Restaurants

  • 21/05

    50 Friends Restaurant, Mexico

     

     

     

    50 Friends restaurant in Mexico City has just hit this East London design studio’s radar! This stunning space seems to get very little (to no) natural light , a problem which Cherem Architects have solved with the introduction of a variety of illuminants, including cool industrial pipes that creep across the stone like walls and LED across the ceiling.

     

    Cherem’s Architects have chosen a warm pallet of natural materials. Wood features throughout the chosen furniture, bar and flooring. The vertical and diagonal pattern of the brickwork adds a wonderful feature on the walls, continuing to the bar and ceiling.

     

    We love the plants hanging from the ceiling, this adds to the feeling of extending the outside, inside. The combination of the cascading plants and the textured brickwork create a slight sense of ‘ruins’.

    (Images from Retail Design Blog)

  • 04/04

    Matto, Shanghai

    Matto in Italian means odd or bizarre: an apt name for this idiosyncratic pizzeria.

    Pure Creative, the team behind the design, has created a fun yet relaxed ambiance, where industrial features, rustic materials, and vintage furniture sit side by side.

    Victorian cornices and vintage furniture add a sense of antique charm, which, teamed with the dark teal and burnt umber tones, make the space feel warm, embracing and quietly refined.

    We particularly like the chalkboard drawings and odd trinkets, which add a personal touch and informality: a surprising find in the megapolis of Shanghai.

    (Images from WeHeart and Retail Design Blog)

  • 03/04

    Code Black Coffee, Melbourne

    We’re bringing you another coffee shop, this time Melbourne-based coffee roasting company, Code Black. Interior Architects, Zwei, converted two inner-city warehouses, combining an office and coffee shop, where the roasting process is on full display.

    The original warehouse windows were kept, while the rest of the space is lit by warm yellow bulbs.

    Dark and moody, the space features steel framing, polished concrete, and stained OSB board throughout, creating a raw, industrial aesthetic that playfully reflects the colours and textures of rich, dark coffee.

    (Images from Inhabit)

     

     

  • 02/04

    Truth Coffee, Cape Town

    A huge vintage coffee roaster is the centrepiece and inspiration for Cape Town’s Truth Coffee. “We immediately came up with steampunk as an appropriate conceptual reference, as both coffee roasters and espresso machines display elements of romantic, steam-powered technology,” explains designer Haldane Martin.

    The coffee shop is housed in a three-story turn of the century warehouse on Buitenkant Street. The building was pared down to accentuate the original features and patina of exposed stone and brick walls, cast iron pillars, and pine roof trusses and floors.

    Raw steel, timber, leather, brass and copper finishes were central to the interior design and complimented the building’s worn aesthetic.

    Martin designed all of the furniture for the café, which includes high-backed leather banquettes, ornate steel tables and smaller cog-shaped tables.

    What we liked most about this space is how the concept is reflected throughout the space, even to the finest detail.

    (Images from Dezeen)

  • 15/03

    Fette Sau, Williamsburg

    Fette Sau in Williamsburg Brooklyn is a casual and fun southern restaurant concept located in trendy Williamsburg Brooklyn. The owners have converted an unused garage into a BBQ restaurant that stays true to the gritty surrounding area, while delivering its very own identity to the locality.

    The design stays true to its past by incorporating rustic industrial features into its authentic design. Tractor seats are used as bar stools while phonograph horns have been repurposed as light fixtures above the bar light fixtures.

    Marble counter, reclaimed wood, brick, and polished-and-stained concrete are a great example of other materials used to create the rustic feel of the restaurant and bar.

    The courtyard previously used for vehicle parking and service, is decked out with heavy wooden furniture, worn metal tables and chairs and illuminated signage.

    What we enjoyed most about the restaurant’s approach it this way they have embodies the industry into the way the venue  was designed and presented, clearing addressing the importance of the butchery side of the process.

     

    (Photos from Facebook)

  • 14/03

    The Old Library, Cronulla Southern Sydney

    Located in a seaside suburb of Sydney, the Old Library was originally a Methodist church build circa 1908, and went on to be the shire library in the 1970’s.

    The original building had great bones and an existing level of texture from its exposed beams and timber lining. Working within the voluminous spaces the designer created a sense of intimacy and gathering through creating a series of rooms within rooms and spaces within spaces.

    Custom furniture pieces and a natural palette of oak, linen, white timber and blackened steel contribute to the relaxed and somewhat domestic space that is described as a ‘book house’.

    Within a modest palette of black, white and pale timber tones the designer  has created a restaurant environment that harmoniously incorporates references to the building’s past, while firmly grounding the establishment in its modern beachside location.

    The interior of restaurant is spacious with the internal pitch of the ceiling exposed. Natural linen upholstery and drapery, teamed with neutral and washed shades, create a feeling of warmth and comfort while providing a backdrop to the grander elements of the design and clad in wide boards painted white, which are broken by long vertical skylights.

    The look is slightly ‘American East Coast’ yet sits just as comfortably in its Southern Sydney beach environment.

    (Images from Facebook)

  • 13/03

    Isa Restaurant, Brooklyn

    Isa Restaurant in Williamsburg Brooklyn, designed by architect and craftsman Taavo Somer, is a welcomed addition to Brooklyn’s restaurant scene.

    The wooden restaurant, which successfully achieves a rugged yet refined aesthetic,opened its doors last year. The designer incorporated the help of his vast network of woodworkers and ceramists to completed the work.

    The former house is filled with old wood, new wood, and firewood mixed with modern angles and shapes. Add some plywood, tree branches, and spray paint, and you have what the designer calls ‘primitive modernism’.

    The restaurant also features a rooftop garden that produces some of the restaurants vegetables and herbs, the natural and organic element is continued inside with a wood burning stove, stacked logs, exposed wood beams and herbs drying from the ceiling.

    Isa could easily be described as a modern lumberjack, combining the rustic, earthy qualities with modern lines and sensibilities. It feels perfectly suited with Brooklyn.

