Cavern Grotto: Dine 210 Feet Underground at Grand Canyon Caverns

To have a meal at the newly opened Cavern Grotto, you’ll need to make your way down 21 stories beneath the Earth’s surface. This unique dining establishment, which opened on August 15, is located 210 feet underground within the Grand Canyon Caverns.

Take a Tour of the Grand Canyon

Located on the historic Route 66 in Peach Springs, Arizona, the Grand Canyon Caverns are home to what they claim is the largest dry cavern system within the United States. Here, visitors will find an extensive network of caves filled with intricate geological formations dating back 345 million years. Consequently, you can enjoy the breathtaking scenery over a hot meal.

Cavern Grotto is situated on an elevated platform in the main chamber, providing diners with unobstructed 360-degree views of the caverns from every corner of the dining room.

“Standing there, it might be the most spectacular view [of the cave],” John McEnulty, one of the cavern’s three managing partners, told ABC.

The dining room is notably intimate, with Cavern Grotto hosting only four tables in the entire space — although McEnulty mentioned that a fifth table could be added based on interest.

Menu Highlights

The menu features American comfort food, with an all-you-can-eat style lunch and dinner priced at $49.95 and $69.95, respectively. Lunch includes an entree and side, a dessert bar, and two beers or glasses of wine. Dinner comprises an entree, two sides, a salad, dessert bar, and two beers or glasses of wine.

The Dining Experience

Prices will also include a guided tour through the caverns. Meals are prepared at the cavern’s upstairs restaurant and conveyed downstairs via an elevator and pulley system to ensure that diners receive their hot plates promptly.

Not only does the new establishment allow you to enjoy a meal hundreds of feet underground, but it also provides ample time to admire the stunning caves. “During our tours, there’s not much time to linger in just one spot, since there’s so much to see,” McEnulty said in an interview with the Smithsonian. “With Cavern Grotto, people will be able to soak up the cavern and feel like they’re a part of it.”