6 UK restaurant designs in unexpected places

Fine dining is not just about great food but also about enjoying an exquisite experience. That’s why when it comes to choosing the best restaurant, your palate is just one of several things to consider. A unique atmosphere and impeccable service are also important, and of course the restaurant’s design is a crucial element of its success.

The UK is filled with some great choices for dedicated foodies who want to take their dining experience to the next level.  Some restaurant projects are designed and built from the scratch, whilst others take of a building’s location and history. As we love a good design and architecture makeover, today we share with you the most stunning restaurant conversion projects in the UK. From churches to factories, everything is possible when true creativity is applied to reaching the next level in restaurant design.

Blixen, London 

A former bank built into the walls of London’s Old Spitalfields Market, Blixen showcases one of the best restaurant designs in UK, combining the most unique mid-century style with incredible modern lines. The walnut bar is the icing on the cake, adding a touch of sophistication.

At the Chapel, Bruton

A Grade II Listed former chapel in Bruton, Somerset, At the Chapel restaurant is a must for anyone who loves a quality conversion project. With beautiful high ceilings and windows, the place was restored with neutral colours that add a sense of peacefulness,  offering a truly refreshing experience. This is one of the most beautiful conversion restaurant designs we have seen so far.

St. John, London

Chef Fergus Henderson, also a former architect, found the perfect spot for his restaurant  in an old smokehouse near Smithfield Market. Since the ham and bacon smoking tradition died out in 1967, this Georgian building had been used as a squat, a greenhouse for harvesting bean sprouts, a Chinese beer store and for the occasional rave. The upper floors were even used as Marxism Today’s headquarters during the late 1960s. As expected with this type of design, some things were changed, but at the same time Henderson did an amazing job in retaining the building’s heritage and character.

Sake No Hana, London

Architect Kenga Kuma did a great job combining a Japanese interior with a post-war Brutalist building. Located in the Grade-II listing Economist Building in St James, the place was redesigned with incredible linear bamboo window shields and cypress wood tree like structures with spectacular results. This place exudes serenity, showing once again that creativity has no limits when it comes to restaurant design.

La Chapelle, London

Located in a Grade-II listed former girls’ school chapel, Galvin La Chapelle takes the concept of restaurant design to a whole new level. With a sumptuous architecture yet intimate and inviting atmosphere, the high ceilings provide a sense of space whilst the beautiful windows create a very interesting lighting pattern all around the walls.

Hixter Bankside, London

Once a metal box factory, now a beautifully decorated restaurant, Hixter Bankside is the little sister to Tramshed in Shoreditch. Preserving the place’s heritage, this conversion project highlights unique areas such as the floor to ceiling windows and brick walls. Art is also all over the place, showcasing renowned and up-and-coming British artists in one of the most promising restaurant designs in London.