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    Lina Stores South Kensington designed to “evoke the rhythm” of Italian espresso bars

    Interiors studio North End Design has applied the distinctive pistachio green synonymous with London’s popular Italian delicatessen and restaurant chain Lina Stores to the company’s newly opened branch in South Kensington.

    Positioned on the corner of Exhibition Road and Thurloe Square, the South Kensington restaurant is the seventh outpost of the well-known deli, which opened in Soho in 1944.
    The Lina Stores team worked with local studio North End Design to create an interior that balances the chain’s history with its most recent location.
    Lina Stores South Kensington includes the brand’s distinctive pistachio green”For South Kensington specifically, we added a more elevated look to mirror the neighbourhood,” Lina Stores told Dezeen.
    The brand’s “signature” pale green clads the facade, from which the deli’s recognisable stripy awning protrudes.

    Inside, the designers centred the restaurant around an open kitchen counter and coffee bar that wraps one side of the eatery and is topped with dark timber and stainless steel.
    The designers centred the restaurant around an open kitchen counterThis feature was chosen to reference the hustle and bustle found in traditional Roman and Milanese espresso bars.
    “These bars tend to be at the centre of their communities, which is very much how we see our restaurants and delicatessen when we open in a new neighbourhood,” explained the brand.
    Mismatched bentwood chairs provide seatingMismatched bentwood chairs and deep green banquettes were arranged around rectilinear tiled tables to create seating areas across the restaurant, which features a ceiling painted the same distinctive pistachio as the facade.
    Plump, leather-upholstered stools with fat cream-hued piping were also positioned at the bar – the focal point of the eatery where “everything happens”.
    Black and white photography and newspaper cuttings line the wallsThe team dressed the space with steel columns and beams – taking cues from classical Milanese colonnades – and painted them dark green “to evoke the rhythm of the architecture of Milan”, said Lina Stores.
    Chequerboard flooring features throughout the space, finished in a mixture of dark green mosaic and terrazzo tiles.
    Gloss lacquered sapele wall panelling matches the dark timber of the chairsGloss lacquered sapele wall panelling matches the dark timber of the dining chairs, while second-hand Tuscan credenzas and cabinets were sourced as waiter stations.
    “They were included for an elevated, vintage look,” Lina Stores said.
    Chequerboard flooring features throughout the spaceAcross the restaurant’s walls, a selection of vintage Italian black and white photography was combined with framed newspaper cuttings documenting Lina Stores’ history.
    “The collection and positioning of the artwork throughout the space has a spontaneous feel to it, like a wall at an old cafe that’s been added to organically over time,” explained the brand.

    Pirajean Lees draws on Japanese and Spanish design for Kioku restaurant and bar

    North End Design also added “opaline” globe lighting to the eatery, in a nod to the same bulbs illuminating Lina Stores’ original Brewer Street deli.
    “We take an individual approach to each one of our locations so no Lina Stores restaurant and delicatessen looks the same,” said the brand.
    “While all the restaurants are very much inspired by our first delicatessen, we see them as extensions and a way to further develop and bring in different elements of Italian design.”
    Globe lighting nods to the Brewer Street deliArchitecture studio Red Deer designed the first of the Lina Stores restaurants on Greek Street, minutes from the original deli. French designer Olivier Delannoy recently created the interiors for Daroco restaurant located just around the corner.
    The photography is by Adam Firman. 

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    Translucent tube forms Mexico City boba tea shop by Worc Studio

    Mexican studio Worc Studio has inserted a minimalist boba tea shop into a colonial building in Mexico City, where drinks are passed into a translucent vertical “tunnel”.

    Behind a traditional plaster facade with exposed stone trims, the compact Yoozoo shop in the Mexican capital’s Colonia Renacimiento neighbourhood emits a warm glow to entice passersby.
    Boba tea fans in Mexico City can order and collect the drinks inside a polycarbonate tube”The exterior facade is integrated into a typical colonial building that radiates a minimalist charm that takes customers into a captivating polycarbonate tunnel filled with soft light,” said Worc Studio.
    The shop solely sells variations of boba tea, or bubble tea – a drink that originated in Taiwan and is made of tea, milk, water, sugar and tapioca pearls.
    The customer area is wrapped by translucent material on three sidesTo order and receive their iced milky drinks, the only space that customers can access is a tiny double-height area directly in front of the door.

