By Reem Elshazly
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In recent years, a lot of movies and TV shows have taken place in the kitchen and in restaurants. The most notable and popular modern media of that kind is, of course, The Bear. However, the kitchen has always been used as a setting to tell stories due to the high stakes and tension the kitchen naturally brings to the story.
A lot of the restaurants featured in movies appear to be fantastic restaurants that offer great experiences, whether they are fancy Michelin-starred restaurants or simple small town diners. Each type of restaurant has its own magic, especially on the screen.
10 Le Saule Pleureur
'The Hundred-Foot Journey' (2014)
The Hundred-Foot Journey follows the Kadam family as they leave India for France after a violent attack on their restaurant back home. In France, they opened a restaurant directly across the road from Madame Mallory's Michelin-starred eatery, Le Saule Pleureur. A rivalry erupts between the two restaurants, but it is quickly resolved when Madame Mallory (portrayed by Helen Mirren) invites the Kadam family's son, Hassan (portrayed by Manish Dayal) to work at Le Saule Pleureur.
At Le Saule Pleureur, Hassan merges French cuisine with Indian cuisine, conjuring up some unique recipes that are mouthwatering. Hassan's recipes are so good that they earn Le Saule Pleureur its second Michelin star. Everything at the restaurant is very enticing, from its very fancy exterior, and the high quality of the ingredients to the unique French-Indian fusion recipes. Also, who wouldn't want to try food at a restaurant with two Michelin stars in Southern France?
The Hundred-Foot Journey
PG
Drama
Comedy
Documentary
Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
Not available
*Availability in US
- Release Date
- August 6, 2014
- Director
- Lasse Hallström
- Cast
- Helen Mirren , Om Puri , Manish Dayal , Charlotte Le Bon , Amit Shah , Farzana Dua Elahe
- Runtime
- 122
- Main Genre
- Drama
9 Paradise
'Big Night' (1996)
Big Night tells the story of two Italian immigrant brothers, chef Primo (portrayed by Tony Shalhoub) and restaurant manager Secondo (portrayed by Stanley Tucci), who try to make their restaurant, Paradise, work. The brothers want to keep serving authentic Italian food, while their few customers always ask for a more Americanized version, which angers the brothers. When the brothers receive a promise that a very popular Italian-American singer will dine in their restaurant, they start preparing for the big night.
While Paradise seems to be a failing restaurant, it isn't because of its food or ambiance. Primo's food is so good that a reporter the brothers invited to cover the singer's dinner at Paradise promises to ask the newspaper to send a food critic after he tries the food. Primo is a very skilled chef who can make complicated Italian dishes. The restaurant feels very cozy, and it serves authentic Italian food, which seems like the nicest of culinary experiences.
Rent on Amazon
8 Joe’s Pie Diner
'Waitress' (2007)
Waitress follows the story of a young waitress, Jenna (portrayed by Keri Russell) who feels stuck in her small town and in an unhappy marriage. Jenna works at Joe's Pie Dinner, which serves very innovative pies, such as the "Bad Baby Pie" made out of quiche with egg, brie cheese, with a smoked ham center. Some other menu options include "The Spanish Dancer" pie and the "I Hate My Husband" pie. The movie is so good that it has adapted into a Broadway musical in 2023.
Joe's Pie Diner is the perfect small town diner. It has an entertaining, friendly staff, a small town diner ambiance, and some of the most innovative pie flavors and names. Everybody would be interested in trying the new special pie flavor of the day, and what new ideas Jenna and her colleagues would come up with.
Rent on Amazon
7 The Frosty Palace
'Grease' (1978)
In Grease, Australian vacationer Sandy Olsson (portrayed by Olivia Newton-John) and local American gang leader Danny Zuko (portrayed by John Travolta) have a summer romance, and Sandy fears they will never meet again. Sandy is surprised when her parents enroll her in the same high school as Danny, who ignores her at first. While Grease didn't age very well and had some problematic undertones and messages, it is still considered a classic, primarily for its soundtrack.
If you were a student in Rydell High School in the 1970s, the Frosty Palace would have been your go to place. Everybody was at the Frosty Palace, whether the T-Birds, the jocks, or the lovebirds on dates. Whether you want to listen to music on the jukebox, sing your heart out or have a dance off, the Frosty Palace is the place. Even the Pink Ladies enjoyed the Frosty Palace.
