The UK Restaurant That Serves Its Meals On Shovels

Imagine that you're at a restaurant — a very exclusive one at that. One that you had to book a reservation a month in advance. You order a filet mignon — being in such an upscale restaurant like this calls for something really extravagant. You expect the steak to come out on a plate of china, drizzled in peppercorn sauce, and served on a bed of imported mushrooms sautéed in the steak's pan drippings. Instead, the steak comes out on a shovel — an enormous shovel used for shoveling coal — and is set on your table. There's no plate or bowl. You're expected to eat your meal off of a shovel.

Restaurants can be known for their "unconventional" serving methods. It could be as simple as serving your drinks in a mason jar or as complicated as serving your meal in the bowl of a toilet (via The Huffington Post). While you could argue that these odd serving techniques are done by the restaurant as part of their atmosphere, others such as the group at We Want Plates believe that this is all just a pretentious show and that it makes the customer feel silly when they're trying to enjoy their meal.

One restaurant in the U.K. takes this idea of unique serving methods to a new level. It seems that to the staff of The Mine Bistro, shoveling food in your face isn't just an expression — it's a whole new way to eat.

In the town of Cwmgwrach, Wales, you'll find The Mine Bistro, a restaurant that is designed around the industry of coal mining. As Wales Online reports, The Mine Bistro reflects the region's deep connections to mining, with owner Stuart James descending from a long line of coal miners. The whole restaurant, located in the back room of a convenience store, does everything it can to reflect the life and atmosphere of the Welsh coal mines that surround the area. This includes serving your food on giant shovels. 

Wales Online reports that the idea of serving food on shovels was an idea the staff had thought up after having a few drinks. Surprisingly, the concept seems to be popular with both customers and servers alike. According to manager Leanne Holloway, staff members compete against each other to see who'll bring out a shovel of burgers and fries to a customer. 

Despite the bistro's relatively small size, the restaurant has turned out to be an incredibly popular spot, attracting customers from all across the U.K. Customers may find themselves waiting for weeks to book a spot for a weekend out. People have been known to call at absurd hours just to try and book a table if they can.

If you can't make it to The Mine, don't worry. The U.K. has plenty of other delicious British food options for you to try should you visit.