Planes turned into restaurants, where to find them
In-flight lunches and dinners are becoming increasingly gourmet: just think of Swiss Air's offerings, or [...]
In-flight lunches and dinners are increasingly gourmet: just think of the Swiss Air proposals, or to British Airway collaborating with a starred chef. If you really want to have a taste experience, however, from the sky you have to come down. To board the planes turned into restaurants. A different way to give aircraft a second life and prevent all aircraft taken out of service end up at the wrecker's.
In this article:
The most spectacular ones? Here's where they are.
Steaks on a Plane, UK
First, good news: you don't have to go far to be able to dine aboard a parked plane. A Bolton, in the United Kingdom, a Boeing a bit broken down welcomes a no-frills restaurant. Steaks on a Plane serves meat dishes and fries in take-out containers. You can order from the door in the fuselage, or eat inside (preferably in the cockpit, which is definitely scenic).
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Ph. Jason Ratcliffe on Steaks on a Plane (Facebook)
Caravelle Pizzeria Restaurant, Italy
Even closer is the Caravelle, a pizza restaurant located in Abruzzo, in Sant'Egidio alla Vibrata (Teramo). As the name implies, the aircraft is precisely is a Caravelle, a jet plane from the early 1960s. Transported from Falconara and disassembled one night in the early 2000s, it was reassembled in its new home. It has 14 tables with four seats each and a view of the cockpit. Menus of 10 and 12 euros make it perfect for inexpensive and original group dinners.
Ph. pizzeria restaurant Caravelle (Facebook)
Kaero Park, Bali
A Bali, Keramas Aero Park - Inflight Restaurant and Bar It all revolves around a Boeing 737-400. Located in Keramas Beach (Ginyar), it is surrounded by paddy fields and offers beautiful views of the beach and ocean. Its motto? "Stars, island and ocean." The plane represents just that, the exploration of the sky above the sea and above Bali. Inside the cabin is the on-board restaurant, below the fuselage are the Garden & The Joglo and the Ground Bar.Â
Ph. Kaero Park
Coffee War, Thailand
A Sattahip, 160 km east of Bangkok, an old plane (a Airbus 300 in force from Thai Airways) has been transformed into a cozy café by entrepreneur Suttipong Boonloi, who bought it for about $320,000. Tables now find a place among the agented seats, and it is possible to sip Thai-style coffee here or cool off with ice cream.
Ph. 331 station (Facebook)
747 Cafe, Bangkok
Always in Thailand, but this time in Bangkok (more specifically at Lat Krabang, a transit destination for travelers arriving and departing from nearby Suvarnabhumi Airport), the 747 Cafe is among the most photographed airplanes turned into restaurants. Famous for its noodles as well as its desserts, it can also be visited for the equivalent of 3 euros (with complimentary coffee).
Ph. 747 Cafe (Facebook)
TWA Hotel, New York
A New York, inside JFK, opened in 2019 a decidedly original hotel. The TWA Hotels is inspired by 1960s aviation, and incorporates a real plane. Its Connie Cocktail Lounge is named after the "Connie" (or rather, the nickname for the 1958 Lockheed Constellation), an American plane that-in 1958-was used in Alaska to bring supplies to Prudhoe Bay. Today it serves light meals and memorable drinks.
Ph. TWA Hotel
El Avion, Costa Rica
In the heart of the Costa Rican jungle, El Avion serves lunches and dinners inside an old Fairchild C-123 Provider. The plane in question was originally part of a pair of cargo planes used by the United States during the so-called "Irangate" (when senior officials and military personnel in Ronald Reagan's administration were accused of illegal arms trafficking with Iran). Its "twin" was shot down in Nicaragua in 1986, he was instead abandoned until 2000 when he was purchased, refurbished and transported to where he is today. What is eaten on board? Mostly fish, with dishes costing 5-6 euros each.
Ph. El Avion Bar And Restaurant Manuel Antonio Costa Rica (Facebook)
La Tante DC10, Ghana
Among the planes turned into restaurants, in Africa (more specifically in Ghana) we find the La Tante DC10. Once part of the Ghana Airways fleet, this McDonnell Douglas DC-10 now serves typical Ghanaian dishes next to the airport. What used to be First Class is now the waiting room, while Economy has become the main place for a drink or dinner. A decidedly original way to approach traditional cuisine.
Ph. La Tante DC 10 (Facebook)
Runway 1, India
Opened in late 2017, Runway 1 is run by a dad and his son and is decidedly innovative among restaurants turned into airplanes. Prospective diners are required to pick up a boarding pass before heading to their table, while the cockpit houses what the owners say is India's only 3D flight simulation game.
Once in the cabin, the refurbished interior of this former Air India Airbus A320 impresses with elegance.
Ph. runway1official (Instagram)
The Airplane Restaurant, USA
The fuselage of the The Airplane Restaurant, in Colorado Springs, is of the emblazoned kind: a 1953 Boeing KC-97 of the U.S. Air Force. Forty-two lucky diners can enjoy an overview of aviation history while enjoying pure American-style specialties. Open since 2002, it is somewhat of a progenitor of airplanes turned into restaurants. And you need to make reservations in advance to guarantee a seat on the plane (but you can also eat on the lawn next door).
Ph. The Airplane Restaurant (Facebook)
Have you visited any of these locations? Tell us about it in the comments.