More Than 13,000 People Are on the Waitlist for This Tiny Pop-up London Restaurant Where You Can Eat Naked No joke: The Bunyadi opens in June and will serve grilled meats by candlelight in an effort to recreate a caveman dining experience.
By Catherine Clifford •
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More than 13,000 people have signed up to eat at a pop-up eatery in London set to open in June, and the the wait list keeps growing. The restaurant, called The Bunyadi, will serve grilled meats and vegan alternatives on handmade clay plates with edible cutlery by candlelight. Cell phones are not allowed. It's all very caveman-like.
The goal of the restaurant is to harken back to pre-modern times, giving overstimulated, overwhelmed citizens of our hyper-technological, fast-paced world a chance to reconnect with their more animalistic roots.
Also, clothing is optional.
Yup. You can eat your meat by candlelight in the nude. But you don't have to. There is a "non-naked" seating section. (How very boring.) But, for the more adventuresome eaters, you can opt to eat naked.
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"We believe people should get the chance to enjoy and experience a night out without any impurities: no chemicals, no artificial colors, no electricity, no gas, no phone and even no clothes if they wish to," says Seb Lyall, the founder of Lollipop, in a statement announcing the launch of the pop-up.
"The idea is to experience true liberation," says Lyall.
Very liberating, indeed! Perhaps a bit odd, too. I am not sure how focused I could be on enjoying my food while watching a stranger across the dining room look at my naked breasts and bum. Dear me!
Lollipop is a U.K.-based group that creates experiences. Prior to The Bunyadi, Lollipop opened and operated a pop-up bar called ABQ in an RV where guests mix their own cocktails. The experience was an effort to make guests feel as though they were making meth with Walter White and Jesse Pinkman of the hit television series, Breaking Bad.
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The decor of this naked eatery is going to be very au-natural, with bamboo and wicker walls and wood furniture. The desired aesthetic is "Pangea-like." Pangea, should you have forgotten your grade school history lessons, is the name of the land mass from when all of the continents were one, some 300 million years ago. The good ole' days.
"We have worked very hard to design a space where everything patrons interact with is bare and naked. The use of natural bamboo partitions and candlelight has enabled to us to make the restaurant discreet, whilst adhering to the ethos behind it," says Lyall. "No doubt, this has been the most challenging project for us yet, which makes us very excited about it."
Exciting, but not without its risks. One potential customer was worried about splinters. Naturally. The Bunyadi team assured this potential diner on Facebook that customers who chose to eat naked are provided gowns, which you then fold and put on your seat. Changing areas and locker rooms are provided. Also, the eatery will not be serving hot soup, according to The Bunyadi Facebook page. That seems reasonable.
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The capacity of the pop-up eatery maxes out at 42. The clothing-optional experience is only open for three months, so there are likely some patrons on the waitlist who will be sorely disappointed.
Fret not, all you Londoners seeking the liberation of eating naked. You can always eat naked on your couch at home. Less risk of splinters that way, too!
