Open Colonna

The small street view along via Bassano Porrone is contrasted by the large window that expands the restaurant spaces towards the silent internal courtyard, restored after being occupied in the 1960s by a garage. Today five privet trees shade this space, making it part of those precious green courtyards which, hidden in the heart of the buildings in the centre, offer refuge from the chaos of the city.

The entire restaurant project was born thinking about its beating heart consisting of the spacious open kitchen. We started by imagining a work space open towards the room; on one side the generous pass framed by black iron windows, on the other a large porthole overlooking a more intimate room. A long marble worktop completes the space, going beyond the perimeter of the kitchen to become the chef’s table.

Common elements such as terrazzo flooring, lacquered boiserie and dark green ceiling with exposed systems unite spaces with distinct identities: the main room with the long bench made of caramel-coloured leather and the black marble tables with brass bases, the private dining room with the large black marble table and padded armchairs, the open wine cellar, the more informal area with the communal oak table.

The centerpiece of the main room is the bar with its elegant white marble top and base covered in honey-coloured glazed artisanal ceramic tiles. The black stained ash stools offer customers the opportunity to sit around the bar, where the continuous surface breaks down the traditional ‘barrier’ that divides the operator from the consumer.

As in the kitchen, also in the interior design, the careful selection of materials, the juxtaposition and balance of the same, the attention to detail has made it possible to create a welcoming and sophisticated but at the same time essential space. Marble and wood, terrazzo and brass, fluted glass and iron are combined to create refined but rigorous details. The red door in homage to Chef Antonello Colonna is a must.