Do you consider yourself a locavore? Well, a group of people in Norway are looking to take the local food movement to a whole new level — underwater. The subaquatic restaurant Under is slated to open in Norway in April 2019.
Not only will it be Europe’s first underwater restaurant but, even more impressive, it will be the world’s largest.
This unique eatery will be half-submerged in the sea and, according to a press release, will sport three-foot-thick walls. According to project manager Arne Marthinsen, the structure will weigh between 1,500 and 2,000 tons when completed, and will be able to withstand “enormous natural forces from the sea, changing weather and powerful winds.”
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The restaurant will consist of three levels: the entrance area at the top, the mezzanine in the middle and the kitchen and restaurant on the lower level. The dining area itself will feature a 36-by-13-foot panoramic window. The room will be able to seat between 80 and 100 people.
The structure was initially built on a barge and was then lowered into the sea, at which point it was attached to a foundation on the ocean floor. From the outside, it looks like a thick, rectangular periscope made out of rough concrete.
One end rests on a gangway connecting it to the shore, while the rest slopes down below the surface of the water to rest on the seabed approximately five and a half meters (18 feet) below sea level.
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And what about that local food we promised you? Danish chef Nicolai Ellitsgaard Pedersen assures interested parties that seafood will definitely be on the menu, as he intends to create locally sourced dishes that include cod, lobster, mussels and truffle kelp, a local type of seaweed that tastes like truffles.
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“We are so fortunate!” says Pedersen on the restaurant’s website. “Not only is the sea filled with a vast amount of delicious fish and countless types of shells, but the beaches here also offer plenty of exciting ingredients such as sea arrow grass, sea rocket and salty sea kale. Furthermore, the local area is known for its bountiful varieties of wild mushrooms and succulent berries.”
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Underwater attractions are nothing new — especially not lately. Earlier this year, we learned that the Maldives was home to both the world’s first underwater hotel and another underwater restaurant that also hosted yoga classes.
Which undersea attraction will you visit first?