Bastian – At The Top by ineedspace

Perched atop a soaring high-rise, Bastian – At The Top reimagines fine dining as a dreamlike escape above the city. Designed by Minal Chopra of ineedspace in collaboration with Ranjit Bindra, CEO of Bastian Hospitality, the 450-seat venue is an architectural marvel – part sanctuary, part spectacle.
Guests enter through a dramatic, cave-inspired portal reminiscent of Cappadocia, where rugged stone meets sculpted smoothness beneath towering ceilings. Unfinished cobblestone and travertine marble floors echo the space’s wabi-sabi philosophy: the artful blend of raw and refined.
Each zone within Bastian offers a distinct sensorial experience. In the 'Forest' area, a 39-foot plunge pool glistens amid lush greenery, soundtracked by a resident DJ setting a sultry, laid-back mood. The main bar, with its suspended alcove feel, mixes relaxed lounge seating with high tables, while the fine dining zone promises intimacy with its cleverly layered, back-to-back banquettes.
The design palette is confidently restrained – shades of beige, taupe, and earthy neutrals dominate, punctuated by dramatic wicker ceiling lights and camouflage-draped roofing. With its subtly distressed elegance and tone-on-tone styling, Bastian is a serene yet sociable retreat in the sky.

Bar Bianchi by Golden Age Hospitality

Evoking the romance of Milan’s storied café culture, Bar Bianchi is Golden Age Hospitality’s stylish tribute to Italy’s timeless aperitivo tradition. Designed by Golden Age Hospitality Founder and CEO Jon Neidich with Creative Director Andrea Johansson and long-time collaborator Sam Buffa, in partnership with Paradise Projects, the space draws from the elegance of 1920s–30s Italian interiors, uplifted by the playful optimism of 1960s modernism.
The design is a tactile feast: hand-laid clay tiles in a striking diamond motif reference the grand floors of old-world Milanese bars, while Venetian plaster walls and bespoke millwork provide a quiet, textured sophistication. Vintage lighting and sculptural mid-century sconces bathe the room in Golden Age’s signature amber glow. At the centre, a zinc and Formica bar crowned with a green Art Deco canopy balances classic charm with bold modernity.
Soft French doors dissolve the boundary between inside and out, creating a buzzy, piazza-like atmosphere. Warm, earthy hues – clay, olive, and walnut – carry throughout, including into the wood-panelled private dining room.
With a trattoria-style menu, classic Italian cocktails, and an expertly curated natural wine list, Bar Bianchi is an effortlessly chic ode to Milan’s golden age of style and sociability.

Cupping Room by M.R. STUDIO

Designed by M.R. STUDIO, Cupping Room at the Palace Museum, Hong Kong, is a thoughtfully curated café space that blends traditional Chinese architectural elements and ancient philosophy with contemporary design finesse. The concept pays homage to Chinese heritage while offering a serene, stylish setting for coffee lovers.
Guests are greeted by a dramatic black tile wall, its elegant lines and bilateral symmetry echoing the double-eave roofs of the Forbidden City. The choice of black – historically linked to water in Chinese philosophy –symbolises the essential role of water in coffee making. Throughout the space, the five elements (Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth) are subtly represented: from wooden tables and lush greenery to linen textures and a striking metal display for coffee bags.
A warm grey terrazzo floor adds a touch of playfulness, while vintage mirrors and bespoke leather seating introduce softness and understated luxury. A museum-style cake shelf and central display table present Cupping Room’s offerings with quiet sophistication – turning every visit into a cultural experience.

White Coffee by Quadrum Studio

Nestled on Saratov’s busiest pedestrian street, White Coffee by Quadrum Studio seamlessly blends historical elegance with modern flair. Housed within a 19th-century former apartment building, the 80 m² café reinterprets the charm of Parisian interiors, uniting classical character with contemporary design.
The space is defined by its dialogue between past and present. A backdrop of textured plaster stucco sets the stage for a striking chandelier – an undulating ribbon of flexible neon – hovering playfully above the coffee bar. This sculptural light installation, the first thing guests see upon entry, forms the luminous heart of the café, delivering an unforgettable first impression.
Divided into two distinct areas, the café offers both vibrancy and intimacy. The front zone features a bar counter, confectionery display, and high stools, while the rear section invites a slower pace, with plush armchairs, ottomans, soft textiles, and atmospheric lighting perfect for lingering conversations or private gatherings.
Lighting plays a starring role, with linear neon elements casting gentle shadows and setting a rhythmic, inviting tone. Herringbone tiles unify both zones, while furniture by Russian designers subtly balances the café’s classic soul with a stylish, modern sensibility.