Grease
PG-13
Musical
Romance
Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
*Availability in US
- Release Date
- June 16, 1978
- Director
- Randal Kleiser
- Cast
- John Travolta , Olivia Newton-John , Stockard Channing , Jeff Conaway , Barry Pearl , Michael Tucci
- Runtime
- 110
- Main Genre
- Musical
6 The Krusty Krab
SpongeBob SquarePants Movies
The SpongeBob SquarePants franchise is one of the most iconic and popular franchises ever. The franchise started in 1999 when the animated TV series premiered, and it has been a force to reckon with ever since. The franchise follows the adventures of the titular SpongeBob SquarePants and his circle in Bikini Bottom. Audiences see the friendships between SpongeBob SquarePants and Patrick Star, as well as between SpongeBob and Sandy Cheeks. In addition to SpongeBob's obliviousness to how much he annoys Squidward.
One important characteristic of SpongeBob is his job as a fry cook at the Krusty Krab. SpongeBob cooks the very famous and loved Krusty Patty, which is the dream burger of everybody who has ever watched the TV series or the movies. The Krusty Patty's secret formula keeps everybody interested and craving the burger, especially Plankton, who has been trying to steal the secret formula for so long. SpongeBob's passion towards his job makes everything at the Krusty Krab ultimately better.
The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water
PG
Animation
Adventure
Comedy
Family
Fantasy
Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
*Availability in US
- Release Date
- January 28, 2015
- Director
- Paul Tibbitt
- Cast
- Antonio Banderas , Clancy Brown , Tom Kenny , Thomas F. Wilson , Bill Fagerbakke , Rodger Bumpass
- Runtime
- 93
- Main Genre
- Animation
5 Dog Years
'American Pie' (1999)
American Pie follows a group high school seniors as they make a pact to lose their virginity before their high school generation. The film was a cultural phenomenon when it was released, and spawned several sequels and spin-offs. However, when looking at the film with a modern lens, it had a lot of problematic scenes and messages, and definitely aged poorly.
In American Pie, the core four, Jim (portrayed by Jason Biggs), Chris "Oz" Ostreicher (portrayed by Chris Klein), Paul Finch (portrayed by Eddie Kaye Thomas), and Steve Stifler (portrayed by Seann William Scott), choose the Dog Years as their hangout spot, where they discuss the future and celebarate their achievements. The Dog Years is a casual diner that mainly serves hot dogs. The restaurant's hot dogs seem to be the perfect quick pick me up, and Dog Years is the perfect casual hangout place for a group of friends trying to get together for a casual outing.
American Pie
NR
Comedy
Romance
Where to Watch
*Availability in US
- Release Date
- July 9, 1999
- Director
- Paul Weitz , Chris Weitz
- Cast
- Jason Biggs , Chris Klein , Thomas Ian Nicholas , Alyson Hannigan , Shannon Elizabeth , Tara Reid
- Runtime
- 95
- Main Genre
- Comedy
- Studio
- Universal Pictures
4 Dorsia
'American Psycho' (2000)
American Psycho follows Patrick Bateman (portrayed by Christian Bale), a young professional investment banker at day and a gruesome serial killer by night. Patrick Bateman is very mentally unstable, and throughout the movie, the audience is not sure if the violent events are actually happening or if they are all nothing but Bateman's hallucinations. The movie is an ultimate classic with its unique satirical tone and director Mary Harron's take on the novel by the same name.
We never see the restaurant Dorsia on the screen. Instead, we see Patrick Bateman trying to reserve a table at the restaurant and failing over and over again. Dorsia is a trendy, luxurious restaurant that everybody wants to eat at. Despite Bateman being able to eat at many fancy restaurants in New York City, he cannot reserve a table at Dorsia, no matter how much he tries which drives him even crazier.
