Restaurants are a popular setting for movie scenes. Whether it is a gang of friends getting together, a romantic meal, or a family gathering, we see a lot of restaurant tables in movies! The list of famous restaurant scenes is endless, and that’s not even counting the many memorable TV eateries. So what’s your favorite movie scene set in a restaurant?
Pulp Fiction
Remember the restaurant in Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction? The unforgettable $5 milkshake? The scene was set in a 1950s-themed restaurant, Jack Rabbit Slims, where the lights are down low and the music makes you want to dance. John Travolta and Uma Thurman are unforgettable as they exchange banter while sitting in a booth that looks like a convertible car.
Ratatouille
Now the truth is you’ll probably remember the kitchen of this movie restaurant more than the dining area. Who can forget the ambitious rodent who wanted to be a chef? We see the dining area of the restaurant when the food critic, Anton ego comes to sample Remy’s ratatouille. Of course, he loves the food!
Lady and the Tramp
One of the most romantic and memorable restaurant scenes in film history takes place outside the back kitchen door. In the Disney classic, Lady and the Tramp, the cook serves up a candle-lit dinner for two of spaghetti and meatballs for Tramp and his date, Lady. Who can forget when they both suck up the same piece of spaghetti and meet in the middle?
When Harry Met Sally
This list wouldn’t be complete without When Harry Met Sally and the “orgasm scene”. The scene was filmed in the real restaurant, Katz’s Delicatessen in New York City. The restaurant was popular before the film came out and only became more popular after the film’s release. When ordering the restaurant’s famous pastrami sandwiches, diners still can’t resist saying, “I’ll have what she’s having”.
Mystic Pizza
Depending on how old you are, you might have been obsessed with the movie Mystic Pizza. Julia Roberts starred in her breakout role in this 1988 classic. Mystic Pizza is a real restaurant in Mystic, Connecticut, and people still stop by for a “slice of heaven.” Unlike When Harry Met Sally, Mystic Pizza was not filmed in the actual restaurant but it did draw inspiration from this little gem. Since then the restaurant has been remodeled to look like the movie version of Mystic Pizza.
Wall Street
The 1987 film Wall Street featured scenes set in the 21 Club. It is an iconic New York City restaurant and former prohibition-era speakeasy. The club had gone unnoticed by most and did not have that much of a following until Michael Douglas and Charlie Sheen’s characters ate steak tartare here. But today it is a New York attraction.
Bridesmaids
Unfortunately for The Brazilian Steakhouse, the movie Bridesmaids painted a rather bleak picture of the food. It was here that Annie dragged the bridesmaids for a meal before going shopping for bridesmaids’ dresses. Almost immediately you could see the bridesmaids changing color, and feeling sick. It all “came out” once they reached the bridal store. The real-life Brazilian Steakhouse La Serenata) has never given its customers food poisoning, and actually has a great reputation in van Nuys, California.
Pretty Women
Another classic Julia Roberts movie is Pretty Woman. Her charm and natural likeability just shined at the restaurant table when Richard Gere asked her to join him for a business dinner. The restaurant in question was in fact Cicada Restaurant and Club in Las Angeles. The building was constructed in 1928 and was the headquarters of a prestigious haberdashery. The stunning Italian Romanesque architecture and plush décor make this a memorable fine dining experience. The high-end restaurant has Roberts perplexed as she battles to work out the many forks, and knives. Then there was the iconic part where she tries to dig a snail out of its shell – slippery little suckers! Needless to say, Julia Roberts manages to completely charm everyone at the table.