Five impressive designer restaurants around the world

Restaurants have long been far more than places to eat. Around the world, they combine extraordinary architecture, creative design and cuisine into one complete experience. Whether in historic buildings, spectacular natural settings or modern design spaces, it is not only the food that becomes a highlight, but also the ambience.

We present five international hotspots that unite pleasure and design in a particularly special way. The journey of taste is well worth it.

High above the jungle of Tulum, ​“Kin Toh” almost merges with nature. As part of the iconic Azulik resort, the restaurant relies on open architecture made of wood, elevated walkways and platforms. Particularly striking are the nest-like seating areas, which seem to float freely above the jungle and allow for intimate dinners with spectacular views. ​“Kin Toh” sees itself as a multisensory experience in which light, sounds, materials and cuisine interlock. The cuisine is based on local ingredients and traditional techniques, but interprets them in a contemporary form.

azulik​.com/​k​i​n-toh

With ​“Reine & La Rue”, a former stock exchange building in Melbourne has been transformed into an impressive restaurant that combines historic architecture with contemporary design. High vaults, stained-glass windows and monumental columns define the atmospheric space, while warm materials, restrained interventions and carefully staged lighting reinterpret the neo-Gothic substance in a modern way — an interior between drama and elegance. In culinary terms, the restaurant focuses on modern French cuisine with a strong emphasis on product quality, wood-fire techniques and regional ingredients from Victoria, complemented by a precise and reduced signature style.

reineandlarue.melbourne

With Kjolle, top chef Pía León has created a place in Lima that interprets Peru not only culinarily, but also atmospherically. Named after a resilient Andean tree, Kjolle stands for diversity, adaptability and a close connection to nature. The space feels both reduced and warm: natural materials, soft colours and organic forms create a calm stage for a cuisine nourished by Peru’s most diverse altitudes and ecosystems. León understands her restaurant as a creative map of the country. Products from the coast, the highlands and the Amazon region meet in surprising combinations and tell of Peru’s enormous biodiversity.

kjolle​.com

Japanese hospitality, contemporary cuisine and sophisticated design define the concept of INTERSECT BY Lexus in the Dubai International Financial Centre. The name says it all: the restaurant sees itself as an intersection between cuisine, architecture and culture — a place where people meet and enjoyment extends far beyond the plate. Inspired by the Japanese idea of Takumi, which describes masterful craftsmanship and the highest precision, the cuisine focuses on premium ingredients and modern Asian fusion dishes. Sashimi, maki and creative signature creations combine Japanese tradition with international influences, accompanied by the philosophy of Omotenashi — sincere, unobtrusive hospitality. The result is not a classic brand restaurant, but a culinary meeting place where design and pleasure form as natural a connection as precision and creativity.

lexus​.ae

In the heart of the Aoyama design district, ​“INTERSECT BY Lexus” shows that an automotive brand identity can also be experienced far away from the road. The concept understands itself neither as a classic showroom nor as a restaurant in the conventional sense, but as a place of encounter where cuisine, design, architecture, art and Japanese hospitality merge into a harmonious overall experience.

Across two levels, the house invites guests to discover the world of Lexus through all the senses. On the ground floor, the café serves specialities from selected Japanese coffee roasters, while changing installations and exhibitions open up a dialogue between mobility, design and lifestyle. In the bistro above, seasonal ingredients, precise craftsmanship and a modern interpretation of Japanese cuisine take centre stage. The focus is less on spectacular staging than on the highest product quality, careful preparation and an atmosphere that radiates calm and concentration.

The space was designed by renowned Japanese interior architect Masamichi Katayama, whose choice of materials and sense of proportion translate the Lexus philosophy into the room. Even light, music and furnishings follow the idea that extraordinary experiences arise from the harmonious interplay of many details. This is precisely where the Japanese concept of Takumi is reflected — the mastery of craftsmanship, which does not aim at perfection alone, but at the constant refinement of every single detail.

INTERSECT BY Lexus is therefore far more than a culinary address. It is a place for all those who understand good food, exceptional design and Japanese hospitality as part of a shared culture — and who want to experience how a brand makes its values tangible not only in automobiles, but also through architecture, pleasure and encounters.

lexus​.jp

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