Nine of the World’s Best Tiny Restaurants

The hottest commodity in restaurants right now is not purple asparagus or black sesame tahini. It’s space. The combination of rising real estate prices and an environment that favors a nimble pop-up philosophy has created a glut of very tiny, very intimate dining experiences all around the globe. Even Wolfgang Puck, the original celebrity chef with a $400 million empire, made his newest restaurant a 10-seat tasting menu this month, which is either the chef’s clever way to get back in the kitchen or a ploy to capture some of-the-moment street cred.

For foodies, these snug spaces also allow for bragging rights once you’ve scored a seat at a place that has so few. Whether your idea of a good time is starched linen and the finest of dining or a laid-back encounter slurping down a bowl of ramen, here are nine small-scale restaurants, all with 14 seats or fewer, to reserve now. As long as you’re not claustrophobic.