  • 11/03

    Althaus Restaurant, Poland

    The design for Althaus created by PB/Studio, in cooperation with Filip Kozarski, combines traditional rustic elements with fresh modern style statements and is a great example of the wave of fresh design hitting Poland.

    From the street, the restaurant gives is evidence to its claim as new and stylish addition to Poland’s culinary scene. Inside, it gets even more exciting where every section has been given a different look and feel unified through twists on traditional Bavarian design that meet modern style head on. The restaurant serves Bavarian cuisine and the decor reflects this throughout. Elements of Southern Germany have been subtly implemented through the inclusion of bottle green in the lamps and chandelier, the dominant painted units, the copper in the stunning bold minimalistic light features and the use of mosaic, referencing traditional beer production in the area.

    On the ground floor, white washed panelled walls add a feeling of space, the use of rustic cow hide for the seating and soft furnishings, stripped oak, shelves displaying wine and books and a vintage dresser give the restaurant a homely authentic feel. On the upper floor, the bar and buffet areas amplify this rustic feel with bottle green panelling throughout.

    The design showcases traditional elements within a more casual and simple environment than one would expect, successfully, juxtaposing the traditional elements against modern styles.

    The bathrooms are incredibly enchanting with the fresh balance of the simple brick wall tiles, continued from the main restaurant, complimenting the more ornate original monochrome tiled floor.

    (Images from Retail Design Blog)

     

  • 09/11

    SHED 5, Melbourne

    Melbourne restaurant, SHED 5, is a 19th century heritage listed former dock and wool store on the Yarra Waterfront. The predominantly industrial feel of the space is characterised throughout with the use of steel, timber and ceramics, including a three-tonne steel bar, a two-tonne rolled steel seat and banquette and a tiled feature wall.

    (Image from Facebook)

    Special design features emphasise historic features inherit by the building such as the restored 120 year old timber floors and the original booking office space, beautifully restored for its current use as a private dining room and cellar.  Reclaimed fixtures like industrial pendant lights from an old English railway station have been introduced to continue the general mechanical look and feel of the restaurant.

    (Image from Facebook)

    (Image from Facebook)

    (Image from Facebook)

     

  • 18/03

    Kin, London

    Kin’s quirky interior is the result of a collaboration between neighbouring London studios Office Sian and Kai Design.

    Large, bright letters at the entrance set the tone for the Thai restaurant that sits behind a modest shopfront. The space combines the simple furniture and finishes you’d expect from a canteen with more unusual touches like the organic wall illustrations, allowing the space to be playful but not overwhelmingly so. Rough brick and plasterboard walls provide the perfect backdrop for collections of items you might find a home, such as mirrors and colourful cupboards, arranged in unconventional ways, giving the space a pleasant, haphazard atmosphere.

    (Images via Dezeen)

  • 05/03

    Jaffa, Tel Aviv

    Jaffa, a Tel Aviv restaurant, has an industrial design with a soft feel. The high ceilinged interior has floor to ceiling windows with wooden shutters that pivot open to create a light and airy atmosphere. Industrial pendant lamps are used in repetition over the mix and match tables and chairs that are dotted around the restaurant. The bare, industrial architecture of the space is enhanced by the rough concrete finish of the floor and ceiling, which juxtaposes a tapestry of delicate Turkish carpets with subtle patterns that line the walls. Although the space uses a subdued pallet of colours, it really comes alive as a result of the combination of rough and soft textures that are used throughout.

    (Images via Dezeen)

  • 23/01

    Red Pif Restaurant and Wine Shop by Aulík Fišer Architekti

    For the design of the Red Pif Restaurant and Wine Shop, Czeck designers Aulík Fišer Architekti decided to keep the inspiration and execution as pure and natural as the wine served. The designer and owner worked together, using photographs of bars and wine shops in France as inspiration, but drawing from their honesty rather than their style.

    The architect said about the design: “We put most of our effort to make our work invisible at first sight. Our interior should be a background allowing enjoy good wine and meal here and now.”

    The first step in the renovation was removing any superfluous building elements so that only the original 19th century structure remained. Bottle-shaped shutters were added that pivot open to reveal the stripped back interior that has been modestly furnished with design classics and simple, elegant fittings. Wine bottles are stacked high in a steel rod framework that creates simple geometric patterns on the walls. Dimly lit, bare light bulbs create an intimate atmosphere where the original intention of the space is allowed to quietly reveal itself.

    Photography by AI Photography.

  • 20/12

    Ubon, Kuwait

    Charred timber and shiny copper accents characterise Ubon, a Thai bistro in Kuwait. The restaurant, designed by architect Rashed Alfoudari, seamlessly integrates the interior with the existing structure of the space, making use of a reserved palette of colours to create a bistro space with an Asian feel. The golden copper, used on the walls and insides of lamps is a nod to Thai ornamentation and adds interest to the subdued hues of the walls and exposed concrete floors and ceilings. A darkened mirror separates the dining space from the service spaces, subtly making the space seem larger. Visual continuity is maintained throughout the space and continued into the restroom where the texture of the wood grain is imprinted on the concrete walls.

    (Images via Aome)

  • 01/12

    Capanna by K-studio in Athens, Greece

    Capanna, an elegant new Pizzeria and Trattoria in Athens was designed by K-Studio to simulate the experience of eating outside. The adaptable facade allows the floor to ceiling windows to slide upwards and join the restaurant with the side-walk. The interior design subtly combines Italian and Greek influences to great effect: the resulting space is warm yet spacious.

    The most eye catching feature of the space is the cladding of the mezzanine level: rows of narrow wooden shutters run along the side of it and then bend around its edge, continuing on the ceiling underneath. Similar to the cladding that extends from the wall to the ceiling, the geometric patterned floor tiles also extend onto the double volume side wall of the space, giving the vintage feel tiles a fresh appearance and drawing your eye upward.

    Simple Scandinavian furniture and low hanging ceramic light fixtures complete the contemporary space that still manages to feel traditional.

