Buzz
One of the most talked-about controversies of 2011 was the decision to keep London’s only revolving restaurant closed during the 2012 Olympics. The BT Tower will remain immobile, much to the disappointment of many. What can we learn from its past and the stories of other rotating dining establishments, including one that spins but doesn’t make any promises to its guests?
Revolving restaurants are an example of a strange set of ‘must-have’ attractions that a city feels compelled to boast in order to prove it’s made it—similar to modern art museums or aquariums, which could easily inspire another top ten list. In cities with growing economies, these (mostly clockwise) marvels still captivate people. In the United States, many faded away after a surge of them in the 70s, but in the Far East, the trend continues with many new openings. Today, there are about 150-200 revolving restaurants worldwide (though not all still rotate). This offers a wealth of options for a list like this. Let’s kick things off with ten examples and see if they catch your interest.
Prepare yourself for some truly dreadful puns as we explore the world of revolving restaurants.
10. The Pinnacle of the Tower
The final fruit cocktail left the Butlins-managed Top of the Tower kitchen in 1971 when an IRA bombing targeted the men's restroom (comically narrowing down the list of suspects). Thankfully, no one was harmed, but the restaurant never bounced back and closed for good when Butlins' lease came to an end. There were talks of reviving the restaurant in time for the London Olympics, possibly due to the Olympic Committee's surprise that they weren’t treated to a revolving dining experience, something that seems to happen in every other city they visit. However, for reasons unclear, the project didn’t materialize, and the space is now used as a BBC outside broadcast studio and for stationary corporate events. It seems that discussing revolving restaurants often requires a bit of disbelief, so let me clarify: yes, you read ‘Butlins’ correctly (for those unfamiliar with Butlins, imagine a company that would never be entrusted with a major national landmark).
9. Equinox
Many of the early Western revolving restaurants have slowly faded into history, victims of the harsh reality that these places were more about the spinning experience than the food. A prime example is Equinox in San Francisco, which spent two decades as the go-to spot for first dates, family meals, and stunning views of the Golden Gate Bridge. However, it ceased rotating in 2007 and is now a stationary nightclub. One furious reviewer recalled how the Sunday brunch buffet 'DID NOT INCLUDE TOAST,' a crime so severe that the manager offered a free meal to the entire family. Other revolving restaurant owners, take note: either provide toast or hire a manager who can stand firm.
8. International Saddam Tower
It remains unclear whether Saddam Hussein himself was a regular visitor at the 'International Saddam Tower' restaurant in Baghdad, though it’s likely his many doubles frequented it often. Built in 1994, Saddam commissioned this 207-meter structure as a defiant gesture—a one-finger salute to the world after the destruction of a previous TV tower during the first Gulf War. By the time of the second conflict, the tower had clearly gained some value. Firstly, the invading forces deliberately avoided bombing it to prevent it from collapsing onto surrounding neighborhoods, showing a bit more consideration than the previous assault. Secondly, both the foreign troops and locals were so impressed by the quality of the food that they refrained from looting it. Today, it operates under the nondescript name 'Baghdad Restaurant,' reflecting a global trend where revolving restaurants are named without much thought—often sending the message: 'The owners really didn’t care enough to come up with a creative name.'
7. Star-Plucking
The Star-Plucking Restaurant in Taipei, which opened its doors in 2000, is perched atop the Beitou garbage incinerator. Yes, that’s right. While it could be interpreted as 'Touching the Stars,' the local press translated it differently. Upon its grand opening, a whopping 7,000 people swarmed to the restaurant, which could seat only 120. To ease any concerns, an official was quick to assure the public that 'the dioxin level of the incinerator is well below the standard limit,' while another spokesperson told a TV station, 'Diners can enjoy the Taipei skyline while marveling at the cleanliness of our incinerator.' Time must have flown for the 6,880 people waiting in line. The restaurant is still in business today, meaning some of those folks might still be waiting. Despite the jokes, this was actually a brilliant concept, and I’d personally love to dine there. There, I said it.
6. Ryugyong Hotel
Kim Il-sung was a great admirer of revolving restaurants, although history doesn’t mention how he felt about the large fans in such establishments or whether he even liked the idea of a revolving fan in a revolving restaurant. Who knows? At one point, his dream was to have seven such restaurants across North Korea. Not many will feel pity that he passed away just a year before the first completed restaurant in Pyongyang opened in 1995. However, the standout feature here is the restaurant perched atop the 105-story Ryugyong Hotel. Construction began in 1987, but was halted in 1992 due to a shortage of materials (including food for the workers). After a 16-year hiatus, work resumed in 2008 when a Middle Eastern multinational took over the project. So, we can once again look forward to two people in separate revolving restaurants in a country where many are starving, casually waving at each other as they revolve in opposite directions. A powerful yet mysterious message, I suppose, though it’s hard to say exactly what it means.