    “Occupying a small space, the design concept revolves around creating a journey for visitors, combining modern aesthetics with functionality,” said the studio.
    Drinks are ordered and collected through black-ringed portholesDown two steps from the street, they enter into a vertical polycarbonate “tunnel” that curves around to enclose the space on three sides.
    A circular light fixture above illuminates the translucent plastic and a singular blue-stone stool placed in the centre of the space.
    The Yoozoo logo is affixed to the polycarbonate shell”Here, customers are invited to interact with the space, not only selecting their preferred boba tea flavours, but also capturing moments of joy and excitement with friends or loved ones against the backdrop of the vibrant interior,” said Worc Studio.
    Two black-ringed portholes, one to the left and the other to the right, are used for placing and collecting drink orders.

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    The Yoozoo team prepares the drinks in the U-shaped space around the central tunnel, where counters and shelves wrap the perimeter.
    “The station behind the tunnel is designed to be efficient, with a streamlined counter and all the kitchen equipment,” Worc Studio said.
    The tiny space is illuminated by a circular light fixture aboveTall windows in the street facade offer glimpses into the preparation zone, but digital menu boards and decorative wrought-iron railings obscure most of the view.
    This ironwork is repeated in a contemporary style for the window frame and mullions above the door, and the Yoozoo logo which appears both inside and out.
    The minimalist interior contrasts the building’s colonial-style exteriorMexico City has its fair share of fun and unusual dining and drinking spaces, including a recently completed fast-casual restaurant where exposed concrete walls are covered in wavy green metal mesh.
    The bubble tea concept also lends itself to playful interiors, as seen at a London cafe where tiers of cork seating are arranged around brightly coloured tables.
    The photography is courtesy of Worc.

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    Teki Design creates Kyoto cafe as hub to “learn about the future of coffee”

    2050 Coffee is a minimalist self-service coffee shop in Kyoto designed to raise awareness about sustainability issues surrounding the future of the drink.

    According to architecture and interiors firm Teki Design, the coffee shop aims to interrogate “the 2050 coffee problem” – the fact that there could be a global scarcity of coffee the year 2050.
    Teki Design created the interiors for 2050 Coffee in Kyoto”Climate change might lead to a decrease in areas suitable for coffee cultivation,” Teki Design founder Tatsuya Nishinaga told Dezeen.
    “The current practice of enjoying the drink at coffee shops may become more of a luxury,” added the designer.
    The cafe features self-service machinesIn response, Teki Design wanted to create a stripped-back interior for the cafe, where customers come and “learn about the future of coffee”.

    2050 Coffee is spread over two open-plan levels and features large rectilinear windows on its facade, which reveal a monochrome interior.
    Polycarbonate counters display the machinesInside, smooth grey walls create a backdrop for curved and illuminated counters made from corrugated polycarbonate sheets, chosen for their “inexpensive and familiar” qualities.
    “While this material is often used for shed roofs due to its low cost and accessibility, it reflects light beautifully,” said Tatsuya.
    A small seating area features at one end of the ground floorThe counters display brightly lit self-service screens connected to sleek silver taps that produce five types of “sustainable” drip coffee in around 10 seconds.
    Polycarbonate was also applied to the cafe entrance to create a large, rounded sign emblazoned with the 2050 Coffee logo, which acts as a beacon when seen from afar.
    Upstairs, shelves display various coffee paraphernaliaA small seating area at one end of the ground floor was formed from understated black benches.
    Upstairs, more dark-hued seating was arranged next to a series of low-lit, chunky frame-shaped shelves displaying various coffee paraphernalia.
    The shelves are reflected in floor-to-ceiling mirrors, selected to add to the coffee shop’s futuristic feel.

