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Page 14 — Retail Properties Quarterly — May 2015
I n only a few short years, the
restaurant scene across the
Denver metro area has become
one of the top foodie destina-
tions in the country. As res-
taurant designers, we began to see
subtle hints of change around 2009,
but the restaurant boom we are
experiencing didn’t truly hit its stride
until 2012. Tom Coohill, chef-owner
of Coohills in Lower
Downtown, is one
of many restaura-
teurs who moved
to Denver in 2011
after recognizing
that Colorado was
on the verge of a
food revolution,
he said. Now the
word is out – we
are known across
the nation as a very
healthy population,
and a refined inter-
est in food goes along with that.
Although the “chef-driven” din-
ing scene on the coasts catalyzed
some of the changes we are seeing,
rapidly shifting demographics is the
true driver behind the transforma-
tion. Quite simply, Colorado is one
of the top destinations in the nation
for young professionals. Because the
new generation of diners approaches
eating and drinking differently than
their boomer parents, millennials’
distinctive tastes and desires are at
the root of many of the emerging
trends impacting restaurant design
today.
John Sikaitis, national research
director for Chicago-based JLL
Research, said in a recent magazine
article, “Millennials – those between
20 and 34 years old – comprise
22 percent of the overall Denver
metropolis and represent the highest
millennial growth of any metropoli-
tan area in the country since 2007.”
In other words, a new generation
of diners is redefining how we eat,
drink, dine and entertain. Following
are seven restaurant design trends
millennials’ influence inspired:
Authentic experiences. Millenni-
als tend to be progressive by nature.
They also seek out authentic expe-
riences more actively than previ-
ous generations and enjoy sharing
those experiences with others. Their
heightened interest in simple, qual-
ity food, the art of presenting it and
healthy living in general are all a
part of the search for “real” experi-
ences.
“[Millennials] want a restaurant’s
design to reflect its cuisine, and ulti-
mately they want the restaurant to
be true to what it is offering,” said
RestaurantHospitality.com. “So res-
taurant designers and architects,
armed with that information, are
challenged to meet diner expecta-
tions while also satisfying the vision
of the restaurant owner.”
Transparency. Today, most diners
are drawn to transparent spaces,
both as it applies to the design of
restaurant interiors, and creating
a sense of welcome from the out-
side. Inviting passersby to partake
in the experience through open,
unobstructed views and free-flowing
design not only increases traffic, it
also enhances a restaurant’s sense of
community. Transparency between
patrons and the people preparing
the food also improves satisfaction
and service. In May 2014, the Harvard
Business Review published a study
reporting a 10 percent increase in
customer satisfaction scores for res-
taurant operators using exhibition
or open kitchens to create dining
room excitement. The study revealed
that diners enjoy seeing their meals
prepared because it feels more hon-
est and communicates a sense of
home. Even more compelling, when
customers and cooks could see each
other, patron satisfaction soared 17.3
percent, and overall service was 13.2
percent faster. Open kitchens also
reveal the mystery and artistry of
cooking, which furthers the idea of
food preparation as theater.
Lively, yet comfortable. When the
chefs we work with explain what
they are looking for, they often
describe spaces that are comfortable
and inviting with a residential feel,
but they also want their restaurants
to feel energized, much like the high-
energy environment catalyzed by
The Kitchen Denver’s centrally locat-
ed bar. To achieve this, bars are given
more prominence as a focal point
today, blurring the line between bar
dining and the formal dining area.
Community-style eating. To create
a lively vibe, community tables in
dining and bar areas are growing
in popularity as well. The Kitchen
restaurant in Boulder reintroduced
this age-old tradition in 2004 with its
community night. Ideal for groups
of two or more people, community-
style eating sits everyone around a
traditional Italian family table, which
includes everyone and encourages
family style eating where everything
is shared. Chef tables are the latest
extension of this concept. Because
diners love to feel surrounded by the
positive energy of others, design ele-
ments like these are popping up all
over the state.
Tightly packed, activated spaces. The
restaurant scene in Colorado is about
being in the thick of it all. And talk-
ing about it the next day is a key part
of the experience. As a result, most
restaurateurs today prefer greater
density with tighter spacing between
tables, and people seated elbow to
elbow so they can feel a sense of
energy and conviviality. For those
who need less action, private nooks
are also integrated into the design,
but the intimacy of tightly packed
spaces is now part of what draws
many diners to a restaurant.
Eclectic materials and furnishings. To
millennials, less is more, thus there
is no need to hide anything. Unpol-
ished, eclectic interiors along with
exposing a building’s infrastructure
tend to introduce more personality.
Reclaimed materials draw a connec-
tion to the environment and home,
and the overall feel should be neither
too clean nor too sleek. Mixing of
furniture and the use of a variety of
materials is also popular, with every
detail meticulously crafted and cus-
tomized down to the smallest ele-
ment.
Warm lighting and less acoustics.
The warm glow of a 40-watt Edison
bulb is still very popular for dim-
mable lighting, commonly with
multiple lighting levels. For example,
lower-level lighting on tables and at
the bar, combined with soft overhead
lighting, helps create more of a resi-
dential feel. Acoustically, the sweet
spot is a healthy amount of buzz,
balanced with keeping noise within
limits.
The underlying theme connecting
all of these trends is that millennial
diners care about the craft of cook-
ing and cocktails and take it very
seriously. They are into cooking and
showing what they have created.
Like theater, it is for show. In addi-
tion to millennials, Gen X and Gen Y
diners are having children later, so
they have a fair amount of discre-
tionary income to spend on food and
entertainment. Local sourcing and
farm-to-table all feed into this, and
Colorado restaurateurs are not only
wise enough to follow these trends,
but also are leading them.s
Leila Schwyhart
Designer, Semple
Brown, Denver
Steuben’s exterior windows create a sense of welcome, inviting passersby to partake in the experience.
In Boulder, patrons are surrounded by the energy of others at The Kitchen Upstairs’ community table and bar.
Restaurant Update