5. New Village
The 'New Village in the Sky,' Asia’s largest revolving restaurant, is set to open in Huaxi, a village located two hours north of Shanghai. This small village, with a population of just 2,000 people, is in the process of completing a 74-story tower, and the restaurant will likely cater to some of the 3 million Chinese tourists who flock to this somewhat Swiss-inspired village every year to explore how it became so affluent. (By embracing the Chinese version of the Swiss dream, with cuckoo clocks, private banking, and fondue?) The mere construction of the tower has already expanded the village’s footprint by over 30%, and the number of local revolving restaurants has grown by an even greater margin.
4. Kazakhstan Revolving Restaurant
The aptly named 'Kazakhstan Revolving Restaurant' in Astana is, quite simply, a revolving restaurant in Kazakhstan. Its name may be a form of defensive branding, given that it sits atop the local Beijing Palace Soluxe Hotel—a small pocket of China amidst the vast Kazakh steppes. Or perhaps the name reflects the modern trend of 'couldn’t care less about the name' branding, common to today’s revolving dining spots.
This establishment has the unfortunate honor of being the only revolving restaurant 'exposed' by Wikileaks. A diplomatic cable reveals that it 'offers a stunning view of Astana and the expansive steppes beyond, but its revolving mechanism tends to operate at varying speeds. At times, it can spin a bit too quickly after a full meal and a few glasses of wine.' Despite these alleged mechanical hiccups, the restaurant is said to have been a regular spot on the diplomatic circuit, even being the venue where the US Ambassador sought Chinese support for a supply route to Afghanistan—although the Chinese declined.
3. Dynamic Tower
Now, leaving food far behind—likely due to motion sickness—we look at the Dynamic Tower, a proposed building in Dubai (where else?). This ambitious plan envisions an 80-story tower where each floor rotates. First proposed in 2008, it remains under discussion with developers. The project promises a groundbreaking feature: the longest continuous circular taxi drop-off point in history. ('Here! ... No, here! Wait, no...')
I’m not sure how you feel about hubris, but let's take a quick look at some of the building’s claims. It’s pitched as another solar-powered marvel, but with enough energy generated to power five similar structures. In addition to solar panels, wind turbines will be placed between the floors. What’s more, the technology used for in-flight refueling of aircraft will be adapted to transfer clean water between floors. The building’s modular and prefabricated design means that fewer than half the usual number of construction workers will be needed. And while each floor is claimed to feature a different cuisine restaurant (which may or may not be true), it will also be possible to align all the floors to create the illusion of a building that’s not revolving at all (that one might actually be true)!
Without attempting to undermine some genuinely imaginative ideas, does this sound plausible? For instance, architect Richard Fisher declined to specify where the tower would be built, citing that he wanted to 'keep it a surprise.' Furthermore, the response 'it will exist solely in my imagination' isn't exactly a convincing proposition.
2. Turning Train
Not all revolving restaurants come with a sweeping view. For example, two carriages on an old train turntable at a South Indian train museum were repurposed into a rotating canteen. According to a local official, one of the ideas was, 'We could put an LCD TV in here!' The more successful suggestion involved making it a spinning diner. As described by one enthusiast, 'The movement is a little shaky, but that only adds to the enjoyment, making you feel like you’re slowly chugging along on a train.' For daily commuters, particularly in the UK, they may wonder why anyone would think this is a good idea. However, if they ever got around to installing that LCD TV...
1. Bond
Among all the revolving restaurants mentioned, this one stands out for its business-savvy managers and owners. They partially financed the construction of this stunning mountaintop café by inviting the production team of the James Bond franchise to design the interior and build a helipad, in exchange for shooting pivotal scenes for *On Her Majesty's Secret Service* – specifically, the infamous 'Allergy Clinic' of arch-villain Blofeld. This clever arrangement continues to pay off today: one of the top-selling items on the menu is the James Bond Breakfast, which, ironically, would not be ideal for people with common allergies ('More gluten, Mr. Bond?'). To further minimize costs, it is the first solar-powered revolving restaurant, suggesting it might keep spinning long after humanity has moved on to other worlds.
