Europe’s first underwater restaurant opened Wednesday, and diners will be able to take in the sights of the sea while enjoying dishes made from locally sourced produce and sustainable seafood. In addition, it will be a research center for marine life, according to Snøhetta, the design firm behind the project.
Guests will be able to watch marine life from oversize, underwater windows, according to the firm, which is based in Oslo, Norway, and New York City.
“Under is a natural progression of our experimentation with boundaries,” Kjetil Trædal Thorsen, an architect and the founder of Snøhetta, said in a statement. “In this building, you may find yourself under water, over the seabed, between land and sea. This will offer you new perspectives and ways of seeing the world, both beyond and beneath the waterline.”
Located at the southernmost point of the Norwegian coastline, the semi-submerged building sits directly on the sea bed, more than 16 feet beneath the water’s surface. Its walls are more than three feet thick, built to withstand the pressure of the icy waters of the North Atlantic.
Under’s kitchen will be helmed by Danish chef Nicolai Ellitsgaard, from Måltid, a gourmet restaurant in Kristiansand, Norway. It will serve dinner to between 35 and 40 guests every night.
“Fresh ingredients and pure, naked flavors are of utmost importance to us,” he said in a statement. “At the same time, we want to provide a unique dining experience that ushers our guests beyond their current comfort zone.”
The menu will be seasonal, with the chef’s immersion menu costing NOK 2,250 (US $266). A wine pairing is available for NOK 1,450, and a juice pairing is also on offer for NOK 850.
In addition, cameras and other measurement tools installed on and outside Under’s facade will aid in the study of marine biology and fish behavior, according to Snøhetta. Fish, crustaceans, and other marine life flourish in the brackish waters surrounding the restaurant, resulting in an abundance in biodiversity.
Researchers plan to document the population, behavior, and diversity of species that are living in the surrounding waters, and use that data to help develop new ways of improving official marine resource management.
In addition, Ellitsgaard will work with these scientists to learn the best practices for harvesting seafood sustainably.
Agencies