Designing for Taste: The Architecture Behind Great F&B Spaces

Walk into a great restaurant, and before you even taste the food, you feel something. Maybe it’s a sense of calm, or the warmth of materials that invite you to stay a little longer. That feeling doesn’t happen by accident. It’s the result of intentional and well-researched work by experienced restaurant design architects, working quietly in the background. We all know that one café or place where you suddenly feel better or calm, without even realizing why. It’s not just the coffee or the playlist. It’s the way those spaces are built.

Great F&B spaces are built for these invisible moments. They don’t shout. They settle you. And long after you’ve left, they stay with you - not as decor, but as a feeling you want to return to.

Over the past few years, we’ve worked on a wide range of F&B spaces across Dubai’s fast-evolving culinary scene – from sleek urban cafés to large-format cloud kitchens and branded international rollouts. As a restaurant architecture firm, one of our largest collaborations has been designing 50+ Costa Coffee outlets since 2023, covering the UAE and markets across Asia, Europe, and the Middle East - from Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan to Italy, Japan, and China — each tailored to local customer expectations and operational needs.

Key Architectural Principles in F&B interior design

1. Flow Comes First

Every successful F&B space planning and layout starts with clear circulation paths:

• Staff should move freely from the kitchen to the table.

• Guests should never feel in the way.

• Delivery and storage should remain discreet.

Designing zones - like entry, host area, dining pockets, bar zones, and washrooms—creates rhythm. You guide the guest from curiosity to comfort to connection, all within a single seating.

2. Lighting as a Mood Ingredient

Lighting sets the tempo. For daytime cafés, you want plenty of diffused natural light, ideally from more than one side. For evening service, warm-toned lighting (2700K–3000K) helps make dishes look more appetizing and creates intimacy. By mimicking natural daylight patterns through circadian lighting, cafes can create an environment that promotes productivity during the day and relaxation in the evening.

Using three layers:

• Ambient for general feel

• Task for specific areas like bars and counters

• Accent to highlight textures, plants, or wall art

3. Acoustics & Texture Matter

Noise levels can change how people perceive the place. Excessive echo or crowd noise spikes stress and shortens stay time.

Design must include:

• Soft finishes like upholstered seating, curtains, or acoustic panels.

• Zoning layouts that prevent sound from bouncing across open spaces.

Materials like cork, acoustic gypsum, and upholstered back walls balance visual appeal with sound control.

4. Color Affects Appetite

There’s psychology behind why some spaces feel inviting.

• Terracotta, ochre, deep greens - these earthy tones stimulate hunger and feel grounded.

• Cool greys and blues can suppress appetite or feel clinical when overused.

• Natural wood tones add approachability and warmth.

Walls, table finishes, and even lighting hue should work as one palette.

5. Materiality That Ages Gracefully

F&B spaces take heavy wear. Think coffee spills, hot plates, constant scrubbing.

Following are the best ways to decide which material suits best.

• Natural stones like granite or limestone resist wear and bring a grounded, timeless feel.

• Textured tiles help hide scuffs and stains while adding depth to walls or floors.

• Sealed concrete floors are low-maintenance and develop subtle variation with use, giving each space a lived-in, authentic look.

• Solid wood surfaces - especially in tables or counters - soften and deepen in tone over time, adding warmth without needing replacement.

Furniture should feel solid, be easy to clean, and hold up to daily use without looking tired.

What Guests Will Never Say (But Will Always Feel)

• “The light made my dish look amazing.”

• “I could talk without shouting.”

• “It felt like the restaurant knew what I needed.”

They’ll just say: “That place? Yeah, I loved it.”

That’s what good design does.

Designing an F&B space is about orchestrating experience, not decorating a room. From layout to acoustics, material choice to lighting, every decision affects the mood, the memory, and ultimately - how the food tastes. And while diners may not know why it felt good… a well-designed space will always leave them hungry to return.

Explore some of our recent work in hospitality design here