Art and Culinary - Gallery-like Gourmet Temples Around the Globe
Worldwide Restaurants with Amazing Artwork
Travelers who are interested in both culinary arts and art should plan a visit to these worldwide restaurants.
These dining temples boast epic and amazing art collections. Where to find them, we will reveal to you.
London: Sketch Gallery
Even if you haven't had the chance to dine in this legendary London venue, there's a good chance you've seen it on Instagram. The pink, wonderfully quirky restaurant is a dream for any art lover, not least thanks to the 91 colorful pieces by award-winning artist David Shrigley. The tongue-in-cheek graphic prints range from a portrait of a cat to a news broadcast with the words "Woman spills coffee." On the table, you'll also find Shrigley's works – the artist has designed a handful of ceramic pieces adorned with phrases like "It's not OK" and "Dirt."
Modena: Osteria Francescana
Massimo Bottura is not only one of the best and most renowned chefs in the world but also an art junkie. It is no surprise that Osteria Francescana, his three-Michelin-star restaurant in Modena, houses some of his favorite works. Perhaps the most remarkable (and most misunderstood) is Gavin Turk's trash sculpture, a wonderfully lifelike painted bronze cast of a very full garbage bag. Elsewhere in the restaurant, guests can find contemporary works by Maurizio Cattelan, Damien Hirst, or Takashi Murakami.
Hong Kong: Piqniq
This charming rooftop restaurant is one of the coolest outdoor meeting spots in all of Hong Kong. Piqniq is located on the top floor of H Queen’s and is decorated with bean bags, fairy lights, and colorful artworks that enhance the expansive view. The crown jewel of the restaurant is a plump, red, dotted pumpkin by the renowned artist Yayoi Kusama. The hand-painted wallpaper by Lala Curio, which draws guests to the terrace with clouds, trees, birds, and flowers, adds even more to the good mood.
London: Le Gavroche
This restaurant giant offers uncompromising high-end cuisine of the old school and has been awarded two Michelin stars. The art on the walls is equally impressive and has become even more robust thanks to the good taste of the current chef, Michel Roux Jr. As you go through the eight-course tasting menu, let your gaze wander around the room and look for works by Picasso, Miró, and Dalí.
Zürich: Kronenhalle
Those who want to experience art and culture in Zurich can skip the museums and reserve a table at the Kronenhalle, a Zurich institution that has been serving renowned guests warm meals since 1924. In the 1940s, the owners befriended artists like Picasso, Matisse, and Miró and occasionally accepted gifts from their new friends. So feel free to ask your waiter to introduce you to the works of Marc Chagall, Georges Braque, and Robert Rauschenberg after dessert.
New York City: Casa Lever
Until recently, this elegant Italian restaurant in Midtown housed 32 of Warhol's iconic screen print portraits – including famous faces like Judy Garland, Aretha Franklin, and Alfred Hitchcock. But the current collection, which debuted in 2019, is also impressive. The Warhols have been replaced by works from British star artist Damien Hirst. In the private dining room, you can now see, for example, "Since the Majority of Me Rejects the Majority of You," a shiny masterpiece filled with butterflies.
Miami: Red Rooster Overtown
The first restaurant by chef Marcus Samuelsson in Miami is a feast for the senses – the menu is rich in Southern homestyle cooking, the playlist is always up to date, and there is art everywhere. The collection curated by Derek Fleming and David Simkins at the restaurant features works that inspire conversation: while you wait for your food, quietly explore the room for pieces by artists such as Kara Walker, Derrick Adams, Elizabeth Catlett, and Rashid Johnson.
Atlanta: Atlas
Atlas is not an average hotel restaurant – the lavish restaurant at the St. Regis Atlanta serves as both a prestigious restaurant and an art museum, thanks to its constantly changing gallery of 20th-century modern art, which includes works like Francis Bacon's "Study for Portrait" and Picasso's "La Famille." Currently on display is a treasure trove of 39 works by the Japanese-French painter and printmaker Léonard Tsuguharu Foujita, known for his portraits of women and cats. Consider enjoying a nightcap after dinner at the sister restaurant The Garden Room, where a Klimt-inspired mosaic serves as a colorful centerpiece.