World's 30 Best Restaurants For Sunset Slideshow

With a casual-chic bright interior inside a thatch-covered dining room, stunning views of Kalo Livadi Beach on the south side of the island, hip DJing, and delicious bites, it's no wonder beautiful people flock to Mykonos' boozy play land, Solymar, which appropriately translates to "sun and sea." The volume cranks up at sunset, when fabulous cliques dive into the watermelon, feta, and tomato salad. Also make sure to get your well-manicured hands on some baked feta with grapes and braised octopus with crab.

Go for the casual sunset seafood at Venice, Fla.'s popular beachfront restaurant located on the Gulf in the Shark Tooth Capital of the World (who knew?) Start the night off right with the Beach Party — a platter of peel-and-eat shrimp, fried shrimp, grouper nuggets, and onion rings, and wash it down with a cold beer as the rosy sunset sets the mood. Then munch on mahimahi tacos, a mango BBQ pork sandwich or lump crabcake sandwich. Sharky's is so popular, it's working on an expansion this year.

For nature lovers, the Mountain Room Restaurant features a boast-worthy unique sunset scene of the 2,424-foot high Yosemite Falls. An emphasis on organic and sustainable ingredients shines on the menu with dishes like Cajun-spiced rainbow trout and an endive and local crab salad.

Sit on the outdoor terrace and you won't believe the views of the Blue Ridge Mountains at this upscale American restaurant, which is an eight-time recipient of the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. Hand-cut steaks like the bone-in porterhouse and sirloin are favored, as well as the classic rack of lamb. Don't worry vegetarians: the chef excels at the vegetable ratatouille with olive oil polenta, too. And brace yourself for the stunning view — they call it Sunset Terrace for a reason.

Tsunami is off the beaten track — it's a rooftop sushi restaurant in Baton Rouge with fantastic views of the Mississippi River highlighted in bold sunset hues of orange, red, yellow, and purple. Begin with their famous eggplant miso, tempura-floured eggplant and shrimp in a sweet miso sauce, then make your way to the restaurant's sushi rolls with flair like the Michael Doumit Roll — fried soft-shell crab, masago, avocado, and Tsunami sauce — or the Ragin' Cajun — panko-fried alligator, avocado, masago and Tsunami sauce. Finally, gorge on the crispy, twice-cooked duck finished with a raspberry hoisin drizzle.

Recline in a wicker lounge chair at the stylish rooftop Terrace Bar for fun sunset cocktails or champagne with the bright blue Mediterranean waters in the backdrop and panoramic views of Italy's southern peninsula. Then go to the hotel's St. George Restaurant for a fine dining experience (dress for the occasion).

This treasure is so remote it can only be accessed by boat or helicopter, which means only the most devoted travelers and food lovers make it to this exclusive British Virgin Islands destination resort resting between two fertile hills on a peninsula. Here, the sun can be seen setting over the calm North Sound lagoon, the Atlantic, and the Caribbean. Dress up and head to the Hilltop for a perfect sunset over the North Sound with creative cocktails. Savor seared tuna with wilted romaine and black olive and shallot dressing, pan-roasted red snapper with a spicy ratatouille, or a spiced-rub lollipop pork chop with bacon mashed potatoes and island rum sauce, followed by coconut panna cotta with mango sorbet.

Location, location, location. This charming hideaway rests next to the sea on the lush Isle of Skye, which is exactly why you should order the local fruits de mer or the bacon-wrapped monkfish with squid, root vegetables, Husabost carrots, braised lentils, and parsley relish. For dessert, toasted almond Genoise with a prune, pear, and armagnac parfait and Earl Grey syrup should do the trick.

Chic and creative twists on classic tavern favorites under the California sun overlooking the Pacific Ocean keep you dreaming at the St. Regis in Dana Point, Calif. This Tony Chi-designed tiled tavern offers a burger with black truffle cheese and a root beer float, or you can kick it up a notch with Kurobuta pork short ribs braised in riesling with stone fruits, white polenta, and ginger. Or, stick a fork into the lobster pie with fennel and brandied lobster cream sauce. Order the Chauvinist cocktail — beyond the name, what's not to love about the killer combo of Basil Hayden's bourbon, fresh citrus juice, peppercorn and hefeweizen beer?

Savor beachfront views at Hacienda Cocina y Cantina as you take in the sunset shadowing the famous Land's End rocks and enjoy the no-frills experience of casero — or homemade — Mexican cuisine enhanced by local ingredients. Don't pass up the cool local tequila list, either. Start by sharing the sea bass ceviche with tomatillo sauce; the house salad with strawberry, mango, goat cheese, jicama, and tamarind vinaigrette; the fried calamari with poblano peppers and avocado cream; and the smoked marlin empanadas with cotija cheese and chile oil, and, extra belt loops permitting, try the rich chicken mole.

At Beach House Restaurant, Watch the sun dip into the Pacific waves while you munch on slow-braised pork with sweet and spicy onion marmalade and mandarin orange-star anise gastrique, seafood corn chowder with rock shrimp and fresh fish, and the island's catch of the day fish sautéed in macadamia nut butter. Local food is the name of the game (praise to the chefs for seriously supporting the fishing community).

At the edge of the World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains National Park, you'll find a diner's Eden at Echoes' Restaurant with views of mountains and exotic valleys. Cozy up next to an open fireplace in the stone-clad dining room and chow down on tempura soft-shell crab with green papaya salad and finger lime salsa, pan-roasted barramundi with creamy cabbage, and seared guinea fowl with mushroom duxelle, garlic purée, heirloom carrots, and truffle sauce.

Greeks are late-night folks, preferring to dine long past sundown, so sunset is all about setting the mood with cocktails and appetizers. The rooftop at Hotel Grand Bretagne offers views of the reddening sun sinking into the ancient Acropolis. It also offers mod-Mediterranean bites like roast scallops with celery, fennel, and pear; octopus terrine with sweet peppers, smoked eggplant, and wild oregano; and a stepped-up classic Greek salad with barley rusks (twice-baked bread), feta, and capers. Make a toast with a refreshing local Greek white wine.

Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten applies his love of local ingredients to this French- and Asian-inspired feat with gorgeous views of Mount Otemanu (the restaurant hovers above calm, paradise waters). Start with rice cracker-crusted tuna or foie gras brûlée with strawberry and balsamic jam, then splurge on the slow-cooked moonfish with truffle vinaigrette and mashed potatoes or the grilled veal tenderloin with caramelized cauliflower and pistachio pesto.

Travel to the quiet, celebrity-driven Harbour Island in the Bahamas for an unforgettable food experience at Rock House. Opt for private dining cabanas or grab a good table in the main British Colonial-style building where you'll feast on local stone crab claws served over Japanese seaweed salad, sake-marinated Chilean sea bass, and vanilla bean and honeycomb swirl ice cream made in-house.