    (Images via Yatzer)

  • 24/11

    Les Grandes Tables de L’île, Ile Seguin, Paris

    Les Grandes Tables de L’île on the outskirts of paris could be mistaken for a greenhouse – or even a house still under construction, but it is actually a bar / restaurant conceived as a temporary meeting place while Jean Nouvel completes a museum project in the area. The restaurant is housed in a large timber ‘container’ suspended in a scaffolding frame that doubles as an events space.

    The interior takes its cue from the restaurant’s temporary nature and uses simple building materials like wood in its crude form for both walls and floors, while playing with the positioning of windows and capitalising on the view it gets over the area. The restaurant will stay open for a total of two years before the entire structure is dismantled and removed, leaving the site practically untouched.


    (Images via Wallpaper)

  • 17/11

    Meatliquor Restaurant by Shed

    The Meat Wagon; a legendary food offer known by keen foodies and avid trend forecasters alike. The infamous burger van has globetrotted it’s way around any festival worth mentioning, spearheaded it’s own events and become synonymous with great food, delicious drinks and relentless parties. Now the legend continues, but instead of four wheels, it will be presented in a more permanent fixture.

    When interior architects Shed first collaborated with the Meatailer enterprise, a design formula was created that would mean no two establishments would ever be the same; originality and nonconformity are at the heart of the Meat Wagon’s philosophy so all environments had to embody this ethos while taking on their own character.

    The concept: to take an idea borne of location and environment and mince that up with the Meat Wagon’s utilitarian ‘no nonsense’ approach – all materials in their raw form, all elements explicit in their function.

    Lurking beneath a car park just behind Oxford Street resided the perfect site for Meat Liquor – the Meatailer’s next venture. Previously the site of an Italian restaurant, the site was appropriately kitted out with an impressive Rococo style dome and a mass of ornate columns and architraves.  So with this influence the idea came: a modern day mural to make Michelangelo weep, a ’tattoo’ that would envelop and intertwine with the obscurity of the building.  A scene that would tell some of the Meat Wagon’s story so far and mutate the classical architecture into something far more appropriate to the Meat philosophy.

    Shed commissioned the prolific design collective ‘I Love Dust’ to administer the monumental illustration.  in just a week, a team of illustrators and graphic artists camped out on site to adorn as much visible surface as possible, with colourful tales from the Meat Wagon’s past, culminating in an extreme and almost hallucinogenic visual experience.

    Red ‘liquor’ signs have been suspended in the windows to splay dull light over the dyed oxblood red, leather banquettes.  Industrial cage lamps are hooked and gathered around galvanised steel hooks and suspended over blackened steel framed tables.  Red cord is looped from the centre of the dome to reach salvaged industrial work lamps, positioned to highlight poignant images trapped within the trailing mural.

    Industrial rubber flooring and an 8-metre long stainless steel bar with corrugated sheet façade resonate the sterility of a factory environment. Occupying the floor is a small army of vintage industrial seating, all powder coated in just two utilitarian colours. A length of ‘butchers’ curtains contains the lower level ‘Pit’; the Meat Liquor’s VIP area where guests can enjoy the thoughts of Hunter S Thompson that adorn the walls.

    A project like this comes up once in a lifetime.  To have a chance to push boundaries of what may be considered indecent, inappropriate and down right wrong, and to have this concept whole heartedly backed by the client is one in a million.  The history of the Meat Wagon has been the driving force behind every aspect of this project but what remains now is an entirely new beast.

    Shed

  • Amelie and Friends, Chichester

    Amelie and Friends, a relaxed restaurant in Chichester, has been designed and branded by I Love Dust and 44th Hill. The interior has a natural, calm feel, thanks to the extensive use of whites and timbers. Exposed conduits and exterior light fixtures (used in the interior) are used to create a visually interesting ceiling. Timber floors and wallpanels create warmth in the light and airy space. The dining hall is simple, but still manages to surprise with interesting touches like the old farm-style tables that have been partially painted white.

    (Images via 44th Hill)

  • 16/11

    21c Museum Hotel, Louisville

    The 21c Museum Hotel opened five years ago in Louisville, but still seems fresh and above all interesting. New York-based architect Deborah Berke is responsible for the design of this museum / hotel – the only one of its kind in the entire US. Like a museum its exhibits change regularly, most of the pieces come from the private collection of the hotel’s owners – Steve Wilson and Laura Lee Brown.

    The statement making hotel distinguishes itself from the outset, red plastic penguins from the Venice Biennale are perched on top of the building’s large entrance and have become visual markers as well as impromptu mascots for the hotel. An installation of four sculptures of children by Judy Fox loom over the reception desk of a lobby that has an uncanny resemblance to that of a contemporary museum.

    As guests move through the rest of the hotel they can admire (and even interact with some of) the everchanging artworks on display, from communal areas right down to the stylish bedrooms.

    This unusual concept hotel is so successful that the owners are currently planning two new locations, one in Cincannati and another in Bentonville.

    (Images via Design Milk)
  • 15/11

    Pharmacia, Lisbon

    Pharmacia, a Lisbon restaurant housed in the city’s art deco Pharmacy Museum, is not shy with colour. The bright interior uses almost exclusively vintage and antique items in its decor. It is fit out with vintage lamps, bell jars, measuring scales among other bits and pieces that are on loan to the restaurant from the museum. A mix of mismatched chairs surround dining tables with equally mismatched place settings, creating the impression of playful chaos. The space has a retro feel with a good balance of kitch and cool.

    (Images via Wallpaper)

  • 10/11

    The Riding House Café, London

    From the team behind Village East and The Garrison comes The Riding House Café, a modern all-day brasserie that fully embraces the current trend of salvage. Every item used in the eclectic interior – from the furniture to the fittings has either been reclaimed or is bespoke – creating a trendy, one-off space with a hint of English-eccentric.

    The large space has excellent natural lighting, thanks to the large windows and the shell is largely left bare, exposing a patchy ceiling and the conduits that run along it. The RHC has three main sections – the white-tiled bar; the casual dining area with large tables for drop in diners; and a private, bookable dining area comfortably furnished with leather chairs and banquettes.

