From a pink-hued Ottolenghi restaurant in London to a muted pizzeria in Beijing, our latest lookbook rounds up 10 eateries from around the world that feature terrazzo elements.
Terrazzo is a flooring material that consists of uneven pieces of marble or granite set in concrete, which is then polished to give it a smooth finish.
Architects and interior designers often use the sturdy material in their projects to create practical floors, but also to give walls or other surfaces a speckled and decorative appearance.
We have collected 10 eateries that use terrazzo, such as on the tabletops of a fish and chip shop in Australia and to make up the floors of a Chinese teahouse.
This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing steely kitchens, green bedrooms and gardens with swimming pools.
Rosie and Tillie, India, by Renesa
Local architecture studio Renesa set terracotta tiles against smooth terrazzo surfaces at Rosie and Tillie, an all-day cafe in New Delhi.
Squat curved booths create sculptural seating throughout the eatery, which is located within a former Indian restaurant at a shopping mall in the Indian capital’s Saket neighbourhood.
Find out more about Rosie and Tillie ›
Smallfry Seafood, Australia, by Sans-Arc Studio
Smallfry Seafood is a chip shop in Adelaide, Australia, that takes cues from the aesthetics of Japanese seafood markets.
Sans-Arc Studio created a communal bar and curved tables from narrow slabs of light blue terrazzo. For the rest of the interiors, the studio chose mottled grey travertine and stained wood accents that are illuminated by globular pendant lights.
Find out more about Smallfry Seafood ›
Drop Coffee, UAE, by Roar Studio
A decorative terrazzo floor mirrors a mural created from broken ceramic tiles at this Dubai cafe that was designed by Roar Studio at the city’s Dar Al Wasl Mall.
Drop Coffee has a colour palette of greys and whites, chosen to maintain focus on the cafe’s mix of industrial materials such as stainless steel and concrete.
“We aren’t trying to reinvent the wheel by using broken tiles – our idea was to form a counterpoint to the terrazzo effect porcelain flooring as though the chips of the broken tiles were used in the flooring,” Roar Studio founder Pallavi Dean told Dezeen.
Find out more about Drop Coffee ›
Odette, Singapore, by Universal Design Studio
Mosaic-like terrazzo floors formed from pale pink and white take centre stage at Odette, a restaurant in Singapore created by British practice Universal Design Studio.
A range of soft and smooth materials make up the interiors, from plush grey velvet benches and chairs to sleek nickel fixtures and statement planters.
Find out more about Odette ›
Ottolenghi Chelsea, UK, by Alex Meitlis
London deli and restaurant chain Ottolenghi has opened a branch in Chelsea that features interior styling by designer Alex Meitlis, who created exposed plaster walls interspersed with pink terrazzo tiles.
The eatery includes slinky banquettes in red upholstery and low-slung rattan chairs, which are arranged around sculptural white tables.
Find out more about Ottolenghi Chelsea ›
Penta, Australia, by Ritz&Ghougassian
Terrazzo was used to create subtle geometric seating at Penta, a minimal cafe in Melbourne designed by local architecture studio Ritz&Ghougassian.
Jet black cushions and chairs contrast the grey speckled benches, while delicate native ferns add a touch of greenery to the otherwise monochrome interiors.
Find out more about Penta ›
Lievito Gourmet Pizza, China, by MDDM Studio
Another eatery with a muted atmosphere, Lievito Gourmet Pizza by MDDM Studio features blocky custom-made tables and a central bar formed from powdery grey terrazzo.
The Beijing restaurant was designed with this layout in order to incorporate both open and more intimate dining spaces, which are arranged across three subtle levels.
Find out more about Lievito Gourmet Pizza ›
Tingtai Teahouse, China, by Linehouse
Situated inside an old factory space in Shanghai, Tingtai Teahouse is characterised by its intimate seating areas contained in elevated boxes positioned above a multi-level landscape of green terrazzo.
“We paired smoked oak and brushed darkened stainless steel with the green terrazzo to bring warmth into the space,” explained Linehouse founder Alex Mok.
Find out more about Tingtai Teahouse ›
B-Natural Kitchen, USA, by Atelier Cho Thompson
A rounded bar and service counter with a multi-coloured terrazzo top and tamboured wood siding features in B-Natural Kitchen, a pastel-hued restaurant in New Haven, Connecticut.
Atelier Cho Thompson juxtaposed soft and bold finishes for the interiors, which include plant-themed graphic wallpaper that nods to the eatery’s menu of fresh ingredients.
Find out more about project B-Natural Kitchen ›
Middle South East, Australia, by Biasol
Design studio Biasol took cues from Middle Eastern architecture for this Melbourne restaurant that juxtaposes deep blue and terracotta tones.
A tiled water station with terrazzo shelving features in the centre of the room, while clusters of dining tables and a bar are topped with the same speckled material.
Find out more about Middle South East ›
This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing white bathrooms, light-filled extensions and homes with statement windows.