The World's Coolest Places to Eat

Creator

San Francisco, California

Creator is a burger restaurant. But the food isn’t made by a cook flipping patties over a stove. Place an order at Creator and you can watch your burger being prepared—from the slicing of the bun to the melting of the cheese—by an elegant robot system in the dining room. Because the restaurant’s human employees aren’t busy in the kitchen, they’re able to chat about flavor pairings and explain the automated process that brings you your food. Meanwhile, the robots perfectly prep and assemble your meal. —Constance Gibbs

PBJ.LA

Los Angeles, California

These aren’t your grandmother’s peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches. PBJ.LA gives America’s classic lunch-box staple an innovative upgrade. Carefully curated combinations of nut butter and jam are served on circular bread. Then a crimper seals the sandwich and removes the crust. Don’t worry—all that excess crust doesn’t go to waste. It’s used to make cinnamon-and-sugar bites. All ingredients are plant-based, and nut butters, jams, and milks are made from scratch, with organic ingredients. “We’ve taken a popular American nostalgic idea, and we’ve made it global and cultural,” says cofounder Payvand Salehi. “We wanted to take PB&J back to its roots and make it clean and organic.” —Rebecca Katzman

Saint Pierre

Singapore

Chef Emmanuel Stroobant believes fine dining shouldn’t be just for adults. Kids should enjoy the experience too. That’s why he offers a children’s menu at his restaurant Saint Pierre. In 2019, Saint Pierre was awarded two Michelin stars. A Michelin star is one of the most important honors in the world of gourmet food. The restaurant specializes in French cuisine with Asian-inspired touches. The children’s menu includes the same range of tastes—salty, sweet, sour, and bitter—that many grown-up menus offer. To keep the children’s menu fresh, Stroobant changes it every three to four months. And kids can even see how the chefs prepare their unique dishes. “All young guests at Saint Pierre are invited to pop into the kitchen,” Stroobant says. —Rebecca Mordechai

SafeHouse Milwaukee

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Looking to sharpen your secret-agent skills? Spy-themed restaurant SafeHouse is the place to go. Since 1966, young spies in training have been visiting its Milwaukee location to learn the tricks of the trade. Junior agents begin their mission by cracking a password and entering the restaurant through a secret bookcase. Inside, they watch magicians and illusionists perform tricks, decode giant puzzles, and search for clues that can help them on a scavenger hunt. To complete their mission, spies rely on a phone booth to receive instructions for using an escape route. —Constance Gibbs

The Kinderkookkafé

Amsterdam, the Netherlands

A child in Amsterdam doesn’t need to wait to grow up to realize his or her dream of becoming a chef. At the Kinderkookkafé, kids take charge of the restaurant. They set up the tables, cook the meals, and serve the food. There’s culinary fun for kids ages 2 to 12. With their parents’ help, the youngest visitors can put together their own desserts and pizzas. Older kids may choose to host a dinner party (imagine cooking a three-course meal for your birthday-party guests). Or they can have “high tea” with plenty of cakes, scones, and finger sandwiches to go around. —Allison Singer

Correction: The original version of this story misstated the location of Creator. It is in San Francisco, California, not Los Angeles, California.