from the same table. How's that for a one-of-a-kind view? 

On the dining side of things, this is a classic fine-dining affair with a distinctly Alaskan panache. You'll enjoy a six-course prix fixe meal rooted in the local and seasonal; expect a menu heavy on Alaska-sourced fish, game, and vegetables. So while the quintessential Alaskan scenery from your table is perhaps the biggest draw at this mountaintop culinary retreat, it's an equally unforgettable meal for fans of tasting- menu-style fine dining. 

Arizona's tourist-favorite high-desert hub of Sedona wears many hats. It's a hiker magnet, favored for activities such as yoga retreats, home to an underrated dessert oasis (Sedona Wetland Preserve), and a resort town. None of those things is surprising in a town blessed with some of the most outlandishly gorgeous natural scenery you'll find anywhere, a landscape that attracts millions of visitors. It's no surprise that some clever restaurateurs would look to combine scenery and luxury. You'll find the perfect example of that luxury-with-a-view dining experience at Mariposa. 

Though Mariposa's elevated South American menu, with a focus on premium steaks and seafood, is a highlight, it's far from the only reason to make a reservation here for your Sedona weekend. With windowpanes for walls and an airy, open dining room, you don't even need to snag a window seat to get an eyeful of the towering red rocks for which Sedona is famous. It's that wide-open panorama that elevates Mariposa, at least as far as scenery goes, above the competition in a town where scenery is in no short supply.

In the nation's ski capital, Colorado, this off-the-grid restaurant can only be reached by ski or snowboard. At 12,456 feet above sea level, it's the highest restaurant in North America. And this restaurant — open only for lunch, and only in the winters —  be so remote that there's no running water, but the trade-off is spectacular. From that unmatched vantage point comes unbeatable views. Snow-covered peaks, fir trees lined with fresh snow, and skiers enjoying an action-filled day are just some of what you can see from the restaurant's windows. 

The food here is exactly what you'd hope for after the trek it takes to find your way to Il Rifugio. The lion's share is hearty Italian fare focusing on Colorado-produced meats and cheeses. Think elegant, locally sourced charcuterie for your post-skiing protein needs. But what's really going to seal the deal here — besides the novelty of skiing to lunch, of course — is the incredible view of the snow-covered Arapahoe Basin that you'll enjoy for as long as you decide to linger. Designed to resemble a European alpine chalet, it's at once as cozy and as breathtaking as you'd hope. 

Some scenic restaurants impress with sweeping views of the mountains or the ocean. Others make their mark with a setting so fairy-tale bucolic that it's almost difficult to believe it's real — and that is the kind of place the White Horse Country Pub & Restaurant is. If you want big-sky panoramas, head west. If you want cozy, green, hemmed-in scenes with the gentle backdrop of a stream passing by, New England has you covered. This local award-winning English pub with the cutest imaginable setting is exactly that sort of place. 

There's nothing dressy about White Horse Country Pub; rather, it's a cozy place that offers your classic English pub dishes — think bangers and mash or chicken pot pie — in a setting as Lake District pub-like as you're likely to get this side of the Atlantic. When the New England winter isn't raging, the outdoor patio offers a different kind of coziness, with its brookside setting and perfectly pastoral views of the tranquil country landscape. Take your pick — crackling fireplace or babbling brook —  it'll be one or the other here. Simply put, White Horse Country Pub is a magical place in any season. It may not be quite what you expect when you hear the word "scenic," but scenic beauty isn't all about grandeur, and we think this adorable New England pub is the perfect example of that. 

It's easy to forget, but urban scenery can be just as stunning as anything you'll find in the wilderness. And when an urban skyscape meets the natural beauty just offshore, you wind up with something truly memorable. That's what earns Dauphin's — an acclaimed high-rise restaurant on the water in Mobile, Alabama — a place among the most scenic restaurants in America. Promising "Southern hospitality, elevated" at 424 feet above sea level, it's also a prime spot for admiring the city lights glinting off the Gulf as it juts into Mobile Bay. 

That urban-meets-natural backdrop is ultimately what makes Dauphin's stand out in a sea of restaurants that are either grounded in the cityscape or far-flung in nature, but never both at the same time. At Dauphin's, located on the 34th floor of the Trustmark Building, you'll get your taste of both, with ocean views just past the skyscrapers that flank the building. The Deep South might not have the drama in its natural scenery of some other regions, where nature is a little bit bigger in scale and grandeur, but don't sleep on it — in Mobile, Alabama, ocean-backed skyline views meet one of the nation's most beloved regional cuisines. Local seafood abounds in forms ranging from Gulf shrimp chowder to (we'll count it as a seafood just this once) fried alligator, creatively reinterpreting Deep South cuisine to match its elevated setting. You'd be hard-pressed to find a date who'd remain unimpressed by a night at Dauphin's. 

