7 Fictional Film Restaurants We Wish Existed Off-Screen

Whether they're animated or live-action, movies are often at their best when they can strongly immerse viewers in their worlds. Creators enthrall people like this not only by writing compelling and relatable characters but also by masterfully creating locations that you would want to step into yourself, among the most common of which are restaurants. While there are plenty of instances of writers replicating real-world places — like the infamous "South Park" rendition of Denver, Colorado's Casa Bonita — there's something even more enchanting about restaurants that were made specifically for the silver screen.

Sometimes these locations stand out because of their incredible decor. Others are memorable for just how delicious the food itself looks. Regardless, no matter why these restaurants stand out as particularly fascinating or desirable, there's no doubt that whenever they're on the screen, they steal the scene and make viewers want to experience exactly what they're like.

Mos Eisley Cantina is one of the most iconic locations from one of the most beloved film series of all time. The "Star Wars" haunt is officially named "Chalmun's Spaceport Cantina" but popularly referred to by the city it is located in, and it's most well-known for serving drinks like Jawa Juice and blue milk (the latter of which TruMoo brought to life in 2024). But it also offered some admittedly unremarkable dishes to satiate the hunger of its patrons. Like many dive bars in the real world, Mos Eisley Cantina is less beloved for its menu and more iconic due to its atmosphere. From the questionable clientele of bounty hunters and ruffians to the bar's signature theme song being played by the live band, one would have to imagine that there's no more interesting place to spend your evening on Tatooine than at the Cantina.

With the fluctuation in popularity of themed restaurants in the United States comes a nostalgia for just that, and Jack Rabbit Slim's from "Pulp Fiction" is the quintessential themed restaurant in the world of film. The eatery was the setting for some of the most memorable scenes in the critically acclaimed movie, meaning that viewers were given plenty of time to admire the 1950s aesthetic that the fictional venue intended to capture. With classic cars as dining booths, retro neon signs adorning the walls, and servers dressed as cultural icons from the era, few real-world restaurants capture the old-school vibe quite as well as Jack Rabbit Slim's did. Unsurprisingly, the restaurant is a dream for anybody wanting to eat where Vincent Vega and Mia Wallace dined and for those who want to turn back the clock as they enjoy a burger, fries, and milkshake.

In the vast majority of cases, most people would advise against dining at restaurants with a rat in the kitchen. The one major exception to that rule would be Gusteau's, if it existed in the real world. Remy and the crew cook up some of the most delicious-looking food in animation history in the fictional French restaurant, and the titular dish, ratatouille, is arguably the most beautiful. 

The great Anthony Bourdain once called "Ratatouille" the greatest food movie ever made, and it's no surprise why. The attention to detail that the film's creators put into animating each dish as well as the interior of both the kitchen and the grandiose dining area was second to none. Indeed, it made the five-star restaurant look and feel like a must-try destination. Furthermore, while we didn't get to see much of La Ratatouille — the restaurant that each of the main characters moved on to at the end of the movie — the short glimpse of its more intimate atmosphere makes it an honorable mention for this list.

The Soul Food Cafe lives in the hearts and minds of both "The Blues Brothers" fans and long-time Chicagoans. While the movie made minimal decor tweaks to Nate's Deli, the real-world location they used for the restaurant, the two things that made the Soul Food Cafe so special were its clientele and its menu. As for its staff, Aretha Franklin, the iconic "Queen of Soul," played Mrs. Murphy, the owner of the establishment. Unsurprisingly, this cameo eventually saw Franklin break into song when the main characters, Jake and Elwood, arrived to take her husband away from the cafe and on the road with them to reunite their band.

Beyond that, however, what really stands out is what Jake ordered from the restaurant. While John Belushi's character never got the chance to eat the "four fried chickens" that he ordered, Mrs. Murphy promised that they were the very best fried chicken in Illinois. To enjoy a plate of great soul food as chaos ensues and Aretha Franklin beautifully sings "Think" is an experience that many viewers would pay good money to have.

Studio Ghibli films are known for having beautiful atmospheres and mouthwatering animated foods. It should come as no surprise that one of the many Ghibli establishments would land on this list, and it's hard to see Gütiokipänjä from "Kiki's Delivery Service" and not want to experience it firsthand. The small bakery located in the fictional city of Koriko is owned by Osono, who can be seen baking bread, making coffee, and running the bakery throughout the movie. Meanwhile, the main character, Kiki, lives upstairs, running her Witch Delivery Service in partnership with the establishment by bringing people the bakery's delicious bread (as well as other items) on her trusty broomstick. While some — including a bakery in Japan called Kiki's Bakery — have tried to capture the warmth and soothing vibe of Gütiokipänjä in real life, it's hard to replicate an animated setting as delightful and homey as the Ghibli creation.

The 1999 cult classic "American Pie" is best known as an icon of the late 90s/early 2000s raunchy comedy genre (and for a certain unsavory scene featuring an iconic dessert). Yet some of the best scenes took place in (or directly outside of) Dog Years, a small diner that features many of the main characters' most pivotal moments and discussions. In the movie, Dog Years was treated as the ideal place for the characters to reconvene before or after major events, whether it was ahead of Erik Stifler's big party early on in the movie or the morning after prom, which acted as the final scene of the film. 

The restaurant, unsurprisingly, specializes in hot dogs. It's similar to many diners you could find across the Midwest in the late 90s, with a dark wooden interior and memorabilia on the walls. However, there's something comforting about that distinct familiarity that makes people want to step foot into the iconic, now-nostalgic setting as "Semi-Charmed Life" by Third Eye Blind plays in the background.

While there are already countless fast food restaurants across the United States and beyond, it's hard to deny that adding one more to the list would be worth it, so long as it's a Good Burger. The titular restaurant in Nickelodeon's 1997 film "Good Burger" is a fairly by-the-numbers burger shop. It ranks high on the lists of the best fictional burgers of all time, and what really makes viewers want to visit the restaurant is Ed's Sauce. 

The secret sauce is the catalyst for Good Burger's success over its rival chain, Mondo Burger, and its full list of ingredients is a mystery that fans have been trying to crack for nearly three decades since the movie first aired. To this day, the closest that viewers got to experiencing the restaurant and its signature sauce came at a 2019 pop-up Good Burger in West Hollywood. Still, the project's short-lived run leaves many wishing they could experience the restaurant's array of Good offerings for themselves.