Food and design are both critical to a restaurant’s success, but it’s when they blend perfectly together that they create a much-coveted result. Here, we have gathered a handful of F&B spaces that recently debuted in Shanghai, Australia, Russia, Germany, and Spain where experience takes centerstage.
Omakase Shanghai
Dipped in saturated tones of amber and magenta, Omakase is an avante-garde take on the traditional kaiseki-style Japanese restaurant. “We used common materials and lighting to craft a pink Sakura dream that creates a romantic dining experience for the customers,” says Sun Tianwen, chief designer at Shanghai Hip-pop Architectural Decoration Design Co., which dreamt up the space. Flower petals and dewdrop motifs appear on glass partitions, achieving a virtual-real synthesis for a crystal-clear decorative element. The boundless bright pink cherry blossoms—painted with freehand brushwork—contrast the golden-hued tatami room, evoking an ethereal effect that invites diners to disappear within the scenery. Lighting also plays a pivotal role in the design, as it changes according to different needs and to better showcase the food. Further, the semi-transparent partitions and illuminated floors conjure an otherworldly atmosphere enhanced by ambient golden hues for a space that is at once experimental and mysterious.
Blacksmith Providore
Mulwala, Australia
Nestled within the Lake Mulwala region—about 175 miles north of Melbourne—Blacksmith is an exploration of Australia’s bygone summer days of the 1960s and ’70s. Here, local firm Stella Collective crafted a secluded utopia hidden within a modernist white pavilion. Guests enter the casual restaurant and bar via boat (“the approach feels like a mirage from the water’s edge,” says firm founder and director Hana Hakim) or from the main street, where the design slowly reveals itself. Soft dry-pressed brick, textured tiles, warm walnut timber, and white onyx stone “seamlessly balance between summer and winter palettes,” she says, while the “lovingly restored” vintage Brazilian cheese cabinet and cozy fireplace embody a charming residential feel. “Blacksmith draws a comparison to a Slim Aarons scene, but the design is quintessential Australiana,” says Hakim. “Its glamour and appeal remind us to walk on the sunny side and smile.”
Bosfor
Rostov-on-Don, Russia
Resplendent in vivid pastel tones of purple, pink, and green, Bosfor is defined by plentiful plants—both real and faux—and its fusion of Turkish and European cultures. Located in the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, “we wanted to get away from the interior of a classic Turkish restaurant by adding European sophistication and simplicity,” says Alexandr Dorohov, director of local firm AD Project. There’s a youthful feel thanks to arched openings and circular pendants paired with a mélange of materials—from panoramic stained glass windows to velvet and natural stone. For a modern twist, greenery surrounds the perimeter, not only creating a curtain from the bustling city streets, but also acting as a focal point above the bar. “During the day, it is illuminated with natural light through a skylight placed between two volumes,” Dorohov adds. “At night, neon softly shines, emphasizing the atmosphere of the lounge.”
IMOOD Restaurant
El Puig, Spain
Located near Valencia, Spain in the town of El Puig, IMOOD offers Asian fusion with a Mediterranean twist. “The family wanted a clear, open, modern, and unpretentious place where the focus is on gastronomy,” says Nada cofounder Arcadi Martín, who collaborated on the design with fellow Barcelona firm Edu Covelo. The result, he adds, “had to be timeless and durable.” Formerly a warehouse, the expansive restaurant boasts a simple material palette—beech furniture infuses warmth against a cement wall backdrop—that is enlivened by a large central bar clad in cobalt blue ceramic tiles. “The effect is similar to the sensation of being in a cave in the depths of the sea,” Martín says. Latticework helps separate different areas and further “allows the diner to focus on the culinary experience,” says Nada cofounder Borja Hernández.
La Visione
Denkendorf, Germany
Carpet supplier Object Carpet tasked Stuttgart, Germany-based multidisciplinary firm Ippolito Fleitz Group with creating an employee canteen, coworking space, and restaurant at its new Object Campus – City of Visions. Enter La Visione, an Italian restaurant with a bold and vibrant design marked by jewel tones, muted pastels, and geometric textile collages that adorn the walls. These, says Ippolito Fleitz project manager Charlotte Scheben, “convey the energy and dynamic of the Italian dolce vita through bright, impulsive color combinations.” Also open to the public, the flexible F&B space nods to the evolving way we live and work. “Diversity, individual offers, and new possibilities are in demand here,” she says.
Photos by Boris Shiu, Lillie Thompson, Mikhail Loskutov, Daniel Rueda, and Zooey Braun
This article originally appeared in HD’s September 2020 issue.