From farm-to-table restaurants to specialty coffee roasters, California’s Bay Area is known for having a vibrant culinary scene few places in the nation can match. When catering to such a discerning clientele, restaurant owners and developers must make sure that their interiors create satisfying dining experiences.
We’ve gathered a list of the best restaurant architects in Sunnyvale, California to help you do just that. Working with the right firm will help you bring your vision to life. These firms were chosen for their expertise and their reputation for quality.
AO
1289 Reamwood Avenue, Studio B, Sunnyvale, CA 94089
When deciding which architectural firm to work with, all restaurant owners want the same thing: results. AO is the leading choice among developers and retailers in the Santa Clara Valley for this reason. The firm elevates its design vision while minimizing the risks associated with commercial renovation projects. It does this through an engaging and collaborative process that clients find rewarding. That approach also makes it possible for the firm to deliver projects on time and on budget.
Founded in 1974, AO is one of the most in-demand architectural and planning firms in Southern California. The firm won the 2020 Gold Nugget Grand Award Best Mixed-Use Project for Vici and Best Indoor-Outdoor Lifestyle for a Community for George. CEO and Managing Partner Jack Selman, NCARB studied architecture at the University of California, Berkeley.
AO specializes in restaurant, retail, and mixed-use design that creates memorable experiences for diners and shoppers. One of its projects—Pietrini Pizza and Napoletana—is a 2,500-square-foot restaurant and bar. The firm worked closely with the Pietrinin family to capture the authenticity of the brand. Walnut wood and deep emerald tiles add warmth and freshness to the interior.
The firm is also behind the designs for Starbucks’ Downtown Disney Anaheim location and the Westfield University Town Center.
GTL Architects
1751 24th Avenue, San Francisco, CA 9412
Restaurants are social spaces that foster community identity and meaningful engagement. As an integral part of the communities the firm serves, the company’s designs should be tailored to the needs and habits of its clientele.
Grant Takahashi Lee Architects (GTLA) believes that good design creates inspiring, beautiful spaces. The firm aims to create spaces that reflect and represent the clients. To do this, the firm works closely with clients to understand their needs, goals, and identity.
As a result of this thoughtful approach, the multidisciplinary firm has an impressive portfolio in restaurant and commercial interior design. This includes Sharetea’s Sunnyvale location, which features subway tiles, wooden accent walls, and pristine white counters that create a fun, casual atmosphere.
GTLA is led by Founding Principal Grant Takahashi Lee, LEED, AP and Principal Interior Designer Mai Lee Takahashi. Grant has over 20 years of design and project management experience, having previously worked in New York, Washington D.C., Guam, Japan, and China. Mai is a LEED Green Associate and has over nine years of experience in space planning, project management, and furniture, fixture, and equipment (FF&E) procurement.
Restaurant Design Concepts, Inc.
595 Park Ave, Suite #302, San Jose CA 95110
Restaurant Design Concepts does more than deliver outstanding restaurant designs. It offers the luxury of convenience to busy restaurant owners who need to stay on budget and on schedule. To meet their unique business needs, the firm offers a wide range of architectural, design, and project coordination services under one roof.
With headquarters in Oakland, RDC serves clients who want to create memorable dining experiences in Sunnyvale and the rest of Northern California.
The firm provides access to a formidable team of restaurant architects, commercial interior designers, and construction management and procurement professionals. The high caliber of their professional staff has helped them become one of the most trusted firms in the Bay Area. With in-depth knowledge of the foodservice industry, their licensed staff specializes will make sure that your new or redesigned restaurant is visually stunning, code-compliant, and ADA-approved. From conceptualization and planning to your restaurant’s grand opening, the team is ready to assist you each step of the way.
Some of the firm’s past clients include The Halal Guys, Sharetea, and Poke House. For Poke House, the firm captured the restaurant’s Japanese-Hawaiian roots using soft lighting and metal and wood accents throughout the interiors. Owner and Principal Jeff Young founded Restaurant Design Concepts in 2008.
