5 Incredible Restaurant Designs To Inspire You

The ambiance and environment of your restaurant are nearly as important as your food. (tweet this)

Consider a J.D. Powers and Associates study that found that overall customer satisfaction hinged on the overall dining experience and these four factors of near equal importance.

• Cost: 21%
• Environment: 24%
• Service: 25%
• Food: 30%

This tells us that dining out is about so much more than the food. Diners like the feeling they get from dining out, and your restaurant design contributes to it.

In this article, we look at five incredible designs to inspire you.

#1: Bodega Taqueria y Tequila

Located in Miami Beach, Florida, this restaurant’s décor is bright, cheery and nearly as flavorful as its food.

Housed in a massive alleyway warehouse, its owner and designer decided it was time for a restaurant/bar concept to stand out in Miami.

Full of energy, funky doesn’t quite go far enough to describe this restaurant bursting with liveliness.

One of the most unique aspects of this restaurant is the kitchen and order counter. They are designed from a repurposed vintage Airstream trailer.

When it comes to colors, the Bodega greets diners in the taqueria with subway tiles, street art and energetic teal walls. Neon pink lighting complements the space enveloping diners in a soft glow.

The design encompasses an industrial aspect. The light fixtures and bulbs suspended from the ceiling harken to another era, yet with a modern twist. Natural light flows into the space through large windows and sliding garage doors.

An almost secret entrance in the back leads to the large bar area, which is a hot spot during the evening. Guests wander through a speakeasy-style entrance and a Porta-Potty door into a small hallway. You might feel like you’re in the New York subway, because the hallway is filled with graffiti on the walls and urinals as décor.

If you’re a local, you’ll pass right by this bar entrance and enter through an ultra-disguised doorway where the owner made it look like a walk-in cooler.

The bar is truly something to behold – it was created from reclaimed barn wood and spans 45 feet. The room itself features 20-foot ceilings and white-washed walls.

Sitting in the bar, customers feel super cozy lounging in a room that feels more like a living room. It’s an intimate space for conversation, encouraging customers to stick around on banquettes upholstered in red velvet and denim.

As a final nod to their eclectic space, this restaurant designed their bathrooms to look like outhouses with sheet metal roofing, more barn wood and bronze light fixtures.

The design of this restaurant/bar is truly one of a kind and certainly contributes to its popularity.

Visit Bodega Taueria y Tequila

#2: The Chase

Located in Toronto, The Chase is a gorgeous, clean-lined, modern restaurant filled with oodles of elegance.

Walking in the door of this restaurant, diners find themselves transported back in time when service, luxury and elegance were part of the overall restaurant experience.

Diners visiting The Chase are met with an atmosphere similar to an elegant home in the city. They’ll find a cloakroom, bar area with a library, formal dining room, wine room and kitchen all in one space but divided in such a way that they’ll feel pampered.

The entire restaurant and all of its spaces are bound together by a distinctly white palette. You’ll notice crisp white everywhere from the paint to the molding and the ornamented ceiling.

Designers used Cararra marble and chocolate limestone in the restaurant and then peppered polished nickel, glass and mirror elements everywhere. Crystal light fixtures as well as traditional pendant lighting increase the decadent feel in The Chase.

While traditional tables and chairs exist, most diners will find the sofa-like banquettes a welcoming place to dine.

The Chase is a fresh, light and airy restaurant with a great nod toward comfort. Casual elegance makes it an original, great place to dine.

Visit: The Chase

#3: Väkst

Completely different, Väkst created an indoor garden right inside their restaurant. In fact, the centerpiece of the entire restaurant, located in Copenhagen, is an indoor greenhouse created with recycled materials.

Dedicated to the principles of environmental sustainability, this restaurant worked hard to design a space that reduced waste while offering unique, historic materials.

The shelves behind the bar come from file drawers from the National Museum of Denmark’s archive, and the counter is made from old factory floorboards.

With lights draped from the ceiling, and recycled milk cans as light fixtures, the restaurant sends a nod to industrial design, yet it remains cozy with the infusion of greenery on shelves, tables and hanging from the ceiling.

The restaurant’s Mahogany surfaces came from an old grandstand at Lyngby stadium.

The name of the restaurant, Väkst, is the Danish word for growth. So, it stands to reason that this restaurant serves a vegetable-based menu. That is then carried through its design and abundant greenery.

The restaurant reflects the idea of a city and a garden, yet it is an organic space, and diners will feel like they’re eating outside in a luxurious garden.

Visit Väkst

#4: Mrs. Pound

Mrs. Pound, located in Hong Kong, based its design on the legend of two star-crossed lovers who secretly reunite in midlife.

The Mrs. Pound speakeasy restaurant carries its own secret as it is tucked behind the façade of an old stamp shop. Why the disguise?

Mrs. Pound was legendary burlesque dancer who abruptly disappeared. It’s said she left with her lover, Mr. Ming, a conservative, wealthy gentleman from Hong Kong.

He loved her so, it’s said he gave her his favorite stamp shop as her own domain. He then keeps the shopfront to hide Mrs. Pound and keep her location a secret. The speakeasy is their supposed clandestine meeting spot.

Diners have to press a secret stamp hidden in an illuminated glass case to enter.

Once inside, customers are met with a vibrant green wall and masculine dining area filled with memorabilia of Mrs. Pound.

Downstairs, diners are introduced to Mrs. Pound’s glamour with pink leather banquettes and mirrored lights.

The story and the disguise landed this restaurant on the list of designs to inspire you.

Visit Mrs. Pound

#5: Super Chix

You’ll find Super Chix in north Dallas. It is designed as a classy chicken joint.

Designers wanted to create a kid-friendly environment, yet they wanted an upscale feel. Super Chix is fast-casual, or perhaps it’s better called fine-casual. Why? Its superior design sets it apart from other similar restaurants.

When you walk into Super Chix, you’ll note, like the other restaurant designs we’ve mentioned today, a fresh, modern feel.

The Dallas Eater proclaimed Super Chix one of the best fancy fast food spots in Dallas. The fancy comes from the restaurant’s design.

With a color palette that is distinctly black, grey and yellow, it oozes freshness and is warm and welcoming.

Polished concrete floors and a black ceiling wrap white brick walls with hand-drawn graphics. The restaurant features wood banquettes and free-standing tables.

All of the furniture was created locally as a nod to their dedication to locally-sourced items.

Guests young and old will appreciate the back patio with chalk art stations and a children’s fort that looks like a chicken coop. There’s even seating outside for adults.

If you’re looking for a great chicken sandwich in a restaurant with definite modern charm, Super Chix is it.

Visit: Super Chix

Final Thoughts

When your customers visit your restaurant, it’s for so many reasons. The may feel good in your restaurant because of the environment you’ve created. And, if you’ve gone above and beyond, they may feel like they’re on a mini-vacation during their meal.

Your food is much more appetizing when you pair it with an extraordinary space, unique touches, inviting lighting and comfortable furniture. (tweet this)

So, if you’re building a new restaurant, or planning a few new touches, consider the drama you can create to improve the ambiance and make your restaurant stand out in the crowd.

Did you visit an incredible restaurant and note its spectacular design when creating your own plans? Have you ever been to a restaurant whose design inspired you? We’d love to hear about your experiences. Please share below.

Images: Gerry Roarty and Casey Lee