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    As well as a cafe, 2050 Coffee is used as a space for various pop-up events that investigate coffee and sustainability.
    Tatsuya warned that despite these issues, drinking coffee is becoming more popular worldwide, adding to the problem.
    “As coffee consumption increases, particularly in Asian countries where tea has been the traditional choice, the balance between demand and supply may become disrupted,” he explained.
    “Creating a place where people can first learn and then think together is what we consider our approach to problem-solving.”
    2050 Coffee is positioned on a Kyoto street cornerPreviously completed coffee shops in Japan include a Tokyo cafe in a former warehouse and another in Kyoto clad in rapidly oxidised copper.
    The photography is by Kenta Hasegawa. 

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    Pirajean Lees draws on Japanese and Spanish design for Kioku restaurant and bar

    Studio Pirajean Lees paired oxblood tiles with intricate wooden joinery at the Kioku sushi restaurant and sake bar, within central London’s OWO hotel, to reference the head chef ‘s travels.

    Kioku consists of a bar on the ground floor and a restaurant on the top floor of the hotel within the Grade II*-listed Old War Office on Whitehall, which once housed the British government’s military departments.
    Pirajean Lees created Kioku, meaning “memory” in Japanese, to capture sushi master Endo Kazutoshi’s recollections of living and working in Japan and Spain.
    Kioku bar is located on the ground floor of The OWOLocated on the ground floor of the hotel, the single-room bar is accessed via a door framed with smooth timber joinery informed by the traditional Japanese carpentry technique Sashimono.
    Guests are greeted by a bespoke oak reception desk featuring embroidered floral textiles and mesh detailing as well as a light-controlled sake cellar clad with patchwork cork panels.

    All of Kioku’s furniture was custom-made by Pirajean Lees, explained studio co-founder James Lees.
    The bar features a light-controlled sake cellar”We share a passion for storytelling and an obsession with details, from the way your hand touches the backrest of a chair, to the height of the table,” said the designer.
    “From the outset, we knew that the level of attention to detail in the interior had to match that found in the food being served.”
    Japanese records can be played on a bespoke turntableThe bar’s floor plan was subtly stepped to provide “elevated views” for each of its intimate seating areas, rather than relegate guests to hidden corners of the room, said Lees.
    A wide selection of sake is served at an oversized and curved central bar designed with knobbly timber cladding.
    Kioku restaurant is located on the hotel’s rooftopHandcrafted tiles and a gridded carpet finished in oxblood red were used to create the flooring, while deep red dado and natural clay walls also nod to the space’s Spanish influence.
    In one corner, a bespoke turntable is positioned for guests to play a selection of Japanese records from Endo’s personal collection.
    Bow details were carved into the dining chairsThe Kioku restaurant is contained within a long room on the north side of the hotel’s rooftop, with panoramic views of central London. Entered through timber double doors, the eatery features similar design accents to the bar.
    Wooden frames and boxy mirrored “portals” were used to delineate spaces within the main dining area, which includes L-shaped banquettes and oak dining chairs upholstered with Japanese embroidered silk.
    The chef’s table was positioned opposite the open kitchenBow details were carved into the chairs to emulate the seating at Endo’s favourite hotel in the city of Yokohama. Subtle versions of the bow motif are echoed downstairs on the bar’s wooden tables.
    Pirajean Lees constructed a private dining room with a chef’s table at one end of the restaurant, built above an intimate outdoor cigar terrace that overlooks The OWO’s central courtyard.
    Panoramic views of central London can be seen from the main terraceEncased by a curved glass roof, the extension was positioned opposite the open kitchen to allow guests to watch their dishes being prepared. Retractable mesh screens were also fitted for privacy.
    The main terrace includes timber dining tables and chairs with Mediterranean-style terracotta and mustard upholstery surrounded by lush plants.

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    At the end of the terrace, a historic turret overlooking St James’ Park and Horse Guards Parade features another eight-seat private dining room with soft linen curtains and an oak table illuminated by an oversized rice paper pendant light.
    Pirajean Lees chose a striking yellow rug for the circular floor to reference the sun, while the round ceiling was hand-painted with an inky indigo mural by British artist Tess Newall in an ode to the contrasting moon – recognisable motifs found in Japanese mythology.
    A historic turret houses another private dining space”We design to create emotional spaces grounded in their story, rather than interiors purely driven by aesthetics,” reflected studio co-founder Clémence Pirajean.
    Founded in 2017 by Pirajean and Lees, the studio has applied its eclectic style to various other London projects – from the “timeless” interiors of music venue Koko’s members’ club to a Mayfair restaurant with an Arts and Crafts-style design.
    The photography is by Polly Tootal.

