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The Oscars of restaurant design are back—and New York has shown up dressed to kill. The annual Restaurant & Bar Design Awards, which spotlight the most jaw-dropping dining spaces around the globe, just revealed its 2025 shortlist and a handful of NYC spots made the cut. If you needed an excuse to eat somewhere pretty enough to make your Instagram followers jealous, consider this it.
RECOMMENDED: This New York steakhouse was named one of the World's Most Beautiful Restaurants
Brass, designed by Islyn Studio, is a love letter to glam nostalgia. With gleaming metallic surfaces, rich textures and a mood that feels part supper club, part glossy fever dream, it’s no surprise it’s up for multiple categories, including Standalone and Heritage Building. Translation: historic but make it chic.
La Tête d’Or, Daniel Boulud’s latest Midtown showpiece, is another strong contender. Velvet banquettes, an amber glow and a kitchen that doubles as an architectural centerpiece make it a visual feast before the steak even hits the table. The design has been recognized for both Lighting and In Another Space, but the 45-day-aged rib-eye might deserve an award of its own.
The View, from Rockwell Group, is shortlisted in the Hotel category and practically cheats with its built-in asset: skyline vistas. Add in Rockwell’s signature polish and you’ve got a dining room that reminds you why people put up with New York rent prices.
Ken Fulk’s Felix Roasting Co. has long been the city’s most decadent caffeine fix, with marble counters, vintage-inspired fixtures and the kind of jewel-box interiors that make your flat white feel like a fashion accessory. The café nod proves that even your morning espresso deserves drama.
The Otter, a hotel restaurant from Hannes Peer, is pure playfulness, combining bold colors, luxe finishes and splashy murals. Shortlisted across multiple categories, it proves that maximalism is alive and well downtown.
And then there’s Mission Ceviche, the first full-service restaurant from chef José Luis Chavez. Airy interiors, biophilic design touches, and South American flair landed it nominations in Standalone and Surface Interiors. Between the Nikkei ceviche and the moody-but-fresh aesthetic, it’s basically a mini vacation on East 74th Street.
They’re not alone: Obvio, Clemente Bar, Twin Tails, Postcard and Crane Club also earned recognition this year, underscoring just how wide and varied New York’s design talent runs, from inventive visual identities to hotel showpieces and intimate standalones.
Winners of the Restaurant & Bar Design Awards will be announced later this year, but New Yorkers already have bragging rights—and plenty of prime dinner reservations—to celebrate.