Trattoria del Ciumbia by Dimorestudio

Dimorestudio has designed Trattoria del Ciumbia, a new restaurant located in Milan’s historic Brera district, developed for Triple Sea Food. The project draws on the atmosphere of traditional trattorias from the 1960s – popular with the city’s artistic avant-garde – combining references to that era with contemporary design elements.
Guests enter through a wood-and-glass vestibule draped in lace curtains – an evocative nod to old-world eateries – leading into a light-filled aperitivo space. Here, a bespoke pewter bar with brass-framed vitrines displays a playful installation of reassembled plates, lit by sleek opaline glass tube lighting.
A central walnut-clad balcony bridges the stairwell and offers a view into the second dining area, where walls are lined with mosaic floor tiles in milk, mustard, liver red, swamp green and tenebra black – a refined reinterpretation of humble trattoria flooring. Boiserie walls are punctuated with vintage newspaper racks and watercolours of 1930s rationalist architecture.
Dimoremilano furnishings define the interior: straw-seated Rei chairs, Ignazio walnut tables, and Flos-designed lighting add subtle drama. A velvet-cloaked private dining room and a hidden basement disco–fitted with plush carpeting, Gae Aulenti lighting, and a mirrored porthole bar – complete this richly layered, utterly Milanese experience.

Experimental Cocktail Bar by CHZON

Tucked beneath street level, the revived Experimental Cocktail Club in New York marks a thoughtful return to the city’s cocktail scene. Designed by Dorothée Meilichzon, the Founder of CHZON, the subterranean space builds on the legacy of the original Lower East Side venue, which closed in 2016, with a fresh visual identity that nods to Art Nouveau through a more atmospheric, nocturnal lens.
Organic motifs shape the interior – tree roots, crafted from lacquered wood and glinting metal, cascade from the ceiling and spiral around columns, light fixtures, and bar shelving. Amber tones dominate the palette, echoing the warm hues of aged spirits. Intimate booth seating with Zak+Fox upholstery, coloured glass sconces by Sophie Lou Jacobsen, and mirrored panels enrich the layered, tactile ambiance. A white lacquered piano at the centre of the room welcomes live musicians, drawing subtle links to the brand’s Parisian roots.
Behind the bar, a rare and curated selection of regional French aperitifs and liqueurs pays homage to small-scale producers. The drinks menu – led by acclaimed bartender Nico de Soto – balances ECC classics with innovative techniques, from lacto-fermentation to carbonation, offering a deeply crafted and globally inspired cocktail experience.

12 Matcha by ciguë

Situated in the heart of NoHo, New York, 12 Matcha by French design studio ciguë offers more than a traditional café – it unfolds as a refined exploration of craft, ritual, and contemporary sensibility. Designed within a historic building on Bond Street, the space bridges traditional tea culture and modern material innovation through a carefully choreographed interior narrative.
Soft, green clay walls with rounded edges evoke the velvety umami of matcha, while high ceilings and filtered light create an ambience inspired by the shade-grown tea fields of Japan. A central bar, crafted from enameled lava stone and vibrated stainless steel, captures the dual nature of matcha – raw and refined, traditional and scientific.
At the heart of the space are three sculptural glass vessels, housing a bespoke Binchotan charcoal water filtration system. This feature not only highlights the importance of water in tea preparation but also serves as a visual centrepiece – merging form with function.
From the window seats to the ceremonial room, the layout invites calm, reflection, and shared experience. 12 Matcha stands as an evolving platform – where architecture, sensory design, and the timeless art of tea meet in quiet, poetic conversation.

Civico 29 by Gae Avitabile Design Studio

Set along the rugged coastline of Sperlonga, Civico 29 is a cocktail bar designed by Campanian architect Gae Avitabile, where architecture and seascape are effortlessly intertwined. Nestled in one of Italy’s most evocative coastal towns, the project is a subtle, minimalist homage to the Mediterranean – capturing the essence of wind, salt, and sun through material and form.
Avitabile’s first gesture was to remove existing window fixtures, opening the interior fully to the dramatic views of sea and sky. This gesture dissolves the boundary between inside and out, immersing guests in the sensory atmosphere of the coast. Inside, whitewashed elements and gentle textures echo the simplicity of Sperlonga’s traditional homes.
Walls are cloaked in a shimmering aluminium mesh by Kriskadecor, swaying with the breeze and evoking the soft murmur of the sea. Underfoot, traditional hollow bricks filled with lime and topped in resin create a floor that speaks to vernacular craft.
The curving bar, inspired by waveforms and metaphysical architecture glimpsed from the railway, sits beneath a delicate mesh structure housing Munari’s Falkland lamp – a nod to fishermen’s tools. Finished with exotic wallpaper in the bathroom, the space becomes both a rooted place and a dream of distant journeys.

Sunnei cafè by 2050+

SUNNEI’s latest store at Via Privata Pietro Cironi 15 in Milan is anything but conventional. Framed by the slogan “a concept store with no concept,” the project conceived by interdisciplinary studio 2050+ abandons conventional design rules in favor of a stripped-back, open approach where SUNNEI’s creative identity takes the lead.
2050+ embraced a philosophy of “non-design,” removing architectural constraints to create a fluid, hybrid environment. The 150 sqm space is structured by an “abacus of geometric elements”: linear clothing racks form rhythmic patterns, café zones are defined by squares, and fitting rooms soften the layout with curves. This calculated minimalism ensures functional clarity while allowing for dynamic use.
The palette is deliberately neutral, with layered shades and textures of white acting as a canvas for the brand’s expressive world. More than a store, the space serves as a cultural hub – hosting exhibitions, performances, and gatherings.