Restaurant Fit Out

There’s a version of this story where the brief was clear, the timeline was ample, and the concept fell into place with straightforward client direction. But that’s not how this one went down.

This venue had already been through a few design rounds with another firm, and while none of the schemes were ‘wrong’, they weren’t quite right either. The problem? The client—an experienced restaurateur with a dozen venues under his belt and way too much on his plate—kept changing direction. Not out of indecision, but because the designs were following his words too literally, and his words weren’t always lining up.

We’d worked together before, so we knew how to tackle it: listen closely, then uncover the underlying tone.

We pulled the flavour from the contradictions, pinned down the emotional intent he was chasing (but couldn’t quite articulate), and got to work. No second-guessing. No endless options. Just one direction that felt sharp and confident—and yep, he was on board.

The timeline was brutal. With tenancy approval hanging in the balance, we dropped everything and delivered a full design package—documentation, finishes, consultant coordination, the lot—in ten days. It shouldn’t have been possible, but it was.

Design-wise, the space walks a line: earthy and grounded but not heavy, expressive but not over-styled. The palette is warm and tactile—tinted reed glass screens soften the connection between counter and dining areas, and the walls are finished in traditional Otsumigaki plaster, applied by hand on site. Spotted gum flooring adds richness and weight. Lighting is low and deliberate. The original artwork—created specifically for the space by frequent collaborator, Tiam—reinforces the tone without spelling it out.

This is high-end street cuisine. Accessible but unexpected. Intentionally relaxed. Treated with the kind of care you'd expect from a wine bar or gallery.

Whether that describes the food or the fit-out? That’s exactly the point.

Photos: Cab Roto