Are there any words more glorious in the English language than "unlimited buffet"? Do you see the phrase "all-you-can-eat" as a challenge rather than an invitation? Then you'll love these 10 gluttonous, outrageous, belly-busting buffets from around the world.
Bacchanal Buffet, Caesars Palace, Las Vegas
It's known as the $100 million buffet because that's how much Caesars Palace spent to set it up. The Bacchanal Buffet serves more than 500 different dishes every day. It's not all mass-produced food sitting in communal hot trays, either—many dishes are made to order and others are served on individual plates. Eat as much as you want: From fried chicken and waffles to mini Wagyu sliders and prime rib, it's all on the menu.
Al Hadheerah, Bab Al Shams Desert Resort & Spa, Dubai
The setting for the buffet at Al Hadheerah is just as amazing as the traditional Arabic cuisine it serves. The feast takes place inside a fort in the desert dunes of Bab Al Shams Desert Resort & Spa. While you eat, you'll be treated to a falconry display, a camel caravan, a horse show, and song and dance. No Arabic specialty will go unsampled at this buffet, where you can dine on hot and cold mezze (like halloumi and romi cheeses), lamb ouzi, and desserts like kunufa.
Chocolate Bar at Cafe Fleuri, The Langham, Boston
Enter sugar heaven at Cafe Fleuri's Chocolate Bar, which features more than 100 chocolate desserts. If it has chocolate in the name, it's here: Gorge yourself into a sugar high at the chocolate-fountain station, create your own ice cream sundae, and sample authentic Boston cream pie. Parents, take note: Kids four and under eat for free here (although you'll be paying for it later with a hyperactive kid!).
Les Grands Buffets, Narbonne, France
When you think "all-you-can-eat buffet," French cuisine probably isn't the first thing that comes to mind. Yet the place that bills itself as the "world's biggest buffet" can be found in France, specifically in Narbonne, at Les Grands Buffets. Here, you'll find rooms full of food. French cuisine is the specialty here: Enjoy snails, breads, foie gras, cheese, macarons, and more.
Sterling Brunch, Bally's, Las Vegas
Indulge in ultimate, endless luxury at the Sterling Brunch at Bally's. "As soon as you sit down to dine, champagne is poured along with a presentation of BLT Steak's signature oversized, Gruyere-cheese-flavored popovers," boasts the Bally's website. And that champagne? It's Perrier-Jouet (the good stuff), and it's bottomless. Also endless: American sturgeon caviar.
The Nordic Lodge, Charlestown, Rhode Island
Forget paying $20 for a measly lobster roll. At The Nordic Lodge, for just $91, you can get all the lobster that you can physically choke down. You won't be limited to crustaceans, though—there's also prime rib, filet mignon, French fries, chicken wings, BBQ spareribs, and other assorted items. Oh, and a fresh garden-salad bar—but for $91 a head, we hope you're not going to waste valuable stomach space on vegetables.
Buffet Chef's Table, Bellagio, Las Vegas
Don't want to dine at the regular buffet with all the plebes? Book the Chef's Table at The Buffet at Bellagio. This exclusive service can be booked for 8 to 18 guests, from 3:30 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. You'll be greeted by the executive chef and receive special custom foods and experiences, like a tableside carving of rotisserie meats.
Smorgasbord, Grand Hotel, Stockholm
The dilemma: You want to try all of Sweden's culinary traditions but you don't want to commit to ordering a pricey delicacy for your meal only to find out that you hate it. The solution: The Swedish Smorgasbord at the Grand Hotel.
This buffet offers traditional Swedish cuisine and comes with very specific instructions on how to eat it: "Begin with the various herring dishes, egg dished with anchovies and shrimps, plus salmon dishes (smoked salmon or gravlax which is a raw, marinated salmon). Those dishes are served with boiled potatoes and dill. The matjesill herring is also served together with sour cream and chives. Together with this first course you also take some Swedish crisp bread and cheese. You might also like to try Jason's Temptations, a potato casserole with onions, anchovies, and cream. Or try some smoked eel … Next plate will be filled with cold cuts such as various sausages, ham, and different pates. Now is the time for the warm dishes such as meatballs with lingonberries, roast beef, and spareribs. At Christmas time of course the ham is the main course. Perhaps you would like to try some smoked reindeer if you don't care [if] you eat Santa's horse."
Buffet, Marina, Oceania Cruises
Cruises are famous for their buffets, but none are as impressive as the buffet on Oceania's Marina. Here, pasta- and bread-making machines pump out fresh meals while the chefs prepare the food in full view. Order all-you-can-eat lobster, steak, shrimp, sushi, and more from the cooks (as many times as you want).
Sunday Brunch, Westin Bund Center, Shanghai
The Taittinger Champagne flows freely while DJs, dancers, and acrobats perform for your entertainment. It's all included at the world-famous Sunday Brunch at the Westin Bund Center in Shanghai. Oh, and did we mention the food? Caviar, foie gras, Canadian lobster, and Alaskan crab are just a few of the dishes on offer.
Read the original story: 10 Belly-Busting Buffets from Around the World by Caroline Morse, who is a regular contributor to SmarterTravel.