    The dining area has been furnished with a massive communal dining table of scaffoling and timber, surrounded by old theatre seats have been shipped from California. Smaller tables with sturdy, ex-snooker table legs line the large windowed facade. The main dining area is divided into sections with a steel shelving unit that puts a collection of eccentric bits and pieces on display.

    Reclaimed front doors, complete with mail slots that have been polished and glazed, and now function as cabinets seperating the private dining room from the rest of the restaurant. The private dining area is actually an old English stable that has been taken apart and reassembled in the restaurant; hinting at the equestrian theme of the name that was taken from its location on Riding House Street. The space uses the same tables as in the rest of the restaurant, but here they are surrounded by plush, upholstered chairs and banquets for indulgent private dining.

    (Images via Flodeau)

  • 09/11

    Babylonstoren,Cape Winelands, South Africa

    The Cape Winelands is a treasure trove of beautiful vineyards and orchards both new and old, one of the oldest is Babylonstoren. The vineyard sits in the dramatic Drakenstein Valley and has some of the best preserved gabled Cape Dutch buildings in the area, some of which date back from the 1690s.

    The guest suites of the farm hotel draw inspiration from the early Cape Dutch architecture and echo its quietly ornate, whitewashed aesthetic.  Wooden doors and window frames add warmth the the cool toned spaces, along with open hearths of exposed brickwork. Soft furnishings and natural carpets give the impression of modest, farmhouse luxury.

    Similar to the bedrooms, bathrooms are pictures of serenity. Whites and creams are combined to create a calming palette, and classic claw foot freestanding baths echo the Cape Dutch feel.

    The hotel restaurant, Babel, is housed in a disused kraal (animal pen). The interior is pared back, with polished concrete floors, whitewashed walls and a mix of contemporary and traditional furnishings. A large section of the back wall is covered in glossy white tiles that display the menu, along with a blown up black and white picture of a bull’s head,  hinting at the building’s former function. The interior, although simple, doesn’t need a lot of decoration and the clean, fresh style is carried through down to the centerpieces, that consist of vintage glassware and fresh greens from the garden.

    (Images via travel-files)

  • 21/10

    Cantina de Comida Mexicana, Mexico City

    Architects Taller Tiliche designed a restaurant in Mexico City that operates as a  Mexican food canteen.  They decided on a neutral palete and kept materials in their natural state as far as possible, the result is an unfinished look.

    A polished concrete floor creates a continuation between the indoor and outdoor spaces, inviting passing pedestrians in. Walls were painted white and tiled upto 1.2 m height with concrete tiles. The ceiling was purposefully left unfinished, with holes and lumps of plaster littering its surface.

    Folding timber shutters can open the restaurant up completely to the street front and allowing natural light to wash into the space.

    Sanded wooden tables and benches are paired with steel folding chairs and shelves stacked with bottles stretch across the bar, as well as between the kitchen and dining room. The result is a simple, casually unfinished, yet chic interior that encourages leisurely eating.

    (Images via Dezeen)

  • 19/10

    GRAB Thai Street Kitchen by Mansikkamäki+JOY

    GRAB Thai Street Kitchen intends to introduce London to the simplicity of Thailand’s urban street food culture. This new ‘fast food’ restaurant sits a short walk away from Old Street and serves up good, affordable, everyday meals freshly prepared and dispensed from behind a counter.

    The design was done collaboratively by Mansikkamäki+JOY and Lifeforms Design. In keeping with the idea of street food the restaurant has a ‘rough around the edges’ industrial feel, using materials associated with construction for the interior fixtures and fittings. Pallets and corrugated metal sheets line the walls and large globe light bulbs dangle haphazardly from a web of red and blue cables, creating an interior that, although minimal, hints at the lively scenes of Bangkok. Red plastic stools, similar to those used in urban street vending in Thailand, surround communal tables made from construction left overs.

    (Images via Dezeen)

  • 11/10

    Komomoto, Barcelona

    Komomoto is a trendy, casual restaurant in Barcelona’s hip El Born district that serves up Peruvian/Japanese fusion cuisine. The sleek interior that uses colour sparsely is enlivened with informal arrangements of photographs, posters and illustrations that literally cover the walls, a feature that is complemented with Ingo Maurer’s post-it note chandeliers. The interior creates the sensation of having walked into someone’s notebook.

    Timber is used throughout the interior, from the floors to the wall paneling and modern furniture, bringing additional warmth and texture to the large, bright space.

    (Images via weheart)

  • 05/10

    Café Liberty, London

    SHH architects have been asked to redesign the second floor restaurant of Liberty, the famous London department store originally built using the timber from two warships in 1924. The aim was to integrate the café with the store and introduce an Arts & Crafts movement spirit to the restaurant of the store that has a well known dedication to design.

    The new interior is refined, hinting at the history of the store but in a fresh, contemporary way. Bent wood chairs and glass light fixtures with a handmade feel set the scene for this contemporary-classic interior. Delicately patterned wallpapers from Chiswick artist Marthe Armitage, who started designing and producing her beautiful wallpapers just after WW II, adorn the walls; while a flying duck sculpture in pink neon, custom designed by lead designer Helen Hughes, add a surprising twist to the otherwise demure interior.

    (Images via weheart)

  • 04/10

    The Disappearing Dining Club, London

    The Disappearing Dining Club is a step away from the conventional restaurant experience. It occupies a permanent ‘Dining Room’, a one table space that can only host ten people at a time, in Featherstone Street near Old Street, but also throws dinner and drinks parties in empty warehouses, hidden rooftops and basements, secret galleries and gardens, and just about any unusual space you can think of.

