7 stunning plant-filled restaurants, bringing the outdoors indoors

Bringing the outdoors indoors through the skilled use of plants and greenery can absolutely transform a restaurant’s ambiance. These 7 plant-filled restaurants show us how they did it.

As well as bringing a stunning aesthetic appeal, plants also have a number of functional benefits: as well as improving air quality, plants can also be used to create private space, as dividers to give a cosier atmosphere and even to improve mood! Whilst modest use of plants is widespread by expert restaurant interior designers, some establishments have taken the use of greenery to a new level. If willing to know more, in this article we shared a guide to biophilic design based on Stephen Kellert’s principles.

Segev Kitchen Garden – Sharonim, Israel

Beautifully designed to give an attractive greenhouse vibe, the interior of the Segev Kitchen Garden appeals to all the senses. Not only can the eyes feast on an array of planters and tubs, but the ceiling is also festooned with greenery. Live herbs form part of the display.

These not only smell sensational, but they’re also used by restaurant’s chefs to create a range of delicious choices. The plants have been used to break the restaurant up into small, intimate dining areas which also benefit from the canopy of overhead greenery.

The use of natural materials and an earthy palette for the fittings and fixtures results in a relaxed, outdoor atmosphere that’s always appealing.

Openaire – Los Angeles, USA

Offering a stunning greenhouse experience, the Openaire benefits from a traditional greenhouse structure: plenty of glass and steel forms a minimalist contrast to a plethora of hanging baskets, packed with verdant ferns. Patches of unfinished wall plasterwork add powerful accents, adding to the rustic, industrial feel of the restaurant.

A soft, monochrome furniture palette adds interest and a touch of sophistication, complementing the earthy tones of many of the fixtures. Intriguingly, the Openaire manages to combine brutalist elements with the softer edge that vegetation can bring. The result is a stylish, exciting eatery with a number of elements of fresh, minimalist design.

Casa Cruz – New York, USA

Diners looking for a unique experience that’s slightly different every day would do well to visit the Casa Cruz in NYC. This is a pop-up restaurant whose design delivers stunning views and an ever-changing appearance.The restaurant colour scheme is a rich, emerald green, reminiscent of lush tree canopies, mossy forest floors and luxuriant foliage.

The interior focal point is a full-size tree – not only does the foliage work beautifully with the surroundings, but the addition of fairy lights gives an added boost to the accent. Further lighting interest is provided by the floor to ceiling window on one side of the restaurant. Positioned so that it faces west, the window captures the sunset perfectly.

For diners, not only is there an exceptional view, but there is also the added beauty of the changing light, as day gently fades into night. Small lanterns set on the tables offer soft illumination as the light fades.

The fusion of nature with the interior environment here is sophisticated at the same time as being utterly beguiling in its beautiful simplicity.

The Potting Shed – Sydney, Australia

Managing to deliver a rustic restaurant vibe successfully is always a design challenge: too rustic and the ambiance becomes spartan and run down; not rustic enough and the dining experience becomes inauthentic. Luckily, The Potting Shed manages to pull off rustic chic absolutely flawlessly.

Created to offer an informal yet high-quality dining experience for families and groups as well as couples, the focus is on cheerful, slightly quirky accents, set against lush beds, tubs, and baskets of vegetation.

The designers’ skill lies in artfully creating focal points that appear serendipitous, but which have actually been carefully thought out in order to give the desired ambiance. A wheelbarrow full of burning logs, for example, or the wonderfully mismatched crockery, all help to create an atmosphere that’s part allotment, part BBQ but all utterly delightful.

Wilderness Cafe – Amsterdam, Netherlands

Utterly charming, the Wilderness Cafe is a gardeners’ haven, as well as a magnet for anyone who loves a good cup of coffee and slice of delicious cake in eclectic yet delightful surroundings. The Cafe combines food and beverages with the sale of plants, gardening accessories, seeds, and gifts.

A simple off-white colour scheme provides the backdrop for numerous planters, pots, tubs, and little trays of plants. Furniture is deliberately simple – as at home in a potting shed as in a cafe.

The lines between the various functions of the space are beautifully blurred: many of the plants and foliage used as ornamentation is also for sale, whilst soil and tools are found in close proximity to dining space. In this example, plants do double duty as a beautiful interior accent as well as a product which forms part of what the facility has to offer.

The Botanist – Vancouver, Canada

A stunning, sophisticated design created by local design firm Ste.Marie, The Botanist is far more than the sum of its parts. The overarching theme is the flora of the Pacific Mid-West, but that theme is delivered in a multitude of different ways in the restaurant. Each part of the restaurant has been created to give a particular ambiance, using appropriate greenery accents to provide interest and a sense of continuity.

From the slightly cheeky Champagne lounge through to the Cocktail bar, Terrace, and interior garden and, finally, the restaurant, each space is a fusion of influences that results in an extremely elegant dining experience, which also has a playful, mischievous side. A high-end dining experience intended for a discerning audience, the design is stunning in its ability to use indigenous flora in a multi-faceted manner.

Le Jardin – Marrakesh, Morocco

An engaging combination of retro European styling and Moroccan architecture, Le Jardin benefits from a sizeable garden which forms the location for al fresco dining. Terraces and the restaurant building provide further seating.

The boundary between indoors and out is fluid, adding to the understated informality of the surroundings. Here, plants are used as a backdrop as well as to provide structure to the space and provide appealing accents where needed. Natural lighting is used extensively, alongside lamps where necessary. An earthy palette throughout results in a space that’s easy on the eye.

Plenty of tiles and stone surfaces add an attractive, cooling ambiance that suits the Marrakech climate well. With a slightly hippy vibe, Le Jardin is a space that’s equally appealing for morning coffee or a dinner party.

The writer’s remarks

All of these restaurants have used plants and greenery (read more about biophilic applications) in a slightly different way in order to deliver their desired effect. What’s interesting about the use of plants is how so many messages can be put across in a single, attractive addition to a design.

Careful plant choice can reflect the unique location and influences of the restaurant in the same way as building materials and the colour scheme. In some cases, the plants become part of the dining experience, being harvested to create some of the dishes available. Not only is this an exciting design feature, but it also ensures that diners get some of the freshest ingredients possible.