The Best Restaurant Architects in New York City

Designing a restaurant in New York City is no small feat; it’s a blend of artistry, functionality, and practicality. Opening a restaurant is a big investment, with costs ranging between $50,000 and $250,000 and sometimes soaring to $400,000 for high-end establishments. Navigating the complexities of restaurant construction in a city like New York requires expertise and finesse. There are diverse challenges, from navigating city regulations to optimizing space for maximum capacity and ambiance.

Given the fast-paced nature of the restaurant industry, where trends come and go, time is of the essence. Restaurant projects in New York typically take six months to complete, given there are no delays or missteps that can translate to lost revenue and momentum. Probing into the permit data from the city, we find that over the past two years, there have been 2,664 restaurant projects initiated, with an average construction cost hovering around $90 per square foot. This bustling activity is backed by 103 specialized restaurant contractors, indicating the vibrant restaurant scene and the demand for top-notch architectural services.

As you begin opening a restaurant in the heart of the Big Apple, choosing the best architects in New York is one of your most important decisions. A skilled architect brings your vision to life and manages the project efficiently, keeping it on schedule and within budget. Conversely, choosing the wrong architect can lead to costly mistakes, delays, and unnecessary stress. In the following guide, we’ll explore some of the top restaurant architects in New York, providing insights to help you make an informed decision and confidently embark on your restaurant project journey.

Overview: The Best Restaurant Architects in New York City

See Ranking Methodology at the bottom of this article to learn more.

CCS Architecture

180 Varick Street #930, New York, NY 10014

CCS Architecture is home to the top New York interior designers and architects, led by AIA Fellow and founder Cass Calder Smith. Its team of designers and principals now operates out of one office between the trendsetting neighborhoods of Greenwich Village and SoHo and another in San Francisco. With partners Taylor Lawson, Barbara Vickroy, and Melissa Werner, Smith has led the firm to critical acclaim in the pages of Dwell, Architectural Record, The New York Times, and Metropolis. CCS Architecture has also earned recognition for its restaurant designs from James Beard, AIA Los Angeles, and the International Interior Design Association.

CCS Architecture brought the charm of a quintessential Upper East Side locale downtown with designs for Sarabeth’s Park Avenue South. In this renovation, a former steakhouse became the 16k-square-foot outpost — now the largest of Sarabeth’s restaurants — with three private dining rooms, a patio for al fresco dining, and a large, refurbished bar. The new Sarabeth’s can seat nearly 400 guests at completely new tables and banquettes across its main and lower levels. The restaurant is finished in contrasting colors and varying textures, from walls wrapped in black tile and bleached wood panels to floors tiled in varied geometric patterns. CCS Architecture also designed Covina, an elevated casual dining experience in NoMad. In partnership with Chef Tim Cushman and his wife Nancy, CCS Architecture created an environment that draws Park South Hotel guests and Manhattanites alike. Warm light and natural finishes forge a welcome oasis from the bustle of the city. A zinc-topped bar is tucked into a cozy alcove, warmed by exposed brick and wide plank wood floors. Guests sitting for a full meal may prefer the semi-private dining room or a seat at the chef’s counter, looking into the open kitchen with its custom-tiled pizza oven and wood-fired grill.

Verona Carpenter Architects

59 Hester St., Ground Floor, New York, NY 10002

Veronica Carpenter Architects is a full-service architectural and interior design firm based in Manhattan. Principals Irina Verona and Jennifer Carpenter are AIA architects known for their progressive and neurodivergent design expertise. Its team of skillful designers is focused on designs that embrace the environment, creating a range of sensory environments where more people can feel at ease. 

As one of the leading New York interior designers and architects, the New York State Council on the Arts recognized the firm with the 2023 NYSCA + Architecture League Independent Projects Grant. This award highlights Veronica Carpenter Architects’ mindful designs to make spaces more inclusive for neurodivergent kids. Similarly, publications such as Forbes, Architectural Digest Pro, Architectural Record, and Dezeen have given recognition and feature articles for the firm.

The Alder Restaurant is one of its notable projects in New York, completed in 2013. Carpenter led the team designing the 64-seat, 2,000-square-foot restaurant for Chef Wylie Dufresne’s second New York City venue. The space reflects Chef Dufresne’s vision of a reimagined modern New England pub while incorporating wood from his farmhouse fence, creating an irregular ceiling structure. Every space and corner of the restaurant is put to good use; the banquettes along the brick wall include storage compartments where customers can stow their bags and coats. Additionally, a compact, well-designed server station with bespoke cabinetry ensures seamless service.

Rockwell Group

5 Union Square West, New York, NY 10003

David Rockwell, FAIA founded Rockwell Group in Manhattan over four decades ago. Now, under the care of Rockwell and partners Greg Keffer and Shawn Sullivan, the firm employs a team of 250 designers and staff. Rockwell Group produces designs for hospitality, healthcare, retail, and more projects from their New York, Shanghai, and Madrid offices. The firm, a James Beard Foundation Who’s Who of Food & Beverage inductee, has earned the National Design Award from the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, the AIA New York President’s Award, among other prestigious architecture honors. Condé Nast Traveler, Food & Wine, and Fast Company all rank Rockwell Group among the most innovative firms in the industry.