    The interior of the Dining Room, which opens only for bookings, is warm and homely. Guests are encouraged to forget about time, as all of the clocks on the walls have stopped long ago. The shelf that runs all around the room just below ceiling level is stacked with well-thumbed novels and 20th century bric-a-brac. The large wooden table is set with mismatched cutlery and old-fashioned glassware and creates the feeling of sitting down to a big family meal. The dimly lit interior, along with its quirky decor and limited amount of place settings creates a nostalgic dining experience that you are unlikely to have anywhere else.

    (Images via The Disappearing Dining Club)

  • 03/10

    Derrier, Paris

    Mourad Mazouz’s restaurant Derrier is described as a ‘home away from home’ – and I can see why: the restaurant, styled as a family apartment, gives the impression of having stumbled into an eccentric friend’s well-lived in home. The restaurant follows the idea of ‘home’ and is structured like one, diners can sit in the lounge, dining room, bedroom or boudoir. The main room is fit out with a kitchen table, comfy sofas and oddly, a ping pong table for amusement between courses.

    The restaurant takes its name from its location, it is hidden in a courtyard at the back of 404 and Andy Wahloo, Mazouz’s other Paris restaurants. The off -hand chic interior is just as tongue in the cheek as the name of the restaurant. The eclectic interior mixes styles that gives the feeling of nonchalance.  Throughout the restaurant shelves filled with books and other knick-knacks line the walls, along with an assortment of photos, paintings, posters and the odd empty frame. The food is French, simple and wholesome, made with the finest quality products.

    In the bedroom diners are perched on mattresses, complete with alarm clocks at bedside.

    And somewhere, behind one of the many mirrors in Derrier, is a secret smoking room.

    (Images via derrier-resto.com)

  • 19/09

    Prosopa Restaurant, Athens

    Prosopa is a restaurant next to the train tracks in Rouf, a busy Athens neighbourhood. It occupies a former glass factory, this gives the space plenty of rough, industrial appeal which has been maintained and is accentuated by minor alterations.

    The interior unfolds on two levels, both benefiting from the large industrial windows, with views of the passing trains adding a theatrical, urban edge to the space.

    The design draws from the building’s industrial heritage, acknowledging it through material choice and detailing: screed and timber floors, steel and rough brick work, with exposed services throughout. These raw elements blend harmoniously with the high design fittings and furniture from Moooi and Magis.

    (images via yatzer)

  • 19/08

    Dishoom, London

    Dishoom is London’s very first Bombay Café. It draws inspiration from the cafés opened by Persians in what was then Mumbai, these types of establishments cemented themselves in the lives of many a Bombayite and Dishoom is sure to do just that in London.

    The elegant restaurant is full of old world charm, with bentwood chairs, marble topped café tables and memorabilia loosely arranged on the walls.

    Wood is used throughout the interior, from the floors and furniture to the wall panelling, and contrasted with the light ceiling and antiqued mirrors it creates a warm, but contemporary feel.

    Slow turning ceiling fans and procarious lighting lends extra appeal to what is already a very attractive interior.

    (Images via weheart)

  • 16/08

    Chambers Eat and Drink, San Francisco

    Chambers Eat and Drink is a new bar in San Francisco’s Phoenix Hotel, located in the city’s infamously gritty Tenderloin district. Despite its ’50′s motel’ past it is known as a rock royalty favourite, with the likes of Pearl Jam and Keanu Reeves passing through its doors in the past.

    It’s new facelift, the handy work of Oakland’s Mr. Important, seems to reflect the affinity celebrities have for it. Chambers’ walls are lined with 10,000 odd records that acknowledge its past and creates a library of sorts with a warm, interesting texture. The lush interior is comfortably furnished and my suspicion is that you’d want to obey the glamorously lit bar and be amazing.

    (Images via weheart)

  • 01/08

    Colonie, Brooklyn, New York

    Another new addition to New York is Colonie restaurant in the beautiful Brooklyn Heights neighbourhood.

    Architect Alex Meyers of MADesign is responsible for the interior that effortlessly marries old and new. The interior is largely composed of recycled and reclaimed materials, mixed with contemporary pieces. Floors, ceilings and tabletops are made of reclaimed wood and the lovely banquettes are in fact reworked church pews.

    The live wall brings a splash of colour and serves as a vertical herb garden of sorts.

    The open kitchen is one of the best parts of this fresh new restaurant. Diners can watch their food be prepared in front of a subway tiled backdrop, between stacks of pots, pans and plates.

    Another interesting element is the chandelier made up of an I-beam the owners found on the roof  of the building.

    The large antiqued mirror above the bar is encased in a beautiful wooden frame salvaged from the famous Toy Building.

    (Images via Colonie)

  • 07/04

    The Modern Pantry at Meza

    You are always guaranteed a delicious brunch, lunch or dinner in a comfortable, relaxed atmosphere at The Modern Pantry. New Zealand chef Anna Hansen performs magic with fresh ingredients to create original dishes that are as inspiring as their almost all white interior.

    For a limited period this Spring, The Modern Pantry takes some of its relaxed atmosphere to vibrant Soho. For four weeks the interior of Meza on Wardour Street will be transformed along with its menu.

    The new interior features walls painted in muted tones and minimalist Danish furniture from design house Fritz Hansen. Interesting artworks from guest artists Kate Boxer and Robert Clarke can be seen throughout the space.

    (Images via We Heart)

  • 05/04

    Il Buco Restaurant in Athens

    Athens’ up-and-coming district, Psirri, has a gorgeous new addition. Il Buco Restaurant, a spin-off of Il Buco Deli, occupies the third floor of a neoclassical building and the interior was designed by design-studio’s Dionisis+Kirki of Workshop and STOVIKIS + B.

    The space is paired-down, modern and airy. It is more spacious than you would expect from a restaurant and the spaciousness is accentuated by the generous use of white with only fittings and trimmings in black. Elegant, understated light fixtures create a relaxed ambience and mismatched chairs add an element of nostalgia.

    The dining rooms centre around a cocktail bar and deli that is painted black, clearly differentiating its function from that of the other spaces. Plywood shelves are stocked with Italian delicacies.

    Throughout the restaurant artworks of fire and water on tracing paper by Dionisis Sotovikis adorn the walls and perfectly compliment the calm, whimsical space.

