London’s Most Intimate Dining Spaces Where Design Meets Hospitality
- Alla Yaskovets
- Aug 14
- 6 min read
At Visualista, we specialise in discovering and showcasing the sleekest environments, carefully collecting venues where every detail — from curated art collections to thoughtful interiors — creates a distinctive mood that elevates the dining experience.
August is the perfect time to share our latest finds: intimate, tranquil spaces that blend cultural expression with hospitality. These five London restaurants exemplify the seamless fusion of food, design, and atmosphere that we love to share with our audience.
Cycene at Blue Mountain School, Shoreditch, one Michelin star
What makes it special? Housed within Shoreditch’s experimental cultural hub
Blue Mountain School, Cycene offers an immersive dining experience where the kitchen takes centre stage. The atmosphere is warm yet meticulously curated, evoking the intimacy of home dining while showcasing tactile materials and design objects.
Design. Created by Blue Mountain School’s founders James and Christie Brown, the interiors draw inspiration from pre-WW1 and South African farm kitchens the pair discovered on their travels.
Art. The dining room’s plastered walls are hung with moody, intimate works by Frank Auerbach and Lucian Freud, deepening the sense of being in a private, art-filled home rather than a traditional restaurant.
Chef and cuisine. Taking its name from the Old English word for “kitchen”, Cycene celebrates the natural rhythm of the seasons, pairing the freshest local produce with exceptional seafood and game. The new chef Taz Sarhane crafts a nine-course tasting menu extracting optimum flavour from the simplest of ingredients.
For whom? For diners seeking a slow, immersive meal in an intimate setting where the kitchen truly becomes theatre.
What makes it special? The first vegan restaurant in the UK to receive a Michelin Star, Plates London is rewriting the rules of plant-based fine dining. Founded by chef Kirk Haworth and his sister Keeley, the Shoreditch restaurant champions a sustainable, imaginative approach to food — one that is as nourishing for the planet as it is for the palate. Warm, earthy interiors by London design studio Design & That mirror the creativity on the plate, creating an intimate setting where craft and nature converge.
Design. Conceived by Emma Shone-Sanders of Design & That, Plates’ interiors are an exploration of texture, materiality, and warmth. Walnut-tinted clay-plaster walls by Cornwall-based Clayworks form a rich backdrop for golden ochre banquette seating, rattan accents, and crisp linen curtains. The open kitchen is allowing guests to watch the brigade at work while soaking in the convivial atmosphere. Every detail — from the marble tops to the tactile serveware — speaks of craftsmanship and a connection to the natural world.
Art & Craft. Craftsmanship is woven into the space: shelves display hand-pressed ceramics, sculptural vases, and terracotta plates, each piece unique. These objects, sourced from artisans, bring a personal, human touch to the restaurant. The interplay of raw finishes and crafted detail evokes the Japanese philosophy of Wabi-Sabi, finding beauty in imperfection and individuality.
Chef and cuisine. Awarded North West Young Chef of the Year at just 17, Kirk Haworth honed his skills at The French Laundry, The Square, and Restaurant Sat Bains before a diagnosis of Lyme Disease led him to adopt a plant-based diet. His tasting menus showcase modern British cuisine at its most inventive: Isle of Wight tomatoes, house ricotta, strawberry & frozen tarragon and Barbecued tomato broth. Each dish is as visually arresting as it is flavour-driven, combining ingredients in unexpected, theatrical ways.
For whom? Whether you’re plant-based or simply curious, this is fine dining with a soul — a place where sustainability, craftsmanship, and flavour meet.
What makes it special? Bringing a contemporary take on Georgian cuisine to Charlotte Street, Kinkally is London’s new temple to khinkali — the pleated dumplings beloved across Georgia. Conceived by America-born, London-based food enthusiast Diana Militski, the restaurant pairs inventive cooking with atmospheric design, accompanied by a sultry cocktail den, Bar Kinky, tucked away below.
Design. Courtesy of international interior design and architecture studio Da Bureau, Kinkally’s interiors draw inspiration from the birthplace of khinkali — the rugged, dramatic landscapes of the Caucasus Mountains, where Europe meets Asia. The space blends natural materials with a restrained palette: a stone ceiling, softly plastered walls, and wood-and-steel furniture. This balance of raw texture and refined form creates an atmosphere that feels both authentic and contemporary. At its heart is an open kitchen table, encouraging guests to gather over food — a cornerstone of Georgian hospitality.
