Zanzibar Rock Restaurant

Come dine at sea: The restaurant perched on a Zanzibar rock with breathtaking views of Indian Ocean

• Opened last year, the Rock Restaurant seats 45 diners at a time 
• Diners provided with boats back to shore from at high tide
• Restaurant offers both indoor dining and outdoor seating over the sea

By WILLIAM TURVILL

At the suitably-named Rock Restaurant, diners are provided with more than just fresh fish caught from the Indian Ocean below.

Breathtaking views and fresh sea air also greet visitors who come to this restaurant, in Zanzibar, East Africa.

The Rock, which opened last year, can be reached on foot, but at high tide diners need to be transported back to the mainland by boat.

At low-tide, the Rock Restaurant, in Zanzibar, East Africa, can be reached on foot. At other times of the day, diners are transported to and from the rock by boat

The inside of the Rock Restaurant, which has proven popular with diners since its 2012 opening

The Rock Restaurant also has an outside dining area so the fresh sea air can be enjoyed

Providing inside dining and outdoor seating, it has proved a popular venue since its opening.

Restaurant partner Nigel Firman, 47, said: 'The Rock Restaurant is a magical place and is an experience you are never likely to forget.'

The restaurant is 7m high, allowing for water to rise 4.5m up the side of the rock

Serving mainly seafood caught from the Indian Ocean that surrounds the rock, the restaurant also provides an outside area for visitors to enjoy the magical views.

'Anyone that visits our restaurant are at first speechless, or all they can say is "wow",' said Mr Firman. 

'From when I first saw the rock I knew it would make the perfect restaurant.'

Some employees of the Rock Restaurant, which opens for lunch and dinner

Visitors are offered stunning views out into the Indian Ocean while they dine

The restaurant has to provide a boat service back to shore for diners when the tide comes in during their meal

The restaurant, which opens for lunch and dinner, seats 45 people and is 7m high, allowing the water around it to rise 4.5m up the rock. 

Diner Sarah Foote, 37, said: 'We drove over one hour to have lunch at this truly unique restaurant'.

The view is amazing, the location is amazing, the whole restaurant was outstanding, it is a very magical experience all round.'

The Rock Restaurant, in Zanzibar, East Africa, is based in the middle of the sea and seats 45 people at one time