    (Images via Yatzer)

  • 09/02

    What Happens When

    What Happens When is unusual, even for pop-up restaurant standards. A collective of interior designers, a graphic designer, a composer and a Michelin starred chef put their minds together and are transforming a reclaimed space, not once, but nine times over the course of nine months.

    Graphic designer Emelie Baltza sets the tone by creating an interesting visual language for each month to which the interior designers at New York agency the Metrics respond with a complementing interior. Chef John Fraser creates indulgent menus and is serving up Nordic and Northern Germanic inspired food for the debut month. The music is as unusual as the concept, done by Micah Silver, it includes extracts from videos at rural bonfires and orchestras warming up.

    Their combined efforts offer customers the ultimate all round experience of sound, art, interiors and good food.

    Images via We Heart

  • 08/02

    Mazzo

    Mazzo was designed with the intention of creating a living room. A place where you would be equally comfortable hosting a business meeting as a birthday dinner. The restaurant occupies an odd, post-industrial building and comfortably fills its mismatched spaces with its mismatched chairs.

    You can watch your food being prepared in the eye-catching open kitchen surrounded by raw wooden shelves that display the authentic Italian products they use. The buildings industrial past is acknowledged by the exposed brick walls, concrete floors and services running overhead. These elements are combined with elegant carpets and playful light fittings from MOOOI and GUBI to create a chic urban feel.

    Images via The Cool Hunter


  • 04/02

    New Restaurant at Royal Academy by Design Research Studio

    The interior design arm of Tom Dixon, Design Research Studio, have created the interior for the new Restaurant at the Royal Academy of Arts, London. This is the latest project for renowned restaurateur Oliver Peyton of Peyton and Byrne. The 150 cover restaurant opened to the public 19th January 2011. The Design The 250 m2 refurbishment references the long and illustrious history of the Royal Academy of Arts with materials chosen to complement the existing fabric of the Regency building including marble, brass and velvet.

    The dining area is divided into different zones, with each area inspired by the work of a different Royal Academy Great such as Turner and Sir John Soane. To extend the gallery experience for diners, Design Research Studio has designed a dramatic free- standing unit in the centre of the space. Consisting of a number of glass cubes, the structure will house an extraordinary selection of sculptures and busts dating back to 1897. The pieces belong to the Royal Academy of Arts permanent collection but have long been stored out of public view.

    The new bar is set to be a key focal point in the restaurant made from Mount Etna lava stone and hand-made glazed brick. Designed as a robust, sculptural object, its grandeur is enhanced by a dramatic cast glass chandelier suspended above. Other interior highlights include Etch, the digitally etched brass pendant light and Scoop, the injection-moulded foam seating both designed by Tom Dixon shown for the first time in this location.

  • 14/11

    Vanilla, Berlin by Pandarosa

    Vanilla is a sweet coffee shop in East Berlin – made even sweeter with a little typography inspired interior by design duo Pandarosa. The pink and blue colour scheme harks back to childhood days spent drooling over the ice-cream counter, while the seamless treatment of signage, logo and wallpaper is a very grown-up attitude to holistic design. The looping ‘l’s of ‘Vanilla’ repeat to make a pattern for the wall behind the counter. Vintage touches in fixtures and fittings add to the retro vibe.

    The design is by Ariel Aguilera and Andrea Benyi, whose work has been commissioned by big brands Volkswagen, Lee Jeans and Adidas and can also be seen in Copenhagen’s  Hotel Fox.

    Images via WeHeart

  • 07/11

    Griffins' Steakhouse Extraordinaire by Stylt

    Extraordinaire would be exactly the word for this American eatery in the Waterfront Building, Stockholm. Gothenburg-based designers Stylt, led by Erik Nissen Johansen,  have gone as far as conceiving an imaginary couple (The Griffins) who own the Steakhouse and run it with a certain mystery and alchemy that contributes to its eclectic interior.

    Old school steakhouse charm is exuded by padded booths, wood-panelling and Gothic lampshades, but there’s modern furnishing at work here too.  A slick bar and patterned ceramics remind you that you’re still in the 20th Century and haven’t entered some kind of interior design time warp. Everywhere you look there’s a history, science art or design artefact that’s been hand-picked to keep the place quirky, fresh and interesting.

    Like it or loathe it, Griffins’ smacks of style and personality, even if it is based on a fictional tale.

    Stylt have also recently fitted out Marion’s Gastro Diner and the Orangeriet, both in Stockholm.

  • 14/10

    Sideways Cafe by Nema Workshop, New York

    New York designers Nema workshop have created this unusual interior for emerging brand D’espresso.

    Asked to relate the design to its location in Madison Avenue, Nema workshop took inspiration from nearby Bryant Park Library but turned the room sideways to form this playful interior.
    Full scale photographic prints onto custom tiles allow bookshelves to wrap from floor to ceiling,  whilst gravity defying pendant lights jut out from behind the bar.  A herringbone clad wall opposite to this mimics a floor in this surreal café space.

    The designers’ slanted take on a straightforward concept makes for a spectacular, if not slightly disorientating interior!

  • 11/10

    Super Natural by Studiotoogood and Bramble Cafe by Arabeschi di Latte

    The Bramble Cafe and Super Natural was a very inspired show space presented during the London Design Festival in the Brompton Design District in South Kensington. Placed in The Garage, both, the temporary café and its exhibits were inspired by the wild and natural life of the English countryside. On show was the new collection Assemblage 1 by Studio Toogood, and Arabeschi di Latte took care of the food and eating environment, in their usual wonderful way, also selling delicious goodies from La Fromagerie. As visitors enter the space they will encounter a mushroom installation by New Forest forager Mrs Tee, whilst experiencing a bespoke scent dedicated to woodland by Francis Kurkdjian.