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    Venetian palazzo informs “elegant and unexpected” interiors of Hotel Bella Grande

    Bold red-and-white checkerboard tiles and colourful upholstered banquettes lend an Italian feel to the atrium of this Copenhagen hotel designed by local studio Tonen.

    Malene Bech-Pedersen and Mette Bonavent of Tonen oversaw the design of Hotel Bella Grande, which occupies a historic building close to Copenhagen City Hall.
    Constructed in 1899, the five-storey building retained many characterful features but was in need of refurbishment to maximise its potential and bring it up to modern standards.
    Tonen has refurbished a hotel informed by a Venetian palazzoTonen aimed to create interiors for the 109-room hotel that are timeless yet contemporary and combine a sense of nostalgic charm with modern sophistication.
    “For the interior of Hotel Bella Grande we had two important pointers,” said the designers. “First of all to create a design hotel that is a true treat to the eye, and second to highlight the historic and very classic architecture of the building.”

    “The hotel rooms should be luxurious, with high-quality materials and references to midcentury Italian design,” they added. “The interior design plays with a nostalgia that is utterly elegant, but also unexpected.”
    The hotel occupies a historic building close to Copenhagen City HallInspiration for the project came from a trip to Italy, where Bech-Pedersen and Bonavent were impressed by a Venetian palazzo with an open-air central courtyard and peach-coloured walls.
    The atrium at Hotel Bella Grande has a roof light that allows natural light to flood into a bright and welcoming space containing colourful furnishings, floral arrangements and marble-tiled floors that enhance the al-fresco feel.
    Marble tiled floors feature in the bright atrium”We went for ‘wow’,” said the designers of their approach to the interiors, and particularly the reception and courtyard areas that are the first guests encounter upon entering the building.
    “This should be a very one-of-a-kind experience, and nothing like you would normally experience in the centre of Copenhagen.”

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    The atrium was previously a dark and underused space that required significant upgrades to become a prominent focal point within the scheme.
    Soundproof windows were added to all the rooms that overlook the courtyard. All four internal walls were covered in acoustic foam which, along with the soft furnishings, helps to reduce sound reverberation within the space.
    Tonen looked to give the hotel’s rooms and suites a calming atmosphere through the use of muted colours and sophisticated details, such as the coordinated upholstered armchairs and fabric lampshades from Danish brand Oi soi oi.
    The hotel also contains a restaurantThe hotel also contains an Italian restaurant called Donna, with a lively and vibrant interior defined by its use of moody red and pink hues.
    The dining room’s dark red ceiling is complemented by blood-red couches and pink curtains that were designed to create an atmosphere of romance, but have a touch of mystery for the space to take on a nightclub vibe later in the evenings.
    Guests can choose to dine in the main restaurant or in the atrium space, while a laid-back cocktail lounge provides a cosy spot for pre-dinner drinks or late-night conversations.
    An internal courtyard is overlooked by the hotel bedroomsTonen was involved in every detail of the hotel’s interior fit-out, sourcing vintage objects and artworks to sit alongside contemporary pieces including furniture from &Tradition, bedside lamps by Tom Dixon, side tables from Polspotten and bespoke vanities made by by Københavns Møbelsnedkeri.
    “Both Bella and Donna are very much unmistakable expressions of our style,” claimed Bech-Pedersen and Bonavent. “We love the historic references, mixing vintage with new design and the use of materials that age beautifully.”
    The restaurant interior is defined by red and pink huesHotel Bella Grande is owned by Copenhagen Food Collective, a Copenhagen-based group operating 18 restaurants around the city. Tonen has worked on interiors for several of Cofoco’s properties, including Coco Hotel and Restaurant Delphine.
    Other recent restaurant interiors on Dezeen include a steel-and-mirror space in London’s Mayfair area and a Frankfurt restaurant with lime-wash walls.
    The photography is courtesy of Tonen.

