Spring is finally here, and with it, a slate of design-conscious openings that marry culinary creds with design creativity. From dining in the shadows of a Beijing temple to a Los Angeles warehouse reborn as a French wine bar, here are some of our favourite restaurants and bars we discovered this month.
MIKA, Miami
Six-time Michelin-starred American chef Michael White brings Riviera spirit to Miami’s Coral Gables at MIKA. Its textured, olive grove-inspired interiors are the handiwork of Bishop Design and MIKA co-owner Alex Pirez and feature rustic raw woods and wicker, made more sumptuous with the addition of velvet and leather. Southern Florida is famed for its hot and sunny climate, and the lighting takes things down a notch courtesy of subtle lighting and a trio of cascading crystal chandeliers which crown the marble bar. Read more.
Amator, Copenhagen
This international collab combines Polish craftsmanship with chic Scandinavian minimalism in the Danish capital. Amator is located in the city’s design-conscious Østerbro neighbourhood and was designed by Wiercinski Studio to encompass the cosiness of hjemme spisested (or home dining) for chef-owner Mateusz ‘Mati Pichci’ Sarnowski. The practice crafted 18 bespoke elements for the intimate spot, from raw geometric stools to low oak tables, floating shelves and curios, all handmade in Poland. The Copenhagen restaurant also features an impressive hi-fi audio system by Arda Audio.
Meili, Williamsburg, NYC
Sichuan is famed for its spicy, flavoursome cuisine and hot subtropical climate, and new Williamsburg restaurant Meili leans into both. The Sichuan restaurant is the sibling of popular Midtown haunt Chili, and is designed by MoLiving with its double-height dining room crowned by a coffered ceiling and red mahogany staircases. The space is burnished with hand-blown glass sconces, tiered pendants and backlit panels that radiate amber and add deep red and gold accents. Peek inside.
The Lavery, London
Anglo-Irish painter John Lavery’s former Grade II-listed Georgian townhouse has been transformed into hot new London restaurant, The Lavery. Period details are celebrated across the bright white spaces of its first-floor dining rooms, from private staircases with iron balustrades and curved timber handrails to original fireplaces, intricate cornicing, ornate plasterwork and baroque mirrors that reflect the sun.
Design is both decadent and understated thanks to the collective expertise of creative director Martin Cohen, who sourced antiques and artifacts from across Europe to furnish the interior, and Daytrip Studio, which crafted the exquisite zinc bar. River Café veteran Chef Yohei Furuhashi helms the kitchen, with a ground-floor café due to open later this spring.
Loma, Rhode Island
Cocktail bar Loma is the brainchild of Leishla Maldonado, of Puerto Rican heritage, and her partners, Osman and Yefri Cortave, both from Guatemala. It brings an authentic taste of Latin culture to the tiny island state. ‘We imagined a space that would feel like you were transported to a private home bar where everyone was invited,’ the Cortaves told us of the intimate space, which was designed by Becky Carter and enveloped in lacquered mahogany and lime-washed walls. A must-visit for cocktail lovers visiting the state.
Gui Temple Restaurant, Beijing
When the backdrop is as spectacular as the Gui Temple, less can definitely be more. But rather than mute its vision for this Beijing restaurant, DSC Design took design cues from the spectacular site, incorporating iconic motifs from the old order and subverting them with colour and scale. The Gui Temple restaurant is adjacent to the 700-year-old Hong’en Taoist temple in the Doufuchi Hutong (only recently opened to the public). It incorporates the landmark’s ceremonial drama and historic detail while injecting modernity and a few whimsical flourishes.
Bar Etoile, Los Angeles
French-American influences converge at new Melrose Park spot Bar Etoile, designed by local practice Lovers Unite for local wine purveyors Jill Bernheimer and Julian Kurland. The wine bar is housed inside a former warehouse, and embraces its industrial heritage with an oxidised palette anchored by a sit-up zinc bar. Warmer, deco elements add a homely feel, with wood panelled walls and sumptuous leather banquettes creating cosy, congenial nooks.
Two Thirds Coffee, Jakarta
We’ve hit fine dining and after-work drink spots, but at the other end of the spectrum, Jakarta’s Two Thirds Coffee demonstrates that casual doesn’t mean compromising design clout. The Pondok Indah listening bar turned coffee spot borrows from midcentury modernism and is wrapped in warm teak-style panelling with oculus skylights illuminating the interior. Furnishings include emerald Sukabumi stone squares and banquette seating, as well as a totem of vintage speakers that double as a visually striking focal point.