    An adventurous wander down country lanes with the crunch of autumn leaves underfoot. As you gather and forage for mushrooms, blackberries, conkers, plums, heritage variety apples and pears, wet walnuts, different styles of grapes, pumpkins and wild salad leaves together with a variety of English farmhouse cheese; these will become the ingredients for an ‘untamed’ meal.

    Pictures by Anita Silva

  • 20/08

    Cielito Querido Cafe, Mexico

    Esrawe Studio is a group of Mexican architects and designers, responsible for the distinct and vibrant design of Cielito Querido Cafe, a Latin-American eatery. In collaboration with Ignacio Cadena, the studio have come up with a concept that is bold and bright in its use of colour, typography and graphics. The concept is inspired by Mexican design heritage and Latin graphic design of the late 19th to early 20th century, particularly the product labels of old grocery stores.

    The interior design alludes to the rich history of Latin American tradition and distinct visual landscape, while remaining unique and contemporary. The symbolism, pink and blue colour scheme, illustrations and materials speak instantly of a particular time and place that appeals globally as well as locally.

    The café’s name was inspired by the song Cielito Lindo, which was written in 1882 by the Mexican composer Quirino Mendoza y Cortéz. The song contains the phrase ‘México lindo y querido’, which translates to ‘cherished and beautiful Mexico’ – a great source of inspiration for the project.

    Pictures via We Heart:Essential Lifestyle Guide

  • 30/07

    Bloodhound Bar, Geremia Design

    Lauren Geremia is the mastermind of Geremia Design, an emerging Californian design studio that is gaining a reputation for its eclectic and artful restaurant and bar designs. Dotted around San Francisco are a host of projects that bear her trademark style – a mixture of textures, colours, art, antique, found and recycled objects.

    Geremia often employs bold graphic prints to accompany the paintings, textiles and artefacts of her sumptuous interiors. A monochrome frieze of birds in flight adorns the ceiling of the Bloodhound bar in downtown San Francisco which has been designed with a ‘hunting lodge’ thematic in mind. The bar has been popular with locals and celebrated for being ‘not a dive, not a cocktail lounge, not a club – it’s a bar… awash with wood and leather and people drinking drinks’.

    Some of her other notable projects are 330 Ritch, Umami, The Barbershop and Aventine, all in San Francisco and the Bay area.

  • 16/07

    Frank's Cafe and Campari Bar

    Perched atop a disused Peckham car-park, Frank’s Cafe and Campari bar is an innovative pop-up eatery designed by Lettice Drake and Paloma Gormley (Practice Architecture). The temporary cafe appears for the second year in a row as part of the Bold Tendencies sculpture project by Hannah Barry Gallery which has attracted more than just local interest in this culturally overlooked corner of South London.

    Frank’s cafe is run by Frank Boxer, owner of Vauxhall’s Brunswick House Cafe and Bonnington Square Deli, and head chef Michael Davies of the Hope and Anchor, Waterloo. Diners can enjoy an al-fresco set-up that offers outstanding views of London and its landmarks, the London Eye, Millennium Dome, to Crystal Palace and beyond.

    The structure was built over 25 days by a team of volunteers working alongside Lettice and Paloma, whose collaborative studio specialise in design-build architecture and social spaces. It is made up of nine 50m long ratchet straps that ‘loop around the entire floor plate and lash a bright red PVC canopy to the car park roof’. Reclaimed timber columns constructed from bolted together scaffold planks support the straps. The same reclaimed timber has been used for the structure, bar and furniture resulting in a pared down look that suits the starkness of the car-park and allows the striking colour and form of the roof to stand out. The red roof and ratchet straps were fabricated in a factory that produce drop down canvases for commercial lorries.

    Frank’s Cafe and the sculptures of the Bold Tendencies project are open Thursday to Sunday, 11am to 10pm on the 10th Floor of Peckham multi-storey car-park, 95A Rye Lane, London, SE15 4ST.

  • 28/06

    Earl's Gourmet Grub by FreelandBuck

    Architectural computation has become increasingly popular in the design of high-tech buildings with interesting shapes; Earl’s Gourmet Grub is a test case of using it on an interior scale as a way of enriching everyday use. Although the design uses very recent technology it fits with the old-world sensibility that that the food inspires.

    The artisanal deli that opened in Los Angeles in May 2010 is intended to be a sort of contemporary interior landscape. Inscribed on the West wall is a technologically refined digital pattern,  this is an abstraction of a picture of the Alps into a series of pixels.  (Check out the drawing at the end to see how they reached the pattern)

    The torqued ceiling surfaces act as light canopies that create depth and an airy feeling. These rhythmic undulations have the added function of dividing the space into pockets and add to the dynamic feel of the space.

    These extremely contemporary elements are combined with rich materials and colours, so that the space not only evokes a technological look but also the feel of alpine landscapes and Viennese cafes. The resulting space can be described as high-tech picturesque.

    (images from FreelandBuck)

  • 24/06

    Chorus at the Wapping Project

    In the dark industrial interior of the Boiler House at the Wapping Project, United Visual Artists are presenting ‘Chorus’, an installation that explores the relationship between performance, sculpture and installation. Constructed of a series of motor assisted pendulums, lights and speakers, it is very striking and heightens the drama of its unique setting.

    The dynamic installation is almost hypnotic with variations of chaotic and orderly rhythms. It is described by its designers as a new kind of musical instrument, where the spatial location of each sound is critical to the composition of the piece.

    The Wapping Project alone is worth a visit, located in the historic Wapping Hydraulic Power Station. The multipurpose exhibition and performance space hosts an ever changing array of artists from a range of disciplines.

    The Engine and Turbine Houses resemble the Turbine Hall at the Tate Modern, but with the added benefit of delicious food from restaurant and bar it houses. With its rich architectural fabric and remnants of its industrial past it really makes for a memorable dining experience. The stripped back Boiler and Filter Houses,  in turn provide unusual exhibition and performance spaces.