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    Jolie creates temporary restaurant with “aesthetic and sensory” materials in Frankfurt

    Interior design studio Jolie has completed The Nest restaurant with lime-wash walls and natural materials that is designed to be relocated in five years time.

    Set above an underground car park in Frankfurt, the restaurant was designed for future relocation using modular construction and lightweight materials to minimise its impact on the site as well as maximise material reuse.
    The temporary restaurant will operate for five years”The temporary nature of The Nest had a significant influence on its design, guiding many key decisions to ensure sustainability, flexibility, and minimal environmental impact,” Jolie founder Franky Rousell told Dezeen.
    “The need to keep the structure lightweight, due to its location above a car park, meant that every material was chosen not only for its aesthetic and sensory qualities but also for its weight.”
    Lime-wash walls and natural materials decorate the spaceThe restaurant has a bright dining area lined with wooden tables and chairs fronted by full-height glazing.

    A bar, with a curved counter that wraps around an oversized column, divides the space and is lined with a raised seating area.
    Hues of red, green and brown are used throughout the interiorLime-wash paint, glossy laminates and plastered walls line the tactile interior. Hues of red, green and brown permeate the space and are set off by neutral-toned ceilings, floors and furnishings.
    “The tactile elements are designed to evoke comfort and luxury,” Rousell said.
    “Surfaces like cool pink marble at the bar and natural wood and soft textiles in the outdoor lounge area invite touch and contribute to a relaxed yet refined environment.”

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    A curved motif is repeated throughout the space, with two rounded seating areas nestled into individual corners and complete with plush cushions.
    Doorways, shelving units and countertops are similarly finished with rounded edges.
    A curved motif is repeated throughout the restaurantSituated behind the main restaurant is a separate kitchen area that runs along the length of the structure.
    Meanwhile, an external wooden patio backed with greenery provides additional seating sheltered by parasols at the restaurant’s front.
    Additional seating is provided outdoorsJolie is an interior design studio based in the UK founded by Rousell in 2017.
    Other restaurant interiors recently featured on Dezeen include a London restaurant that balances steel and mirrors with wood and leather and a New York restaurant with a buttery yellow interior.
    The photography is by Billy Bolton.

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    Tutto Bene balances steel and mirrors with wood and leather in Nightingale restaurant

    Design studio Tutto Bene drew on “the sombre elegance of theatre and museum lobby cafes” when creating the interiors for the Nightingale restaurant in London.

    The 60-square-metre space, which opens to a courtyard in London’s Mayfair neighbourhood, references Viennese coffee houses, known locally as Kaffeehäuser.
    “We thought London is missing spaces with the atmosphere that we know Kaffeehäuser for,” Tutto Bene co-founder Oskar Kohnen told Dezeen.
    Nightingale’s interior draws on Vienna’s coffee housesNightingale’s “stage-like” dining room was also informed by “the sombre elegance of theatre and museum lobby cafes”, Kohnen said.
    “Nightingale’s sloped ceiling, abundant drops of fabric curtains, as well as the curtain-like wall panelling play on this idea,” he explained.

    The restaurant has a colour palette that emphasises green and cream colours, with a floor made of cement tiles in various green hues.
    A pale green floor contrasts with white wallsCream-coloured walls and curtains contrast against silvery details, with a monolithic stainless-steel bar functioning as the room’s centrepiece.
    “The courtyard plant life suggested the green colour,” studio co-founder Felizia Berchtold told Dezeen.
    “Based on this we added light and shadow through layers of black and white,” she added. “The surfaces interacting with the daylight create an abundance of hues in an overall calm tonality. It’s simple but dramatic.”
    Tutto Bene added a stainless-steel counter as a centrepieceMirrored, tiled columns add to the theatrical feel of the space, for which Berchtold also designed the sculptural Satellite Pendant, a spinning chandelier.
    It was manufactured by the Austrian brand Kalmar, which has a history of designing lights for Viennese coffee houses, and features pleated cream lampshades that orbit around a steel axis.

