Chefs and owners sound off on the trends reshaping the restaurant industry, a new design archetype emerges from the humble bro apartment, and a beloved Barbican space is set for a thoughtful transformation by 2030. All that and more in this week’s Five on Friday.
Restaurateurs tell all!
Photo courtesy of Adobe Stock
The New York Times not only released its list of the 50 best restaurants of 2026. It also interviewed chefs and owners about the state of the industry, and you better believe they have some strong opinions. For starters, the proliferation of GLP-1s has been felt industry-wide. Fewer apps and desserts are hitting the table, and alcohol has become an afterthought for many. The ubiquitous din of “influencers” is also waning. No matter the impact of social media, people actually paying for their dishes really move the needle. Perhaps the most surprising shift is the popularity of earlier reservations. 6 p.m. is surpassing 8:00 p.m. as primetime, which must be a trend outside of New York because it’s still impossible to even get a 5 p.m. reservation at Thai Diner at any hour. Eradicating the tableside spiel and trends from AI to proteinmaxxing are also explored in this candid examination of the restaurant world today. Eat up!
Str8 bois’ bedrooms: The future of design?
From crash pads to bro homes, the aesthetic of the cis-gendered heterosexual male is among the most unmistakable. Defined by unrelated assemblages—think basic appliances with limited seating and disproportionate emphasis on technological ephemera—set against stark, barren backdrops of cheap beige carpet and lifeless white walls, the lifestyle of the transient ascetic male is more ubiquitous than we think. According to Cultured, these fellas are “enabled by various forms of supply chain urbanism,” yielding interiors reflective of “many of the Western avant-garde design codes of minimal living established over the last century.” Dubbed Existenzminimum, the aesthetic reflects an ethos well-embedded in history and perhaps our most prime example of minimal modern living. Anybody else suddenly in the mood for a few episode of “Interior Motives?”
Barbican Sculpture Court to become public space
The Barbican Sculpture Court in London; photo by Will Speros
For this writer, no trip to London is complete without a visit to the brutalist mecca that is the Barbican Centre. On my latest visit back in May, I was delighted to find the Sculpture Court heaping with an earthen installation by Colombian artist Delcy Morelos. The installation may be among the last, however, as the Barbican Sculpture Court is set to undergo revitalization into a fully accessible public space by 2030. Wallpaper reports the revamp will occur as part of the broader Barbican Renewal, a long-term conservation program aimed at restoring the space ahead of its 50th anniversary. Led by architects Allies and Morrison in collaboration with Buro Happold, the Sculpture Court will be upgraded with climate-resilient planting, enhanced lighting and infrastructure, accessible seating and pathways, step-free access, and sleeker wayfinding. All updates will be made to safeguard the space’s heritage status as a Grade II-listed landscape as well.
Don’t miss “The History of Concrete”
John Wilson spoke at HD Summit 2022; photo by PWP Studio
“How to with John Wilson” fans rejoice! The prolific documentarian is gracing the big screen this fall with a new feature, “The History of Concrete.” Unsurprisingly, the movie is exactly what it sounds like. In an examination of the trillion-dollar concrete industry, Wilson unpacks not only the ubiquity of the material but also how its prevalence in the built environment reflects the crumbling systems and institutions around us in 2026. Fans of his show will remember Wilson purchased the Ridgewood, Queens building he’s long-resided in, and his role as a landlord (offering affordable rent, mind you) factors into the film as well. The movie takes Wilson from Las Vegas and New Orleans to Ohio and Rome, while he navigates the environmental cost of concrete with companies working to reduce embodied carbon and exploring 3D printing. Of course, if anyone can make the quotidian profound, it’s Wilson. Dive into Dwell’s review to learn more.
Meet BD’s 2026 Ones to Watch
Eleven emerging hospitality professionals have been named among Boutique Design’s 2026 Ones to Watch. Nominated by peers and mentors selected by the BD editorial team, honorees will be recognized for their innovative projects and their impact on the hospitality industry during the Gold Key Awards gala on November 9th in New York. This year’s Ones to Watch are: Alison Clark, Stonehill Taylor; Jorge Diaz, Left Lane Development; Molly Dunn, Parker Torres Design; Maria Harmon, Workstead; Brittany LeBlanc, DyeLot; Sinhea Lee, JCJ Architecture; René Quickle, Omni Hotels & Resorts; Carly Roberts, Suomi Design Works; Daphne Shin, the Ruimte; Holland Shodeen, KTGY; and Justin Warner, Klai Juba Wald Architecture + Interiors.