Intro

Salvatore’s Italian Grille

This popular local restaurant felt constrained and dated by a fixed seating arrangement and tired decor in their main dining room and a limited seating capacity in the bar room, especially at the bar counter itself.  With thoughtful planning and careful attention to the existing details Phillips|Sekanick Architects, inc. was able to provide a more open and flexible dining experience in both areas.

 

Details

Salvatore’s Italian Grille

Challenge

For the first phase of renovations the Owner of Salvatore’s Restaurant wanted a larger bar counter and more table seating in the bar room.  The existing L-shaped bar was truncated by a wall dividing the bar area from the banquet room at a 45-degree angle.  The Owner wanted to keep the existing bar and create a seamless addition to it for 360-degree serving.  Expanding the bar meant that the banquet room would no longer be large enough to serve banqueting functions, but it was still desired to create some special places for groups of approximately 20 people.  In phase two the focus was on opening up the main dining room, creating a larger waiting/pick-up area and giving the space a contemporary vibe.  All the seating in the dining room was fixed booth seating separated by several partial height walls which made the room feel smaller.  The waiting/pick-up area was small and not well defined.

 

Solution

In phase one the design team carefully measured the existing bar counter and equipment so that the expanded bar would match exactly, and all of the equipment would fit.  One private small group room was created adjacent to the bar room.  A second small group space was able to be created within the bar room by creating a raised platform for seating.  This allowed the flexibility of using this space for a small group or for general dining when no groups had reserved the space.  In phase two the design team studied the flow of the existing space to ascertain the best solution.  The existing airlock and entry were moved and reconfigured creating a better defined, larger waiting area and pick-up counter.  In the dining area all the partial height walls were removed, and a more flexible seating arrangement was designed.  Using a combination of loose tables, banquette seating and booths, the design team was able to create a layout that was not only open, but also afforded the ability to section parts of the space off for private parties.  Aesthetically, the space was contemporized by adding a fireplace, floating glass partitions and warm wood finishes.  By selecting two different complementing floor tiles, the design team used them in specific areas to define the space while leaving the dining area mostly open.  The reconfiguration of the space and selection of new materials allow for an efficient, beautiful space that is flexible, offering a variety of seating options for customers and a flexible table layout for dining groups of various sizes, while still remaining open for an enjoyable dining experience.