American Psycho
R
Crime
Drama
Thriller
Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
*Availability in US
- Release Date
- April 13, 2000
- Director
- Mary Harron
- Cast
- Christian Bale , Justin Theroux , Josh Lucas , Bill Sage , Chloe Sevigny , Reese Witherspoon
- Runtime
- 102 mins
- Main Genre
- Crime
- Studio
- Lionsgate Films
3 Pizza Planet
Toy Story Franchise
The Toy Story franchise revolves around a group of toys led by the classic cowboy doll Sheriff Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks) and the modern astronaut action figure Buzz Lightyear (voiced by Tim Allen). The toys become sentient when no human is watching, and they belong to Andy Davis (voiced by John Morris). The franchise follows the toys as Andy grows up, and how their lives change as he changes. The Toy Story franchise is one of the most iconic and successful collaborations between Pixar and Disney. The franchise has expanded to four movies, with a fifth one to be released in 2025, among other media.
Pizza Planet is a prominent pizza place which Andy and his family frequent. Pizza Planet is space themed with many arcade games, which would make any kid the happiest on earth. Even if Pizza Planet is not featured, the Pizza Planet truck is always there, whether in Toy Story movies or other Pixar movies. Pizza Planet seems to be the perfect place for all the family to eat at and have fun.
Toy Story
G
Animation
Adventure
Comedy
Family
Fantasy
Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
*Availability in US
- Release Date
- October 30, 1995
- Director
- John Lasseter
- Cast
- Tom Hanks , Tim Allen , Don Rickles , Jim Varney , Wallace Shawn , John Ratzenberger
- Runtime
- 81
- Main Genre
- Animation
2 Jack Rabbit Slim's
'Pulp Fiction' (1994)
Pulp Fiction weaves four tales of violence into one movie. The tales are of two mob hitmen, Vince (portrayed by Travolta) and Jules (portrayed by Samuel L. Jackson), a boxer (portrayed by Bruce Willis), a gangster (portrayed by Ving Rhames) and his wife (portrayed by Uma Thurman), and a pair of diner bandits (portrayed by Tim Roth and Amanda Plummer) intertwine in four tales of violence and redemption. Pulp Fiction is often ranked as one of Quentin Tarantino's best movies.
The most iconic scene in the movie is the twist dance between Travolta's Vince and Thurman's Mia. The dance takes place at Jack Rabbit Slim's. Jack Rabbit Slim's is a 1950s themed restaurant with waiters and waitresses dressed up as famous Silver Screen stars such as James Dean and Marilyn Monroe. The menu is a bit pricey as Mia orders a $5 milkshake but the environment and how fun the restaurant is makes up for the prices.
Pulp Fiction
R
Crime
Drama
Thriller
Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
*Availability in US
- Release Date
- September 10, 1994
- Director
- Quentin Tarantino
- Cast
- John Travolta , Samuel L. Jackson , Tim Roth , Amanda Plummer , Eric Stoltz , Bruce Willis
- Runtime
- 154
- Main Genre
- Crime
- Studio
- Miramax Films
1 La Ratatouille
'Ratatouille' (2007)
Ratatouille follows Remy (voiced by Patton Oswalt), a rat who dreams of becoming a chef, but he cannot materialize these dreams as a rat. However, he strikes a golden opportunity when he meets Linguini, a newly hired kitchen assistant with very limited culinary skills. Remy and Linguini (voiced by Lou Romano) strike a deal where Remy stays hidden and helps Linguini, and Remy finally gets to show off his culinary skills in a professional kitchen. Ratatouille is one of Pixar's most beloved movies, and is even ranked near the top in the conversation about the best Pixar movies.
Throughout the movie, Remy and the rest of the chefs cook very deliciously looking meals, especially their ratatouille. Also, La Ratatouille, Remy and Linguini's new restaurant, is at the heart of Paris, which definitely increases its attraction and people's desire to try its food. However, can you get over the fact that the food was prepared by a rat?
Ratatouille
G
Animation
Comedy
Drama
Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
*Availability in US
- Release Date
- June 22, 2007
- Director
- Brad Bird
- Cast
- Patton Oswalt , Ian Holm , Lou Romano , Brad Garrett , Peter O'Toole , Janeane Garofalo , Brian Dennehy , Peter Sohn
- Runtime
- 111 Minutes
- Main Genre
- Animation
- Studio
- Disney Pixar
NEXT: Bottoms Up! The 10 Most Influential Fictional Drinks
- Movie
- Pixar
- Ratatouille
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