Once in a while, we like to get out of our own kitchens and dine out. We deserve it — removing the stress of doing the cooking and then cleaning up makes for a remarkable experience. Although the main added benefit of dining out is being able to laze around, drink some good wine and eat delicious food, the interior design of a restaurant can also influence and enhance the experience.
Harvey Jones, the luxury kitchens specialists, know how to spot an extraordinary interior and has provided us with a list of some of the best restaurants around the world that you must have on your bucket list!
Ammo Restaurant, Hong Kong
If you like to dine in style, head to the Ammo Restaurant in Hong Kong for that Great Gatsby experience. Abbreviated from Asia, Modern, Museum, and Original, the contemporary restaurant and bar is located on a former explosives compound — generating a much more thrilling escapade.
Although the restaurant has similarities to the Great Gatsby set design that we all know and love, interior designer Joyce Wang actually had a different inspiration for this passion project — a classic science fiction film noir, Alphaville. The robust setting includes industrial materials such as copper plumbing pipes that create breathtaking chandeliers shaped like spiral staircases.
The design includes raw and urban elements with luxury finishes, allowing the restaurant to have a standout appeal to its competitors, using a mix of marble resources that required 30 cuts to highlight the intense tones within the material.
Joben Bistro, Romania
For a more chilled evening with your friends, head to Joben Bistro for a night full of entertainment. The bistro is located on an urban street and looks like a small and regular café from the outside. But once you enter, the mysterious steampunk vibes are soon unveiled and your smartphone is soon pulled out to start snapping for Instagram.
Separated into three different rooms, the main aesthetics channel a 19th century Britain with a focus on science fiction — although the inspiration for its design came from novelists H.G Wells, author of The Time Machine, and Jules Verne, author of Around the World in Eighty Days. The edgy look highlights the importance of ambient light, which allows the metallic objects to pop off the wall.
The dark walls, bricked focal points and wooden furniture show that mixed materials in such an absorbent environment make for a good and unique experience. From floating blimps to rustic bicycles and overcasting lampshades (such as top hat lights), a trip to Joben Bistro is well worth it.
New York Grill, Tokyo
If astonishing views are what you’re after, the New York Grill is located on the 52nd floor of the Park Hyatt Hotel. With floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city landscape, booking a table early is recommended to create a remarkable experience. But the enormous square windows aren’t the only aspect that make the interior so desirable…
The high ceilings and narrow room create an intimate atmosphere for guests — and this was done intentionally, becoming an instant hot spot for date nights and anniversaries. Simplicity was kept in mind when John Morford designed the restaurant, which was later used as a filming location for the Oscar-winning film, Lost in Translation.
Adding more colour to the room are four paintings by Italian artist, Valerio Adami, specifically designed to accompany the contemporary design of the restaurant, enhancing the dining experience. Not only does the dining area look extraordinary, the open-kitchen creates a more memorable visit! If you love your wine, this restaurant even has a cellar that can hold up to 1,800 bottles.
Nobu, Dubai
On your next visit to Dubai, you must book a table at the Nobu restaurant in the five-star hotel, Atlantis The Palm. The restaurant is owned by Chef Nobu Matsuhisa and has been designed to tell a story — in line with its oriental theme throughout. However, with the restaurant being located on the sunny beaches of Dubai, the Rockwell Group that designed the interior kept a collaboration of two countries in mind.
The textures that are used throughout the restaurant reflect the Japanese countryside where Nobu grew up — however, at the same time, they nicely complement and celebrate its location on the beachfront of Dubai. With separate rooms enabling private and communal areas, the interior has been designed to fit all needs.
The private rooms are surrounded by wooden shelves, home to glowing bottles of champagne. Splitting this up are misshaped pieces of artwork that are in line with traditional Japanese appeal — blossom flowers. In the centre of the room sits a round table that can accommodate ten people in total, allowing parties to flourish in private. When it comes to the open areas, the space feels more inclusive through the use of three-dimensional abaca panels that have been woven simultaneously to represent the motion of the waves. The wooden tables and panels, accompanied with orange walls create that desert feeling all travellers in Dubai wish for — allowing for a more mesmerising experience.
noburestaurants.com/dubai/experience
German Gymnasium, London
Elegance is one word to describe the German Gymnasium in London — a restaurant and bar located between King’s Cross and St. Pancras. Originally built to host Britain’s National Olympic Games, the interior design has developed over time creating a more luxurious venue. What makes the interior of the German Gymnasium so marvelous is the restoration of its historic features, including the cast steel columns and climbing hooks.
However, the ultra-modern twist has created an appeal to high society. The restaurant and bar stands out through its symmetrical design, with two elevating staircases rising at either side of the bar with lighting guiding the way on the flooring. The bar itself is a main focal point, with lit-up shelves stocking the finest (and most colourful) drinks on the market. Bar stools are placed perfectly with circular lamps on the marble counter creating a classier surface.
When it comes to the table placement, there is a centrepiece which creates four booths with a bouquet of flowers on the top. Other tables around the floor are accompanied with pastel pink chairs which look ever so stylish with the ambient lighting in the room.
Now, it’s up to you to decide which is better — the food or the interior design. However, we know they will complement each other nicely to benefit your entire personal dining experience. Enjoy!
Main image courtesy of the German Gymnasium
