São Paulo restaurant Santokki celebrates the golden age of Japanese design

In São Paulo, new Japanese restaurant Santokki leans into the 1970s, drawing inspiration from the golden age of Japanese graphic design and a warm, rich midcentury palette for its nostalgic interiors.

The Vila Madalena hotpot spot is the brainchild of husband-and-wife chef duo Júlia Tricate and Gabriel Coelho. The creative pair tapped local studio Tadu Arquitetura to conjure the 166 sq m restaurant’s interiors, dividing the long space with wood-and-steel panels inset with porthole windows to create a series of more intimate dining nooks.

Continuing the retro vibe, tubular metal chairs are upholstered in cream vinyl — the same colour as the ’70s-style two and four-seater tables — while a wall of chunky glass bricks enhances the atmosphere and keeps light flowing through the space. Raw concrete pillars and exposed beams lend an industrial edge.

‘Santokki was conceived as a space for “creative Asian” cuisine, where the menu and branding unfold as key elements in design decisions,’ explains Tadu Arquitetura. ‘To reflect the plurality of dishes, we drew inspiration from architectural approaches across the globe — from Chinatown to Seoul, passing through Tokyo, São Paulo, and Beijing.’

This inspiration comes through in the details: vintage lightbox signage and nostalgic packaging nod to pan-Asian convenience stores. At the restaurant’s entrance, a small shop is stocked with Asian food products and brightly coloured beverages in vibrant packaging. An industrial orange strip curtain separates the retail space from the dining area, adding to the sense of discovery.