October 11th, 2014

A Tour of the World’s Most Incredible Restaurant Interiors

A great restaurant is not just about delicious food. Sometimes, it’s the interior or design that takes centre stage. Interior designers and architects are pushing the boundaries more and more these days, and the results are nothing short of spectacular. Here’s a look at the 20 most incredible restaurant interiors around the world:

1. Troll Wall – Romsdal, Norway

Norway’s Romsdal Valley has some of the tallest and most arduous cliffs in Europe, proving a popular place with base jumpers and birdmen. Troll Wall, The Romsdal Valley’s tallest and most vertical rock face, is particularly impressive, so when Reiuf Ramsted Architects were commissioned to design the new visitors centre and restaurant at the base of it they wanted a design to best showcase the spectacular surrounds. The result is a jagged glass-edge restaurant that points upwards towards the sheer cliff face. The full-height glass allows diners to gaze upon the wall through a criss-cross pattern of structural beams, from the simple but elegant dining room.

2. L’Opéra – Paris, France

In the heart of the Palais Garnier sits a mezzanine made of awe-inspiring shapes, designed by renowned architect Odile Decq. The dining room follows the mezzanine contours with grace, and the custom red chairs by Poltrona Frau make for a powerful dining experience. The bold, contemporary feel is a complete contrast to the original 1875 architecture, but the Parisian architect has intervened the restaurant beautifully.

3. Ma cocotte – Paris, France

Ma Cocette is a cosy yet modern restaurant in the heart of the popular Saint-Ouen Flea Market. The trendy decor, designed by French interior designer Philippe Starck, is perfect for groups enjoying Sunday brunch, and pays homage to the antique flea market objects outside. The open kitchen allows diners to view the chefs as they create their mouthwatering dishes.

4. Le Loft Restaurant – Vienna, Austria

Le Loft restaurant is set on the 18th floor of Vienna’s Sofitel hotel and features sweeping glass windows that offer an unbeatable view of the city and St Stephen’s Cathedral. For lovers of contemporary art, a colourful, illuminated ceiling designed by multimedia artist Pipilotti Rist offers a bright contrast to the simple, warm interior.

5. Nobu – Dubai

Dubai’s Nobu restaurant, located within the famous Atlantis Hotel, is like stepping into a very posh den. Taking you back to the days of hiding in cubbies, Nobu features barasi-style rattan panels and wooden beams arching across the dining room. The result is warm and cosy, and the close drawn tables create a buzzing atmosphere.

6. HR Giger Museum Bar – Switzerland

The HR Giger Museum is a cavernous, skeletal structure covered by double arches of vertebrae that crisscross overhead, almost as if you are in the belly of a beast. With skeletal chairs to match, this bar makes for one incredible dining and drinking experience.

7. Truth Cafe – Cape Town

Once declared by renowned travel writer as the best coffee in the world, Truth Coffee’s 1500m2 headquarters in Cape Town displays their innovative approach to coffee. The Victorian futuristic fantasy style opted for by designers Haldane Martin, create the concept that Truth Cafe is a place where inventions happen. The oversized fully functioning vintage roaster sits at the core, and the large communal tables are made from reclaimed pine and industrial pipe.

8. Bicycle Bar – Romania

This quirky, individual bar in Romania makes clever use of old bicycle parts to produce a colourful and unique decor. Lighting is done using bike headlights, and bar tables have been created using old wheel casings.

9. Cafe Ki – Tokyo

Featuring a pure white interior, Cafe Ki is designed by Japanese interior design firm id and offers a small, forest-like space. ‘Ki’ translate to tree in Japanese, and this is integrated using black steel trees that act as table legs, structural supports, and coat/hat stands. In the centre of the dining room sits are large table that can accommodate a large number of people.

10. Le Pain Frances Restaurant – Sweden

Located along Gothenburg’s trendy boulevard, Kungsportsavenyen, Le Pain Francais combines elegant colours with magical proportions and distortions, textures and lighting. The result is a quirky yet opulent feel.

11. Auriga Restaurant – India

What was once an old factory is now an exclusive bar and restaurant loved by Mumbai locals, showing that sculptural design can help re-image unused buildings. The designers stripped the building of external walls, allowing light to filter in and bounce of the angular walls and ceilings to create pockets of light and dark.

12. Chocolate Bar – Poland

For a mouthwatering experience, Poland’s Chocolate Bar certainly delivers. Seen to have chocolate dripping down from the walls, the restaurant uses black, brown and cream shades and even feaures milk drops as lamp shades!

13. Ammo Restaurant – Hong Kong

Part of a new museum and headquarters for the Asia Society in Hong Kong, Ammo was designed by Joyce Wang and features solely custom-made fittings and furniture. Once an ammunition storage building, the brief was for the restaurant to be high-end and Wang wanted every piece to be brand new and unidentifiable. The space features three spectacular spiral staircase chandeliers, and complicated plumbing lighting.

14. What Happens When Restaurant – New York

Every 30 days, the interior at What Happens When Restaurant changes. The floor, ceiling and walls are painted black, and the furnishings are white – but lighting, food, and brand identity changes every 30 days. Each time the interior changes, it will be mapped out on the floor with tape.

15. Joben Bistro – Romania

The Joben Bistro looks like it’s been pulled straight from the pages of a H.G. Wells novel, and is furnished with copper pipes, exposed mechanical gears, diffused light, and lots of quirky bits and bobs. The three rooms take diners on a fantasy journey with blimps, vintage art, and a range of weird and wonderful objects.

16. Logomo Cafe – Finland

Logomo Cafe is the second collaboration between German artist Tobias Rehberger and designers Artek, and features a mind-boggling display of crisscross lines. The strong black and white stripes and contrasting geometric furnishings make for a visually disorienting environment.

17. Bangalore Express – London

This award-winning modern Indian restaurant features layers of intimate dining booths that cleverly frame the view for diners. Most of the furniture is galvanised steel tube and fixings, giving the restaurant a scaffold-like feel. One long table allows for extra seating.

18. The Design Bar – Sweden

The conceptual theme for The Design Bar was Forest and Industry – a tribute to raw materials and craftsmanship. Think permanent trade fair style, with easy-to-clean surfaces – perfect for a restaurant.

19. Blue Frog Lounge – India

Set in Mumbai, the Blue Frog acoustic lounge and studios features a restaurant, bar, sound recording studios and a live music stage. The different sized cylindrical booths seat from 4 to 10 people, and are arranged at different heights to stagger the eye levels of diners. Bumpy, textured walls help to absorb the sound and lighting allows the restaurant to change colour frequently.

20. Rocambolesc – Spain

The whimsical interior at Rocambolesc Gelateria is loosely based on Roald Dahl fantasy and playfulness, featuring quirky gadgets, candy cane structural support, and lots of yummy colours.

These are just a few examples of some of the best restaurant designs we’ve found – what’s the most creative interior you’ve visited?