    Wapping Hydraulic Power Station, Wapping Wall, London
    15th June – 18th July 2010
    Mon – Fri, 12 -10.30pm, Sat 10 – 10.30pm & Sun 10 – 6pm

    (images from United Visual Artist and The Wapping Project)

  • 19/06

    Studio East Dining

    I’ve always had a strange love for scaffolding, so I am particularly delighted to see the beautiful temporary restaurant by London based architects Carmondy Groarke. The restaurant reflects its location, within a live construction site, by borrowing materials from the construction team, which also makes its impermanent nature very apparent. It was constructed in a short 3 weeks using 2000 scaffolding boards and 3500 scaffolding poles, reclaimed timber and was covered in recyclable industrial grade heat retractable polyethylene.

    The result of this hired/borrowed construction is an inspiring 800 sqm dining space where you can enjoy delicious food served up by the people from East London favourite Bistroteque. The space is kept minimal and toned down, increasing the dramatic effect of its industrial look and rough materials. And at 35m high it has a spectacular view of the happenings on the Olympic construction sites and the surrounding area. At night it is illuminated from inside, becoming a glowing beacon on the evolving skyline.

    It is only open until 4 July, so hurry up to be one of the lucky 2000 that will have the pleasure of savoring the tasty food and interesting structure of one of London’s most spectacular Pop-Ups to date.

    (Photos by Luke Hayes)

  • 15/06

    Container Cafe

    For a brunch with a view I recommend Container Cafe, the latest offering from the people behind Fish Island’s Counter Cafe. The interior is as chilled out as the friendly staff and features a playful mix of unusual art, vintage pieces that have lived a little and contemporary geometric furniture made from plywood.

    The food on offer is equally fresh. Everything is made from scratch using locally sourced ingredients. From the menu written up on a blackboard you can choose between a selection of baguettes, bagels and soup or from some very tempting treats on the counter.


    The cafe is located along the green way built for the 2012 Olympics, on the ground floor of the View Tube (a structure made from bright yellow reclaimed shipping containers) and you’d be hard pressed to find a better view of the Olympic developments. So if you want to see how Sir Peter Cook’s Stadium is coming along or get a glimpse of Zaha Hadid’s Aquatics  Centre, you might as well do it with some East London style enjoying a cup of Square Mile coffee.



  • 11/06

    Hatched by Outofstock

    Outofstock recently completed the interior design of Hatched, a casual restaurant in Singapore that serves breakfast all-day. Located in a fifty-year old student dormitory building next to the National University of Singapore’s Law Campus, Hatched serves up a curious array of egg-inspired dishes and desserts catering to a youthful target audience.

    The intent behind the design was to create a cozy and fun dining atmosphere which identifies with the restaurant’s theme of breakfast and eggs. Another challenge was to accommodate up to 38 diners and a kitchen into the 58 square-metre space. We divided the dining areas into two parts – a central dining area which features long communal dining tables reminiscent of summer camps, and a fun-wall area where customers dine in front of a large blackboard-painted wall which allows the guests and staff to doodle or leave messages. A long bar counter features a façade consisting of oak, maple and beech veneers and accompanying bar stools also feature the same three solid woods. The play with natural light is a key ingredient which characterises the space and we designed oak veneered panels with egg-shaped cut outs to filter light in from street-facing glass windows. These “egg panels” also serve as an identifiable frontage for the restaurant. The use of guava tree branch off-cuts sleeved over bulb holders adds a tinge of farmhouse charm and all the exposed light bulbs are connected to dimmers so as to regulate the brightness needed during the day and night. Although there has been much phasing-out efforts of incandescent light bulbs in recent years, the rich, warm glow and character of near obsolete carbon filament bulbs we found at a specialty bulb supplier was difficult to resist. We chose to expose the original concrete ceiling of this historical building and highlighted its textural qualities with lighting.

  • 20/05

    Rosa's Soho

    After much success in Spitalfields, Rosa’s Thai restaurant opened a ‘Pop-Up’ in Soho called Noodles, this was so well received that people in Soho now have permanent access to a Rosa’s fix.

    The interior design, done by Gundry and Ducker, features moulded oak panelling lined with brass plates at the edges. The design is intended to be reminiscent of a traditional British cafe with a Thai edge. A warm and inviting interior is achieved by using soft lighting and red and brown tones. This color scheme is used throughout the ground floor, with lighter tones as it is intended primarily for daytime use.Booths and partitions are formed by the moulded oak panelling, which are modified in places to form coat hooks and lamps. The oak profiles are echoed in the borders of the laser-cut brass plates that decorate the walls. The basement is much darker, featuring gloss, gray and reclaimed teak, reflecting its purpose as an evening space.


    And here is a little bit about the Pop-Up, in case you missed it:

    The designers chose to celebrate the temporary nature of the restaurant by whitewashing the  interior of the shop it was located in as they found it and using materials and construction methods that are usually associated with impermanence. They placed a series of plywood booths throughout, these had glowing red interiors and arched entrances. Chairs were also made of plywood and were held together by cable ties. They made use of illuminated signage and arrows, and this, along with the color scheme was intended to acknowledge Soho’s red-light district heritage. Displayed on the shelves were laser cut highlights from the menu, each in a typeface reflecting its character.


    (via Dezeen and Gundry+Ducker)

  • 17/05

    Viet Hoa Cafe

    Viet Hoa, a Kingsland Road favorite, has recently been completely renovated and now boasts a serene, minimalist interior and stylish new branding, in complete contrast to its former haphazard self. Its new interior design is clean and simple and features walls and ceilings clad in timber, contemporary lighting and furniture, with quirky touches such as an entire wall covered in moss that stretches across two floors at the stairway.

    Another unusual element can be found in the new bar in the basement. It has a playful sunken rectangle in the floor that becomes an informal lounge area with the addition of legless chairs and little tables.

    The revised branding and identity was mainly influenced by the name of the cafe. ‘Hoa’ means ‘blossoming flower’ in Vietnamese and a logo mark has been added across all way-finding, branding collateral, packaging, and uniforms.

    The new interior perfectly complements the delicious food and I’m sure with its stylish new space it will become even more popular.

    (images via London Design Guide)