Photos: India's most eclectic restaurant interiors, which tell a story

An architect in the hospitality industry knows the fragility of his creation, given the vagaries of the restaurant business. Here’s a celebration of distinct, eclectic restaurant spaces from across th

Sep 06, 2019, 16:01 IST1 min

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CARDBOARD CAFE, Mumbai

Design : Nuru Karim - Nudes

The design concept is a 100 percent cardboard experience that advocates usage of environment-friendly products and renewable energy to combat climate change and global warming. Building with cardboard meant diving into research, which included prototyping and testing the material in real world constraints like humidity, water resistance and temperature fluctuations.

Image by Mrigank Sharma

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THE TABLE, Mumbai

Design : Tarik Currimbhoy

The design intent was to create a tranquil, timeless space with references to Victorian Bombay and the old restaurants that were a feature of the historic downtown. The double height space is inspired by the seven arches of the historic streets that intersect at the Table. Gleaming black Roman arches draped with beige sheers, a chevron floor, a long cross-cut Burma teak table, a floating mezzanine with musical notes—all work together to create a Bombay-style California inspired wine bar.

Image by Forbes

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CAFFÉ

PALLADIO, Jaipur

Design : Barbara Miolini & Marie-Anne Oudejans

Inspired by Sicily—an island with a history spanning both Italian and Arab cultures—and her cuisine, Caffé Palladio, Jaipur, recreates an exotic world of sun-drenched palazzi and perfumed gardens. This is a garden retreat in light pastels to while away the afternoon with freshly prepared cakes and Turkish coffee, or spend a secluded evening dining in candle-light to the call of roosting peacocks, while the city fades quietly away.

Image by Henry Wilson

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MASQUE, Mumbai

Design : Ashiesh Shah

The name Masque itself alludes to an idea of performance. The space is inspired by structures of pioneering modernists like Le Corbusier, with bare natural materials like hard wood tables and stone-clad walls illumined by skylight. The amalgamation of materials and soft light creates a cocoon—one can no longer keep track of time, transported away from the bustle of the city.

Image by Fabien Charuau