From an underground speakeasy in Hong Kong to an American “cathedral of fried chicken”, here are Dezeen’s top 10 restaurants and bars of 2024.
Two of the main trends in bar and restaurant interiors featured on Dezeen this year were sculptural designs, as seen in Stockholm’s Persona restaurant, and natural materials, such as the firewood-clad passageway at Bar Kar in Kuala Lumpur.
Designers also played with lighting, with projects featuring innovative designs including illuminated arches and pastel-coloured light domes inspired by the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright.
Read on for Dezeen’s top 10 restaurant and bar interiors of 2024:
Superfreak, Australia, by YSG
Tactile cork flooring and a tile-clad wooden table create a cosy atmosphere at Superfreak in Sydney, which local studio YSG designed to have a retro feel.
Its 1970s-style aesthetic is also seen in the choice of vintage furniture pieces and lights. Warm yellow and high-gloss green paint adds colour to the laid-back space.
Find out more about Superfreak ›
Persona, Sweden, by Erik Bratsberg
Interior designer Erik Bratsberg played with different materials for his design of Stockholm’s Persona restaurant, which was decorated with asymmetrical terrazzo and patinated brass details.
Bratsberg created several artworks for the space, whose interior was partly inspired by mid-century Italian design and features furniture in organic, sculptural shapes.
Find out more about Persona ›
Coqodaq, US, by Rockwell Group
Designers Rockwell Group described this Korean restaurant in New York City as “the cathedral of fried chicken”.
Illuminated by arches of light made from rippled glass, the space has a dark and moody interior and is filled with green leather and dark walnut booths.
Find out more about Coqodaq ›
Austa, Portugal, by Studio Gameiro
The craftsmanship of Portugal’s Algarve region informed the interior of this restaurant in the city of Almancil. Designed by local firm Studio Gameiro, Austa was named restaurant and bar interior of the year at this year’s Dezeen Awards.
A four-metre-long bench made from ancient rock salt forms an unusual centrepiece in the space, which features plenty of custom-built furniture and walls clad in soft lime stucco of earthy beige and tan hues.
Find out more about Austa ›
Artifact Bar, Hong Kong, by NCDA
Local studio NCDA referenced underground water reservoirs when designing this subterranean speakeasy in downtown Hong Kong.
It also drew on sci-fi spaceships and brutalist architecture for the interior of the basement space, which features a glowing disc above the bar that was intended to evoke an artificial sunset.
Find out more about Artifact Bar ›
El Fant Café and Bar, Finland, by Yatofu
Finnish design studio Yatofu designed the El Fant Café and Bar in Helsinki’s old town with the help of local craftspeople.
The studio used four-centimetre-thick pine boards from northern Finland to create its custom-made furniture, some of which was painted in a warm red hue. At the centre of the bar, a custom galvanised steel bar adds an interesting textural contrast to the wood.
Find out more about El Fant Café and Bar ›
Makan, Mexico, by Locus
Singaporean restaurant Makan in Mexico City has an interior made from recycled and sustainable materials, including white oak wood, which was used to construct much of the furniture.
This choice not only highlights the natural beauty of the surroundings but also ensures proper management of natural resources, promoting environmental conservation and supporting the local industry sustainably,” design studio Locus said.
Find out more about Makan ›
The Pinky Ring, US, by Bruno Mars and Yabu Pushelberg
The most-read Dezeen interior story in the restaurant and bars category this year was about The Pinky Ring, a cocktail lounge and music venue at the Bellagio casino in Las Vegas.
Musician Bruno Mars and design studio Yabu Pushelberg teamed up to create its interior, which features luxurious touches like golden curtains, a mirrored ceiling and a sunken conversation pit.
Find out more about The Pinky Ring ›
Lina Stores, UK, by North End Design
Italian restaurant chain Lina Stores worked with interiors studio North End Design to design its Kensington location in London, which is decorated in the brand’s signature pistachio green colour.
Design details include a coffee bar topped with dark timber and stainless steel and arched steel lamps with hanging globe lights.
Find out more about Lina Stores ›
Bar Kar, Malaysia, by Spacemen
This Kuala Lumpur restaurant was designed by architecture studio Spacemen to reference the earth ovens historically used to cook and smoke food in the ground.
The studio used natural materials including wood and stone to create the interior, which was designed to feel like “stepping into a giant pot,” Spacemen founder Edward Tan told Dezeen.
Find out about Bar Kar ›