Having developed a 23-year relationship with Chef Nobu Matsuhisa — one that began with the restaurant’s Tribeca location — the firm is now the design collaborator for Nobu’s locations worldwide. In the Financial District, the Rockwell Group design for Nobu Downtown won an NYCxDesign Award in the Restaurant/Bar category. The new 4,500-square-foot restaurant is located in the former AT&T building. Botticino marble columns rise around the perimeter and through the center of the ground-floor dining room. Another traditional feature, a coffered ceiling, gives way to a wooden canopy pieced together with undulating wood beams designed to resemble origami. Tao, another New York restaurant scene icon, also looked to Rockwell Group to design their Lower Manhattan outpost. Tao Downtown occupies the former home of the Maritime Hotel in Chelsea. Eschewing the typical dining format, the team created a dynamic, two-story layout that moves guests through various lounge areas spread across the 22k-square-foot space. Twenty-foot statues, a grand staircase, and carved pillars add drama and scale to the experience.

CRÈME / JUN AIZAKI ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

85 North 3rd Street #110, Brooklyn, NY 11249

Crème founder and Principal Jun Aizaki relocated from Japan to New York City in the early 1990s before earning a Pratt Institute School of Architecture degree. In 2004, after a few years working with the formidable firm Rockwell Group and earning an IHMRS Gold Key Award for Best Restaurant Design, Aizaki established Crème, now a critically acclaimed, internationally recognized design firm. Hospitality Design honored the Williamsburg, Brooklyn-based business with a Wave of the Future Award. Crème has also received recognition from The New York Times, which highlights Aizaki’s expertise as one of the best architects in New York.

Crème won the Prix Versailles in the restaurant category for the interior of L’Amico, an eatery in the Eventi Hotel in Chelsea. The 1,700-square-foot space combines rustic and industrial details. Woodfire ovens, clad in copper, stand next to built-in geometric shelving used to store firewood. The rest of the open kitchen is dressed in a simple black and white tile that nods at the graphic, concrete floors of the dining room. Floor-to-ceiling folding wall panels open the interior to the sidewalk, where diners sit in deep, oversized banquettes or blackened steel and walnut chairs designed by the firm. The Promenade des Anglais results from Chef Alain Allegretti’s collaboration with Crème — an elegant setting that taps into Allegretti’s connections with Southern France. The design is transportive, from the deep blue velour of the banquettes to the graphic ceiling. Brass light fixtures, antique mirrors, and a marble-topped bar punctuate the brasserie’s moody decor.

Wid Chapman Architects

547 West 27th Street, Suite 304, New York, NY 10001

Wid Chapman Architects is one of the leading commercial architects in New York, completing major restaurant, hotel, and residential projects across the US and in the Dominican Republic, Malaysia, and other countries worldwide. Founder Wid Chapman, a American Institute of Architects (AIA) member, studied architecture at the Rhode Island School of Design and went on to chair the interior design program at Parsons School of Design. Since establishing the firm, Wid has become an authority in lifestyle design, with projects featured in Hospitality Design, New York Magazine, Interior Design, The New York Times, and international publications in Japan and India.

The Wid Chapman-designed Industry Kitchen is in an unusual spot. This social media-ready bar and restaurant occupies 3,200 square feet under FDR Drive, the freeway along Manhattan’s eastern waterfront. Architectural Digest and the Wall Street Journal have noted the restaurant’s innovative design. Floor-to-ceiling windows just yards from the water’s edge give diners panoramic views of boats, bridges, and Queens. The design draws from the view; green tile evokes the flowing river, while concrete and iron reflect the Brooklyn Bridge and the city’s skylines. A wood-paneled ceiling, natural wood table, and bar tops mediate the effect of the more industrial finishes. Up the block, on SHoP Architects-designed Pier 15, you’ll find Watermark Bar. This Chapman project is a bit larger, with 3,500 square feet of indoor and outdoor space for up to 200 guests to enjoy a cocktail after exploring the South Street Seaport. The restrained design centers on a large bar wrapped in black subway tiles and topped with reclaimed wood. Metal finishes and globe light fixtures hint at old New York without competing for the view.

Ranking Methodology

To evaluate the performance of contractors, our methodology employs a systematic approach that considers various factors contributing to customer experience and satisfaction. We focused on assessing the best restaurant architects in the New York City area. The methodology involves assigning weightings to specific categories based on their significance in determining customer service quality. Here’s the breakdown of the categories and their respective weightings:

• Average Customer Satisfaction (35%): This metric represents the average rating given by customers across the same review platforms as the Average Customer Satisfaction Score. A higher average rating indicates greater overall satisfaction with the service provided.
• Service Rating Score (25%): We analyze the ratio of high (4-5 stars) to low (1-2 stars) ratings for each business across multiple review platforms: Google, Houzz, and Yelp. A higher percentage of positive reviews contributes to a higher score, reflecting better customer satisfaction.
• Complaint Percentage (25%): We analyze the ratio of complaints to total reviews for each business. A lower complaints ratio indicates better service quality and results in a higher score.
• Business Hours and Availability (10%): The operating hours of each business are assessed to gauge accessibility. Companies with extended operating hours are awarded a higher score, as they offer greater convenience to customers.
• License Status (5%): We verify the licensing status of each contractor with their local licensing board to ensure legal compliance. Companies with valid licenses receive a higher score, reflecting professionalism and adherence to regulations.
• Total Score: We determined the overall rating for every contractor by calculating a weighted average, with the category weight determining the amount the subscore contributed to the total score 

Additional Note: Service Rating Score, Average Customer Satisfaction, and Complaint Percentage are calculated with a Bayesian estimate to account for if the contractor has a low number of total reviews. A Bayesian average is a statistical method used to calculate the average of a set of data points while taking into account prior information or beliefs about the distribution of the data. It combines the observed data with a prior distribution to generate a more accurate estimate of the true average.