Clerkenwell Grind makes it to CNN’s list of the world’s most stunning restaurants
[Extract] When it comes to deciding where to book a dinner reservation, a restaurant’s decor is often as important a consideration as the quality of the food itself. The design elements — from the color scheme and lighting to the furniture and flatware — set the atmosphere for the meal, and reflect the tastes and intentions of the restaurateur.
The consistent, cookie-cutter design of a fast food chain, for example, can evoke a sense of comfort and familiarity. But a more inventive, thematic approach can be transportive, facilitating a truly immersive dining experience.
It’s this genre of restaurant that German publisher Gestalten has highlighted with “Appetizer.” The new coffee table book features an impressively international selection of destinations (including a sumptuous, Mughal-inspired bar in Jaipur and a candy-colored Guatemalan cafe) designed by an equally eclectic mix of designers.
“Many look almost edible themselves,” the editors write of their selection, “and might, to the careful viewer, suggest something about who we are today: endlessly optimistic, evolving and diverse in our definitions of good taste, and most of all healthfully human in our cravings for color, light, nature, and each other.”
