In Brooklyn, a new corner bistro encourages friends to gather

Designers Kiki Goti and Vincent Starapoli are new to the world of hospitality, but they haven’t put a foot wrong at Entre Nous, a corner bistro in Brooklyn’s Clinton Hill that recalls ‘the unpretentious elegance of Old World European bistros’ with a lived-in warmth.

Partners in the young Brooklyn and Paris-based architecture and design firm The House Special Studio, Goti and Starapoli have branched out from furnishings and film, respectively, to create this neighbourhood haven, run by husband and wife restaurateurs Clement Besset and Allie Prater-Besset.

The design works on the premise that classic, casual furnishings, subtle colour and warm lighting can inspire friends and family to connect and savour. Painting the walls with creamy whites and introducing Bordeaux tones, they created a refined but approachable balance that emphasises the original mouldings and stained-glass windows of the modest space. New terrazzo floors with hints of blue, brown and red evoke classic European interiors.

Photography: Sean Davidson

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At the centre of the room is a copper bar that pays homage to Aux Deux Amis in Paris, where owner Clement Besset started his hospitality career. He says he wanted to introduce the ‘apero’ tradition to Clinton Hill through subtle elegance. The designers wrapped the base of the bar in the same cherry wood they used to create the restaurant’s custom cabinetry. A deep, continuous banquette backed by mirrored panelling gives the room a cinematic quality.

Naturally creative lighting is a feature and hits the right moody tone: a Soho Home chandelier with vintage vibes; milky glass pendants by &Tradition; tinted-glass sconces by New Zealand designer Frangere; red pendants from Verpan; and two ceramic sconces by French designer Violaine d’Harcourt.

‘This is a neighborhood where the food scene is still quiet,’ says Staropoli, ‘but it’s just a few blocks from the busy streets of Fort Greene, so we wanted to create a moment for invitation and a sense that it’s always been there.’

Bentwood French bistro chairs seat 55 and can be moved into flexible configurations from day—when the restaurant opens with fresh bread, pastries and coffee—into night, when natural wines take over. The designers leaned hard into the vintage aesthetic for the powder rooms, bringing in Zia patterned tiles with Belle Epoque sconces flanking the retro mirror.

Entre Nous opened on 1 January with a wine list in the thousands, including 400 cuvées and an extensive by-the-glass programme. The menu reflects Besset’s Brittany background, emphasising chilled seafood and classic French classics.