What Are the Best Gaming Restaurants Worldwide?

TL;DR

The best gaming restaurants worldwide range from Meltdown Bar in London, a bar 100% dedicated to gaming that regularly holds Super Smash Bros tournaments, to Demacia in China, a fan-made League of Legends restaurant with staff in full character costumes and potion drinks. The list also covers the Capcom Cafe, the still-open Final Fantasy 14 cafe modeled on the game's Carline Canopy, and London's Loading Bar. Read on for all ten and what makes each one worth a visit.

Transcript

for some gaming is more than just playing games and those people have to eat somewhere I'm Falcon and today on game ranks 10 amazing gaming restaurants around the world number one is meltdown bar in London which is a bar 100% dedicated to gaming now you talk about console pc tabletop card it's all there as you'll find is typically standard of the g... Read More

Key Insights

• 👾 Gaming-themed restaurants around the world blend culinary experiences with game-related activities, drawing in passionate communities.
• 😋 Many of these establishments not only serve food but also promote events such as tournaments and themed parties, enhancing engagement for visitors.
• 🎮 Themed menus and unique food items, often playing off game lore, contribute to creating a memorable experience tied to beloved franchises.
• 🦛 Some venues, like the Hadouken pop-up, prioritize promotional strategies, showcasing a blend of marketing and fan engagement.
• 🎮 The design of these restaurants often takes inspiration from the aesthetics of the respective video games, appealing to fans' visual expectations.
• 😋 Successful gaming restaurants tend to prioritize both food quality and ambiance, creating an inviting space for gamers of all kinds to enjoy.
• 👻 Many of these themed restaurants also serve as merchandise hubs, allowing fans to purchase related items while enjoying their dining experience.

Questions & Answers

Q: What are the best gaming restaurants around the world?

This GameRanx list counts down ten gaming restaurants, including Meltdown Bar in London (100% dedicated to gaming), the Loading Bar in Dalston and Stratford, the Capcom Cafe, a Final Fantasy 14 cafe, and the Demacia League of Legends restaurant in China. Some are permanent venues while others, like the Metal Gear Cafe and the Hadouken pop-up, were temporary or promotional. Each mixes food with gaming culture, tournaments, and themed decor.

Q: What is Meltdown Bar in London known for?

Meltdown Bar in London is a bar 100% dedicated to gaming, covering console, PC, tabletop, and card games. It offers a wide selection from Hearthstone, League of Legends, and Dota 2 to Super Smash Bros (specifically Smash 4), and it regularly holds Smash tournaments. It also does franchising, so you could open a Meltdown in your own town.

Q: What is the Demacia League of Legends restaurant in China?

Demacia is an unofficial League of Legends restaurant in China that someone made simply because they loved the game. Its waitstaff wear full costumes as various League of Legends characters, it serves potion drinks, and you can play League of Legends inside the cafe. The video describes it as a fun, immersive spot, essentially the Biohazard cafe concept done right.

Q: Is the Final Fantasy 14 themed cafe still open?

Yes. The Final Fantasy 14 cafe, modeled after the Carline Canopy location from the game, opened in 2014 and was still open at the time of the video. It is described as one of the most gorgeous restaurants on the list, with phenomenal, very well-reviewed food, and it runs a raffle that hands out tickets by seat number with honey toast as the grand prize.

Q: What did the Metal Gear Cafe in Paris serve?

The Metal Gear Cafe was a temporary restaurant in Paris that sold themed items like the Big Boss Bergere and hot Diamond Dogs. It is no longer open. The video jokes that the connection between Paris and Metal Gear is unclear, but French Metal Gear fans were likely pretty stoked about it.

Q: What was the Hadouken pop-up restaurant?

Hadouken was a pop-up restaurant, more Capcom-oriented, opened specifically to promote Street Fighter 5. Its coolest feature was that the food was free: they gave out ramen to anyone hungry while it was open. The video notes that in Japan ramen is a full-blown meal with meat, seasoning, spices, and vegetables, not a cheap instant pack.

Q: What is the Loading Bar?

The Loading Bar is a general gaming-oriented bar, not tied to any single franchise or developer. When it opened it served game-themed cocktails and built a sculpture of Solid Snake from 2,100 shot glasses, and it organized a mini E3 it called E2. It has two UK locations, in Dalston and Stratford, and appears to have enjoyed a lot of success.

Q: Why didn't the Resident Evil (Biohazard) cafe last long?

The Biohazard Cafe and Grill, themed after Resident Evil, stayed open less than a year and functioned more as a promotional activity than a full fan hangout. The video notes that coverage focused more on hiring attractive waitresses in short shorts than on the theme or the food, and there were quite a few not-so-great reviews, which did not bode well for its longevity.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The content showcases ten gaming-themed restaurants worldwide, highlighting their unique concepts and gameplay experiences for avid gamers.

• Each entry includes details about the restaurant’s theme, the food offered, and the gaming experiences available, like tournaments and merchandise.

• It also emphasizes the community aspect of these venues, where gamers can bond over shared interests in a social setting.