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    “I initially drew the lamp during my travels in Japan last spring,” Berchtold said.
    “It was inspired by paintings of sea roses and the craft of fan making, as well as ideas around motion and dance. We developed the design together throughout the year.”
    Felizia Berchtold designed the Satellite Pendant lamp for the restaurantKalmar’s vintage glass scones decorate the mirrored glass columns, while Tutto Bene’s angular Sketch lamp sits on the wait station and its round Oblo lights can be found on the ridged walls.
    The studio also worked with a variety of materials to give the space a tactile feel.
    Nightingale features tables made from burl wood and stainless steel, which was also used for the bar and as a detail on the wait station, where it contrasts against swathes of cream cloth.
    The studio also designed the furniture for the spaceTutto Bene’s Cafe Chair, made from stained wood and saddle leather, was used for seating along with wooden benches in the same style.
    “The material palette balances crisp and formal materials such as steel and tiles with texture and playful warmth, resembled in the ever-changing drapes of fabric, the burl wood tables and saddle leather chairs,” Berchtold said.
    Tutto Bene recently created a Streamline Moderne-informed New York store for eyewear brand Cubitts. Also in Mayfair, design studio Pirajean Lees designed an Arts-and-Crafts inspired restaurant called 20 Berkeley.
    The photography is by Ludovic Balay.

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    GRT Architects creates buttery yellow interior for San Sabino restaurant

    Yellow hues make for a sunny environment inside this restaurant in New York’s West Village, designed by Brooklyn-based studio GRT Architects.

    For San Sabino, GRT Architects once again teamed up with chefs Angie Rito and Scott Tacinelli, with whom they worked on the neighbouring Don Angie restaurant.
    San Sabino’s historic facade was restored and painted pale grey to constrast the yellow interiorWith a very different menu and aesthetic, the new space is typified by buttery yellow interiors that contrast its pale grey facade.
    Both restaurants occupy the same wedge-shaped building on Greenwich Avenue, in what used to be a trio of retail spaces with “diminutive storefronts”.
    An interior wall was partially removed to connect the bar and dining areasThe facades were restored and windows were uncovered, returning the historic corner to its former glory.

    “Under many layers of paint and filler we found the original storefronts clad in copper sheet that seemed only better for neglect with a charming verdigris and patina,” said GRT Architects.
    A stainless steel ribbon above the bar fronts the lower connects and connects through to the dining spaceInside, a thick brick wall was partially removed to unify the spaces, while still visually separating the bar area from the main dining zone.
    A ribbon of stainless steel above the bar wraps around to connect the two, with custom polished brass sconces affixed at intervals onto the undulating surface.
    Ribbed leather banquettes and custom light boxes creates intimate moments”This horizontality is reprised at the bar with a shapely solid pewter rail, echoed by stainless nosings set into the bar die,” GRT Architects said.
    Low-slung ribbed banquettes covered in warm caramel-hued leather surround the perimeter, notably below a mirrored side wall with light boxes installed between the reflective panels.

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    Mottled grey stone floor tiles are patterned with smaller, glossy yellow circles and squares, riffing on a classic carreaux d’octagones pattern.
    The handmade yellow tiles were also installed behind the bar, while the ceilings are padded and upholstered to help with acoustics.
    The sunny daytime mood becomes more sophisticated at night thanks to the lighting scheme”Naturally this was an excuse to play with pattern and texture,” said the team. “The dining room features a winking vermiculated print while the bar tips luxe with a woven jacquard.”
    Overall, the vibrant color scheme and the cool metal tones come together to create a playful yet sophisticated dining environment, which shifts dramatically from day to night and reflects the spins on the Southern Italian cuisine served.
    The warmth of the yellow tones contrasts the cool metals to create a playful aestheticGRT Architects was founded by Tal Schori and Rustam-Marc Mehta in 2014, and over the past decade has built up a portfolio of projects in New York City.
    Among these are several Manhattan restaurants, including the similarly sunny Cucina Alba in Chelsea and the maximalist Bad Roman on Columbus Circle.
    The daytime photography is by Nicole Franzen. The nighttime photography is by Alice Gao.

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