Caffe Cinquanta , London

We were appointed to design the latest project from the Good Food Society, owners of Ristorante Frescobaldi, Yosma and Soho’s Hovarda. Caffè Cinquanta offers a nostalgic yet vibrant Italian café alongside adjoining Playa - both in the heart of Marylebone, on Baker Street.

We drew inspiration for Caffè Cinquanta from 1950s Italy, weaving in the bold attitude and nostalgic look and feel from this era.

The space consists of a 10-seat bar, 80-cover restaurant and kitchen area, brought together by a warm colour scheme with carefully selected materials, which combine to achieve a vibrant, invigorating and modernist ambience.

By creating pastel yellow painted walls and ceiling throughout we evoked the sense of the classic Italian cafes of the past, where it once was permitted to smoke indoors.

We curated artwork that included modernist museum posters from exhibitions around Europe.

We designed a lounge seating section, which includes retro-styled velvet sofa, making it an easy place to relax whether enjoying a coffee, aperitivo or indulging in a dry martini.  

Through designing with rich timber tones and atmospheric lighting in the bar, we created a space that is versatile to the needs of the day and night.

We brought our mustard leather banquettes, warm antique oak, ribbed timber wall cladding and smoked mirrors to life with vibrant artwork and a colourful glass divider between dining and kitchen. These glass bricks allow a playful glimpse of the behind-the-scenes kitchen activity, whilst still enclosing the kitchen.

Retro wall-mounted light fixtures and luxe pendants illuminate vintage mid-Century armchairs and a terrazzo floor. We also had the pleasure of redesigning Caffè Cinquanta’s exterior and delivered the branding for this project.