Amidst Convicted Criminals, the Dead or the Dark – Where Would You Choose To Have Your Unusual Meal in India?

There are some people who like to follow the guide books, the defined paths and the love the comfort of the known above everything else. Then there are few of those who live to add the most uncommon experiences to their life, and derive thrill out of doing what others would not imagine doing. If like the latter, you too pride yourself on your appetite for the unusual, here are the top five restaurants in India that you must visit:

Seva Cafe, Ahmedabad

Its name translating to ‘service’ in English, Seva Cafe in Ahmedabad reaffirms the faith in human virtues of generosity and goodness. No matter what you order at the Seva Cafe, you won’t have to pay even a penny. Yes, you read that right. The humble cafe solely runs on the hard work of its modest staff and volunteers as well as charitable contributions any visitors might make. All meals are cooked and served with love and any profits that the cafe might make are fully disclosed and donated for social service projects. For a country where ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’ (Guest is God) is a principal many live by, the cafe proves to be an exemplary example of warm hospitality.

Taste of Darkness, Hyderabad

Can you imagine yourself eating your meal in complete darkness, surrounded by at least 50 people? Only if you can, you will find Hyderabad’s uniquely-themed Taste of Darkness up to your palette. There’s a surprise menu every day, and guests are required to eat their meals in complete darkness, with not even a candle lit around. The idea behind this unique concept is to enable guests to touch base with their senses and enjoy their food without getting distracted. As you savour sumptuous local and global dishes, you will be able to experience their flavour, and aromas like you never did before.

Tihar Food Court, New Delhi

The largest Jail in South Asia, the Tihar Jail in the capital city has found a unique way to employ, educate and offer sustainable living to some of its most well-behaved convicts. A special hotel management school was roped in by the prison authorities to train few of the convicts for managing its restaurant that opened in the jail premises in 2014. The restaurant can sit up to 50 people at one time and serves everything from Indian, Chinese to continental fare. An average meal for two costs a meagre INR 500 here. Additionally, the restaurant has been decorated using paintings made by inmates of the jail.

Veli Lake Floating Restaurant, Thiruvananthapuram

Sitting on a lake in the Veli village in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, the two-storied floating restaurant is striking. Ideal for a meal amidst nature, with just the sounds of birds to be heard and lush greens to be seen as far as the eyes go, the floating restaurant is best visited during sunrise or sunset. The food served is made using fresh, local produce. Setting a romantic tone for your meal, the restaurant even requires visitors to cross dramatic, floating wooden bridges that connect it to the shore.

New Lucky Restaurant, Ahmedabad

Ahmedabad in India seems to have a special penchant for the weird and the unusual; the New Lucky Restaurant is the proof. Built at the site of a previous graveyard, the restaurant, surprisingly, attracts crowds in huge numbers. To make matters more interesting (or eerie), there are actual coffins inside the restaurant – including that of a 16^th-century Sufi saint- that the owner feels bring him a special stroke of good luck. As you enjoy your meal among the living and the dead, a sense of acceptance and coming to terms with death is natural to prevail.