London-based design firm Jestico + Whiles has crafted the new eatery Alston Bar & Beef in the Victorian Corn Exchange of Manchester, England. Beyond an unassuming entrance, a modest lobby greets guests with handpainted floor-to-ceiling murals as well as a chandelier made from carved felt. A raw steel staircase accented with etched glass lenses leads to a clandestine, subterranean hall punctuated by a network of new and old elements that express the intricate building overhead.
Carved from solid marble, the restaurant’s bar glows against a backlit glass screen tinted in an amber shade reminiscent of medicine bottles. Across the 160-seat dining room, a mural from locally based street artist Tank Petrol is installed to echo Jestico + Whiles’ design narrative.