Art. The restaurant’s standout feature is an installation of suspended branches — foraged from Richmond Park by founder Diana Militski and designer Maria Romanova — their organic silhouettes animated by a single spotlight, casting shadows across the walls and floor.
Chef and cuisine. From the angular countertop, guests can watch head chef David Chelidze craft khinkali by hand. While the dumplings are traditionally filled with pork, lamb or beef, Kinkally reimagines them with combinations such as langoustine and wasabi; wagyu with peppercorn plum sauce; mussels with braised leek and cauliflower kveri, hazelnut, bell pepper sauce. Side plates — including chicken liver pâté and Golden beetroot pkhali — round out the menu, while an exceptional list of Georgian wines completes the experience.
For whom? For adventurous diners seeking an intimate, design-forward space where tradition meets innovation — and where khinkali is elevated to an art form.
What makes it special? Housed in a former 19th-century bank near Exmouth Market, Morchella blends the grandeur of historic architecture with the relaxed warmth of the Mediterranean. From the team behind Newington Green’s acclaimed Perilla, this 68-seat restaurant and adjacent wine bar bring together refined cooking, an Old World wine list, and interiors that balance British heritage with sunlit southern charm.
Design. Working with Up Architects, co-founder Matthew Emmerson restored the building’s original features — from curved doors to intricate wood panelling — stripping away layers of paint to reveal its natural character. A neutral palette is accented with emerald green, most strikingly on the tiled kitchen counter. Oak joinery by Tim Parker anchors the space, with curved banquettes echoing the rounded corners of the bar.
Art & Craft. At the restaurant’s heart, the open kitchen is framed by graphic prints from chef Ben Marks’ grandfather, Gordon House, alongside paintings by Corin Kennington and Murano-inspired chandeliers.
Chef and cuisine. The head chef Daniel Fletcher, alongside chef-patron Ben Marks and restaurateur Matthew Emmerson, craft a menu rooted in Mediterranean flavours with playful twists. Small plates range from mussels pil pil to salt cod churros, while larger dishes include lamb shoulder stuffed with Turkish peppers, Flourish Farm ribollita, and pork jowl. Desserts, such as apricot pastéis de nata and cherry almond ricotta cake, reimagine classics with bold contrasts. A dedicated wine bar extends the experience, showcasing an extensive list of Old World bottles.
For whom? For those who appreciate generous hospitality, Mediterranean cuisine, and the soaring grandeur of historic architecture, Morchella offers an atmospheric setting where high ceilings and abundant natural light elevate timeless interiors — creating a space that invites you to linger over a glass of wine long after the plates are cleared.
What makes it special? A postcard-perfect slice of Italy tucked away on Morning Lane, Hackney, Dalla channels the warmth and familiarity of a traditional Neapolitan trattoria. Founded by design dealer Gennaro Leone, it blends heartfelt hospitality with an obsessive attention to detail, creating a neighbourhood restaurant that feels both timeless and deeply personal.
Design. Interiors, designed by Leone in collaboration with Sicilian designer Oscar Piccolo, are a study in curated comfort. Cream walls glow under a 1950s Stilnovo chandelier sourced from a Milanese market, while bespoke metal wall lights, table legs and the restaurant’s sign were handmade in Naples. Robert Mallet-Stevens chairs are reupholstered in soft leather, and each object — from a Riccardo Dalisi cafetière to a 1930s Piero Fornasetti still life — tells a story. Even the wooden rotary telephone for taking bookings is a considered touch.
Art. The space is layered with personal and cultural references, from vintage still-life paintings to Leone’s own collection of design objects. The restaurant’s name is also very personal. It pays tribute to Italian singer Lucio Dalla, whose portrait hangs in a favourite family trattoria in Naples and whose music soundtracked the Leone brothers’ childhood holidays.
Chef and cuisine. The kitchen is led by Mitchell Damota — formerly of P. Franco and Burro e Salvia — alongside Gennaro’s brother Gianmarco Leone. Drawing from long-lost regional recipes found in vintage Italian cookbooks, the seasonal menu is humble yet exacting, with pasta as its star.
For whom? For those craving the soul and intimacy of a true Italian neighbourhood restaurant, where the welcome is as memorable as the food — and every detail, from the pasta to the lighting, is crafted with love.
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