The Condom-Themed Restaurant You Never Knew Existed
If you were to travel the globe, you'd come across some very uniquely-themed eateries. Whether you check them out due to curiosity or because they look too awesome to resist, you'll likely never run out of selfie-worthy dining options.
The H.R. Giger Museum Bar in Gruyeres, Switzerland, invites people to sit beneath otherworldly spine-covered arches and with the ravenous creatures of "Alien" as dining companions. Beetle House is a horror-themed tribute to the likes of Tim Burton, Bram Stoker, Edgar Allen Poe, and other enthusiasts of the macabre that boasts locations in both New York and Los Angeles and offers sharply named eats like the Edward Burger Hands and Sweeney Beef and drinks such as The Beetle's Juice and the Bio-Exorcism (via the company website). People can even don a hospital gown and order a Double Bypass Burger at Las Vegas' infamous Heart Attack Grill.
Yes, it seems that our planet is home to many bizarre restaurants that cater to every taste, no matter how offbeat they may be. But who knew that there would actually be one devoted to the condom? You read that right. Dining and prophylactics have been united in what may be the strangest eatery of all.
This restaurant doubles as a public service
Admittedly, the world is filled with countless strange restaurants you never knew existed, but one that is surely a contender for the top spot is Cabbages & Condoms in Bangkok, Thailand. The name, alone, likely stopped you in your tracks, but don't let its humorous moniker fool you. This is much more than just another themed eatery. It actually offers a public service. According to the restaurant's website, its profits go to The Population and Community Development Association (PDA) to fund "primary health, education, HIV/AIDS, rural development, environment, and water, etc." The people behind it firmly believe that condoms should be openly accessible to everyone and that more needs to be done to make family planning a less taboo topic.
In fact, the eatery's founder, Mechai Viravaidya, is known by many as "Mr. Condom," and the HIV/AIDS crisis that started in the 1980s prompted him to open this "safe sex-centric" restaurant (per Condom Sales). But why did he choose the name "Cabbages & Condoms?" The PDA explains that Mr. Condom once bemoaned the fact that you could find cabbages for sale everywhere and felt condoms should be just as available.
So how does a place like Cabbages & Condoms incorporate this form of birth control into its dining atmosphere? Creatively — that's how.
Condoms are the primary decorative material
This is no garish display of obvious prophylactics. Cabbages & Condoms is, instead, described as an enchanting courtyard resplendent with fairy lights draped from vines and trees. The condoms are merely the tools used to create works of art like the lamps on the tables and the bouquets in the restrooms (via Never Ending Footsteps). The many photos on social media show a restaurant filled with lush fauna and ambient lighting that seems suited for a high-end dining experience. Tripoto recalls dining tables with glass tops over displays of colored condoms, "lampshades made from condoms," and statues wearing clothing made from — you guessed it — condoms. And, of course, as patrons leave the building, they are invited to take a complimentary condom.
With photos of a prophylactic Santa Claus and accompanying Christmas tree, a mannequin of Tiger Woods alongside a sign that says, "Did you use them, Tiger?" and a bride wearing a condom-constructed gown, guests might spend as much time lollygagging as eating. Speaking of eating, That Bangkok Life says the restaurant offers an extensive menu showcasing many traditional Thai dishes at fair prices, including Shrimp Pad Thai. Perhaps forming the strangest bedfellows in the culinary world, Cabbages & Condoms can be found without a trip to Thailand. The restaurant boasts two locations in the United Kingdom as well.