Café design
Cafés people return to
What goes into a café that feels good on the first visit and the fiftieth, with notes from our Tea Kadai project.
A café is judged in the first ten seconds, and again on every return visit. Designing one is as much about service and comfort as it is about looks. These are the things we work through on every café, tea shop and bakery we design.
Start with the menu and the service
What is made on site, how quickly it is served, and whether guests order at a counter or at the table decide the size and position of the kitchen and counter, which then decide almost everything else.
Flow
Guests should move from the door to the counter, to pick-up, to a seat and out again without bumping into each other. Staff need their own route to the kitchen and store, and delivery riders need a place to wait that does not block the entrance.
A mix of seats
- A window counter for people on their own.
- Tables for two that can be pushed together.
- One larger table for groups and celebrations.
- A few comfortable corners that make people stay a little longer.
Light and sound
Daylight by day, warm and lower light in the evening. We light the counter and the tables rather than the ceiling, and use soft surfaces where needed so the room feels lively without being loud.
One memorable idea
Every good café has something people remember and photograph. At Tea Kadai it is the greenery under the skylight, the hanging chandelier and the stone underfoot. The idea has to come from the brand and the place, not from a catalogue.
The practical details
Easy-to-clean surfaces, kitchen ventilation, storage, enough power points for laptops and phones, and washrooms that match the rest of the space. They are not glamorous, but they are what keep a café running well for years.
Planning a project? Book an appointment or call us on +91 424 356 0508.
