KENYA – Experts from cross-media company Slingo have ranked Ali Barbour Cave Restaurant, located in Mombasa, Kenya, as the restaurant with the third most beautiful view in the world.
The experts used reviews and ratings from Tripadvisor, Google reviews and Instagram followers to identify restaurants with the most beautiful views together with offering culinary excellence.
The Slingo experts reviewed Ali Barbour’s Cave Restaurant’s 1.696 Tripadvisor reviews, which have an average rating of 4.5/5. The restaurant has 58.8% five-star reviews, and 13.6% of reviews use the words ‘beautiful,’ ‘scenic,’ or ‘picturesque’ to describe its view.
The experts also revealed the restaurant received a 4.4/5 average rating on Google Review Rating.
Ali Barbour’s Cave Restaurant received an average 6.38/10 scenic eatery score by the experts, behind the US’ Sierra Mar restaurant (8.73/10 and South Africa’s Delaire Graff restaurant 9.02/10).
Delaire Graff Restaurant is located deep in the Stellenbosch wine region of South Africa. It offers what reviewers describe as ‘breathtaking’ views of Banghoek Valley from its outdoor terraces.
Sierra Mar is perched on a cliff and offers what reviewers describe as ‘beautiful overarching views of the Pacific Ocean,’ thanks to its panoply of floor-to-ceiling windows.
The Mombasa restaurant’s coral cave is thought to be between 120,000 and 180,000 years old.
Apart from the kitchen and lavatories, the restaurant has maintained and retained the original walls and stone of the cave, albeit complementing it with furniture, fittings, lighting and sound effects.
Natural holes in the restaurant’s roof crust are open to the sky, providing a unique scenic view from the natural skylight. The holes are protected from bad weather with sliding covers.
An umbrella made from threaded palm leaves (makuti) dominates the cocktail bar and the restaurant’s reception area. It is supported by a 20-meter blue gum pole. The umbrella consists of a series of interlinked chambers at depths of up to 10 meters below sea level.
Ali Barbour’s Cave Restaurant is located 30 kilometres south of Mombasa town and 200 meters back from the high water mark in Diani.
The restaurant’s menu is mostly international, mostly comprising European cuisine, with a speciality in seafood. There are also chicken, pork, beef and duck offerings for guests with seafood allergies or different preferences.
Reservations are required for guests seeking to sample the view and menu.
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