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Collection by Luke Hopping
Editor’s Pick

The 10 Best-Designed Restaurants in America

At Dwell, we're obsessed with eateries that treat their decor as carefully as their prix fixes. From Philadelphia to Palm Springs, these 10 tantalizing restaurant designs are a feast for the eye.

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RN74 (Seattle, Washington) RN74’s name references the highway linking Burgundy’s wineries, which were connected by rail prior to the 20th century. With this heritage in mind, the New York-based studio AvroKO set about designing a space that recalls the romance of early locomotive travel. Station-style wine boards, dark vinyl booths, and custom chandeliers fabricated by Goodshop transport visitors from Downtown Seattle to the dining car from Brief Encounter.
RN74 (Seattle, Washington) RN74’s name references the highway linking Burgundy’s wineries, which were connected by rail prior to the 20th century. With this heritage in mind, the New York-based studio AvroKO set about designing a space that recalls the romance of early locomotive travel. Station-style wine boards, dark vinyl booths, and custom chandeliers fabricated by Goodshop transport visitors from Downtown Seattle to the dining car from Brief Encounter.
Cherry Izakaya restaurant in Brooklyn features an intricate wood tapestry ceiling.
Cherry Izakaya restaurant in Brooklyn features an intricate wood tapestry ceiling.
JG Domestic (Philadelphia, Pennslyvania) Located adjacent to Philadelphia’s bustling 30th Street Train Station, JG Domestic could have easily felt like an extension of the frenetic commuter hub. Instead, the mood inside is positively bucolic. A “living wall” of vegetation, plaid, striped, and burlap seating, and shelves lined with farmhouse trinkets lend the space tranquility. The lights on top of the shelves are custom by Créme.
JG Domestic (Philadelphia, Pennslyvania) Located adjacent to Philadelphia’s bustling 30th Street Train Station, JG Domestic could have easily felt like an extension of the frenetic commuter hub. Instead, the mood inside is positively bucolic. A “living wall” of vegetation, plaid, striped, and burlap seating, and shelves lined with farmhouse trinkets lend the space tranquility. The lights on top of the shelves are custom by Créme.
Hinoki and the Bird, another restaurant winner, designed by Studio MAI.
Hinoki and the Bird, another restaurant winner, designed by Studio MAI.
Workshop Kitchen + Bar (Palm Springs, California) Instead of the midcentury style so popular in Palm Springs, Workshop Kitchen + Bar opts for a bold mix of industrial and ecclesiastical design. Concrete “side chapels” flank a communal table underneath a 27-foot peaked ceiling. The exposed pendant lights are by .PSLAB.
Workshop Kitchen + Bar (Palm Springs, California) Instead of the midcentury style so popular in Palm Springs, Workshop Kitchen + Bar opts for a bold mix of industrial and ecclesiastical design. Concrete “side chapels” flank a communal table underneath a 27-foot peaked ceiling. The exposed pendant lights are by .PSLAB.
The Musket Room (New York, New York) Winner of the Restaurant and Bar Design Award for Best Restaurant in the Americas, the Musket Room is an effortlessly charming 70-seat eatery in the heart of downtown Manhattan, complete with midcentury chandeliers, a walnut bar, and backyard garden. Here, teal upholstered banquets line a wall of lime-washed exposed brick.
The Musket Room (New York, New York) Winner of the Restaurant and Bar Design Award for Best Restaurant in the Americas, the Musket Room is an effortlessly charming 70-seat eatery in the heart of downtown Manhattan, complete with midcentury chandeliers, a walnut bar, and backyard garden. Here, teal upholstered banquets line a wall of lime-washed exposed brick.
Saison (San Francisco, California) An open layout creates complete transparency between the kitchen and dining area at Saison, designed by Samantha+Hart Architecture, Michael Gibson of Tenant Design, and Jiun Ho. The restaurant's cozy capacity—18 seats—prevents the space from feeling too exposed, however. For the kitchen, the owners imported a custom Molteni stove from Italy, the only one in San Francisco.
Saison (San Francisco, California) An open layout creates complete transparency between the kitchen and dining area at Saison, designed by Samantha+Hart Architecture, Michael Gibson of Tenant Design, and Jiun Ho. The restaurant's cozy capacity—18 seats—prevents the space from feeling too exposed, however. For the kitchen, the owners imported a custom Molteni stove from Italy, the only one in San Francisco.
Roost (Greenville, South Carolina) Far from the urban meccas of fine dining, a farm-to-table restaurant scene is flourishing in Greenville, South Carolina. At Roost, this locavore ethos extends to the decor. Atlanta-based firm Johnson Studio chose locally sourced materials, such as limestone. Walls made of slated oak, which are meant to resemble produce crates, visually ratify the eatery’s connection with the land.
Roost (Greenville, South Carolina) Far from the urban meccas of fine dining, a farm-to-table restaurant scene is flourishing in Greenville, South Carolina. At Roost, this locavore ethos extends to the decor. Atlanta-based firm Johnson Studio chose locally sourced materials, such as limestone. Walls made of slated oak, which are meant to resemble produce crates, visually ratify the eatery’s connection with the land.
Cecconis (Miami, Florida) Architect Martin Brudnizki chose to incorporate a little local color into the Miami outpost of the sophisticated London bistro, Cecconis. Seafoam seat cushions set amid lush greenery create a romantic interplay between indoor and out.
Cecconis (Miami, Florida) Architect Martin Brudnizki chose to incorporate a little local color into the Miami outpost of the sophisticated London bistro, Cecconis. Seafoam seat cushions set amid lush greenery create a romantic interplay between indoor and out.