We've talked a little about how unique it is for a restaurant to successfully integrate natural and urban scenery in the way it presents its views. Leave it to Canlis, one of Seattle's most acclaimed fine-dining establishments, to pull it off perfectly. Start with the building itself: The 1950s-built modernist structure is striking enough already, and with wall-sized windows, its natural lighting is a highlight at any time of day. Those lucky enough to dine on a rare sunny day in Seattle are in for a treat. And then there are the views. From Canlis' vantage point, just outside of the city, you'll see much of Seattle spread out before you with the snowy peaks of the Cascade Range as a backdrop. It's equally spectacular by day, when the natural light is at its most brilliant, and at night, when you'll be treated to the entire lit-up Seattle cityscape from afar in the upscale Queen Anne district. 

Oh, and this happens to be one of the best places in Seattle for a truly fine culinary experience, too. With 74 years of experience, Canlis knows exactly how to evoke a midcentury-modern vibe, and you can count on a place with such a stellar reputation to serve nothing but the best. Utilizing a hybrid of prix fixe and a la carte ordering on its three-course tasting menu that changes with the seasons, Canlis will keep you guessing without totally removing the element of choice — it's as elegant and tantalizing a tactic as anything about this most sought-after of Seattle tables.

You'll find plenty of fine dining establishments with sweeping city views that make you feel like a celebrity, effortlessly breezy seaside cafés that only seem to be casual — and then some that lean into their closeness to nature to remind you that you're here for the beauty of a place, not just a good meal. That's the approach that Osage Restaurant at Big Cedar Lodge in Missouri takes, with a lodge-like interior designed to draw the eyes outward to the lakes and mountains of the Ozark Mountains just outside the windows. There are windows present at every corner of this restaurant, bathing it in natural light daily. Sunsets are particularly beautiful, with hues of orange and yellow mingling with the bright blue skies.

Elegantly rustic is the name of the game here, from the décor and scenery to the cuisine. Expect a blend of upscale favorites (think lobster) and regional cuisine made fresh (think elk soup). Brunch is also available if you'd like to start your day with abundant sunshine and a view that'll put you in the best of moods. Either way, the refined lodge-style interior and its photo-worthy panoramic views will set an easy yet unforgettable mood. 

Upscale nationwide seafood chain Chart House is not at all exclusive to New Jersey, so diners who seek out new food experiences wherever they travel might initially overlook it. Menu-wise, Chart House is a standard upscale steak and seafood chain heavy on premium beef and lobster, but writing off this location just because there's nothing New Jersey about it would be a huge mistake. Why? If there's any spot on this list where the scenery is truly worth the price of your meal, it's this one. As this Chart House outpost's many impressed diners know, the best way to get a picture-perfect view of the New York City skyline (if you don't want to take to the water, that is) is to leave New York City altogether. 

Featured as one of restaurant reservation aggregator OpenTable's Top 100 Most Romantic Restaurants in the U.S. in 2023, Chart House Weehawken is most famous for its perfect cross-harbor vantage point of the New York cityscape. As you might guess, it's especially spectacular at night, when you'll be able to get that long-awaited money shot of the New York skyline without having to use funky camera settings or lean back at a ridiculous angle to get it all in the frame. If your idea of romance is an evening in the big-city lights, ditch New York proper for the night and make your way across the harbor to Chart House Weehawken. You'll never find a better view of one of America's most iconic sights. 

Hawaii comes by its reputation for scenic beauty honestly, and at Welina Terrace on the less urbanized "Garden Island" of Kauai, you will have no trouble realizing why so many have waxed poetic about the state's tropical beauty. Modern Japanese fusion spot Welina Terrace is far from the only scenic and delicious restaurant on the island of Kauai, and amazing views abound, but we would argue that its view takes the cake. 

Located on the island's North Shore, the restaurant sits on Hanalei Bay with a view of Mount Makana across the water, creating a dramatic contrast with the inviting tropical blue of the sea. And though this topic is always hotly debated when it comes to Hawaii, the restaurant's huge panoramic windows are said to offer the island's finest sunset. The modern small-plate Japanese menu using local seafood — think plenty of sushi options with a local flavor — only enhances it. The restaurant also offers vegetarian options for those who prefer not to eat seafood or meat. Come for the refined Japanese fusion cuisine, but stay to watch the sun sink beneath the blue horizon — there's no better way to remember what makes this place so special. 

An explanation of our methods has to start with an acknowledgment of the elephant in the room: You may well have a favorite restaurant with a view that didn't make this list. There are hundreds of restaurants scattered across the United States that would have been worthy candidates for a list like this; we could have chosen one in every state and still not scratched the surface. So we owe you an explanation of the way we arrived at these 10, and why your personal pick may not have made the cut. 

With a limited number of slots on this list, we wanted to use them wisely to showcase the mind-boggling diversity of scenery the United States has to offer. Sure, single states could've filled the entire list with incredibly scenic restaurants, but we would've been missing out on a lot. So while certain regions are a little bit statistically overrepresented, we did our best to choose only restaurants with found-nowhere-else scenery and an atmosphere that was truly emblematic of the state. And these 10 might excel in their categories in unique ways, but they're just the beginning. So what's the real takeaway? Simple: Dining doesn't have to be only about your taste buds.