It’s a union that’s given birth to some of the most beautiful cafes and restaurants around the world. Ready your eyes and stomach...
It’s a union that’s given birth to some of the most beautiful cafes and restaurants around the world. Ready your eyes and stomach...
Marni Flower Cafe in Osaka
The latest addition to the fray of fashion-based eateries in Japan is Marni Flower Cafe, situated in the iconic Hankyu Umeda Main Store in Osaka. Not just a food-only meeting point, the roughly 538 sq ft multi-concept space also offers up a series of high-quality Italian products, flowers and items that are exclusive to the store and inspired by an ever-changing theme. Menu items are straightforward – think focaccia breads, fresh-pressed juices, and Italian cakes and pastries, available for dine-in or takeaway in Marni-designed (of course) boxes.
Thomas’s in London
Burberry’s first cafe, located in its flagship store on Regent Street, was said to have become a hotspot for some of the local fashion elite shortly after its opening in June last year. But, far from stiff -upper-lip English formality, Thomas’s (named after the fashion empire’s founder Thomas Burberry) has a decidedly laid-back vibe. This all-day eatery serves all-British comfort grub like cured salmon with scrambled eggs, lobster and chips, and scones and teacakes, and ingredients are sourced mostly from small producers and artisan suppliers across the UK. It doesn’t skimp on aesthetics either; the space is done up with marble flooring and rich wooden furnishings. A gifting section featuring home furnishing items, games and stationery offers a spot of (relatively) affordable shopping.
Vivienne Westwood Cafe in Hong Kong
British designer and punk-fashion icon Vivienne Westwood had a hand in the conceptualisation of her eponymous cafe, turning it into a platform that showcases her brand’s signature elements – the utensils and tea sets feature either the Orb logo or its trademark tartan print. The cafe also boasts two distinct interior concepts; one drew inspiration from the backstage of a fashion show and the other, from London museum The Wallace Collection. Naturally, as an homage to her British roots, high tea is served here – take your pick from a variety of cakes and scones, or go for a set of sweet and savouries for two.
Bulgari Il Cafe in Osaka
Take a break from shopping in the Hankyu Umeda Main Store in Osaka by resting your feet here and picking from a menu of dainty sweet treats and more substantial Italian staples like pastas and paninis. While this dine-in menu isn’t particularly groundbreaking, its in-house takeaway store Il Cioccolato is worth browsing for souvenirs. Handcrafted by chocolatiers in the brand’s Ginza laboratory, the array of exquisite miniatures on off er boast mind-boggling Italian-inspired flavour combos – think porcini mushroom, black pepper, walnut and milk chocolate ganache; balsamic vinegar and rose hip, paired with strawberry and white chocolate ganache; and Gorgonzola cheese, orange peel and white chocolate ganache.
Cafe Dior in Seoul
The six-storey flagship Dior store in Seoul is truly a sight to behold. With its sinuous curves and sleek metallic finish, the towering, mother-of-pearl-white structure is a standout even among the plethora of luxury fashion boutiques in the prestigious Gangnam-gu district. It seemed almost instinctive then, for the fashion brand to collaborate with famed French patissier Pierre Herme (dubbed the “Picasso of Pastry” by French Vogue) to provide posh post-shopping nourishment in the form of his emblematic creations such as macarons, chocolate, cakes, ice cream and pastries. The glass-walled, sun-drenched cafe is worth a visit all on its own, if only for the double bragging rights of having visited the largest Dior store in the world and enjoyed Pierre Herme’s sweet treats.
Beige Alain Ducasse Tokyo in Tokyo
Born out of a shared vision of simplicity and elegance between Chanel and the Alain Ducasse Entreprise, the restaurant delivers on its ethos both cuisine- and decor-wise. Staying true to both the spirit of the French-born Alain Ducasse and Beige’s locale, the food is refined French, prepared as far as possible with Japanese ingredients. A three-course set lunch starts at 5,900 yen (about S$72) – not bad, considering its prime location in Chanel’s Ginza building and its elegant decor by Peter Marino, the designer in charge of Chanel boutiques all over the world. It’s easy to see why a meal here has become a bucket-list item for Chanel fans and foodies alike.
The Polo Bar in New York City
Since opening last year, Ralph Lauren’s first F&B venture in the Big Apple has attracted, in almost equal parts, praise and flak – the former for its genuinely good food, the latter for its allegedly restrictive reservations policy (much like that of a private, old-fashioned gentlemen’s club’s), where bookings need to be made months in advance and meal slots are at awkward timings. The policy is somewhat understandable though, when you consider The Polo Bar’s past patrons, which include Rihanna, Naomi Campbell, Chris Hemsworth and a slew of the city’s head honchos. If you do manage to make it past the gatekeepers, a surprisingly straightforward menu of classics, such as burgers and steaks, awaits. Polo elements (horse saddles, helmets and horse-centric portraits) dot the dining room, but it’s the thought of potentially dining alongside an A-lister that will have you distracted.
