Around the world, restaurants and bars are upping the ante with experiential and immersive concepts that reimagine what restaurant design can be. Here, we showcase a selection of newly opened establishments that showcase the breadth of our industry and offer far more than just delectable meal.

Goddard & Gibbs, London

Courtesy of hospitality company Lore Group, seafood restaurant Goddard & Gibbs is housed within the newly opened One Hundred Shoreditch hotel, the former Ace Hotel. The design is “elevated yet not too serious,” says Lore Group creative director Jacu Strauss, who imbued the space with a playful sense of nostalgia. Consider motifs like the crossed fish icons that are inspired by the original Victorian gates of Billingsgate Fish Market in East London or the fish corkscrew, which represents the wine bar. The standout yellow sculpture centerpiece was based on Strauss’ memories of trips to the seaside as a child, with angled mirrors used to redirect patrons’ eyes back to it. All the elements lend themselves to what Strauss calls “a completely approachable experience.”

Mother, Bangkok

When guests walk into Mother, Thailand-based studio Taste Space wanted patrons to “feel close to nature,” says assistant director and partner Anyarin Jermsitthiwong. As such, guests are greeted by a suspended tree root installation, as well as a cavernous interior defined by stamped concrete walls that pay homage to Mother Nature. Housed in a historic building in the Taladnoi neighborhood, the design team removed much of the second floor to let the light pour in from glass panes broken up by panels along the vaulted ceiling. In addition to the first-floor open kitchen, the second floor is home to a lively bar area, dressed in dark wood, brass details, and green leather bar stools. Adding a jolt of color to the space are the elements earth, fire, air, and water, depicted in four abstract paintings above the bar.

PAPA Dubai

Located in the vibrant Atrium complex in the riverside Al Habtoor City, PAPA Dubai houses nine distinct bars, all conveying a wholly unique sensory-driven experience. Despite the variety, “comfort and soul food are at the heart” of all the spaces, says Firas Alsahin, cofounder and design director at local firm 4SPACE. Guests can “move from a quiet dinner with friends to one of the city’s best vibes,” he adds. To reach the different venues, guests must travel down ‘boulevards,’ which bring them to the tiki bar Rum Station and pretty-in-pink Champagne Avenue, as well as Gin Point, Vodka Lane, Tequila Road, Mezcal Street, Sake Alley, Wine Court, Whiskey Square, and the High Gate VIP lounge. Additionally, a dramatic ceiling installation and illuminated archways are another unifying thread throughout the design.

Seneca, San Diego

Photo by Garrett Rowland

For Seneca restaurant at the InterContinental San Diego, AvroKO created a narrative “where an intellectual pirate crew sailed the new world, trading their riches for knowledge, art, and information,” says design director Andrew Lieberman, based out of the San Francisco office. Inspired by grand ballrooms of early ocean liners, the Reading Club boasts luxurious curved wood forms and illuminated columns that “give the club a grand scale, making the room itself feel much larger,” he says. With sweeping views of San Diego, the firm opted for playful portholes offering snapshots of the skyline. Further, metal detailing and patina finishes nod to “communal mess halls on steel-hulled military and commercial ships, while high gloss wood floors were inspired by handcrafted Italian yachts,” he says.

The Salt Line Oyster + Ale, Ballston, Virginia

For the Ballston location of the Salt Line Oyster + Ale, Washington, DC firm GrizForm Design Architects envisioned a “harmonious mashup between a New England and a Chesapeake Bay oyster bar,” says principal and owner Griz Dwight. To celebrate the space’s nautical theme, local knot artist BroCoLoco crafted a handwoven, large-scale fiber art piece, with glass orbs wrapped tightly in thick rope. At the entrance, the oyster bar stands out with a 1970s Chris-Craft-inspired semi-circle front fascia and mahogany boards divided by white resin at the seams. “Reminiscent of a boat’s windshield, the bent glass pane protects the public from the shuckers and also provides a behind-the-scenes look into the culinary art of oyster preparation,” says Dwight. “As it ages, the oyster bar will gain a beautiful, aged patina similar to the one in the [sister] DC location.”

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