Located in Washington, D.C.’s Navy Yard, La Famosa, designed by GrizForm Design Architects is a fast-fine restaurant that mixes Puerto Rican roots, a Latin-Caribbean twist, and the grit of the Capital City in one space.
Serving all-day coffee, lunch, and dinner, La Famosa’s design draws inspiration from Chef Joancarlo Parkhurst’s strong sense of nostalgia for the “las casitas” that sprinkle the countryside of Puerto Rico.
Upon entering La Famosa, guests are greeted by the eatery’s order station, outfitted with a grooved metal fascia and letter board menus displayed on a white subway-tiled wall. The extensive pastry and coffee offerings are showcased at the front. Above, a Caribbean-inspired, leaf-patterned wallpaper of soft blues and pinks juxtaposes the eye-catching green, blue, and orange color palette seen throughout.
Moving through the space, the restaurant’s spirited bar, with seven brightly colored bar stools, comes into full view. Breezeblocks light the concrete bar while the stenciled concrete floor pattern contrasts the space’s finer finishes, such as pink glazed brick tile and warm textured wood flooring found throughout the designated dining area. Contributing to the Puerto Rican and Latin-Caribbean flare, an array of eye-catching colors such as royal blue, bright orange, and energetic green are used for seating throughout the restaurant.
La Famosa’s design elements are softened with greenery, exposed piping wrapped with Manilla rope, beautifully-woven rattan light fixtures floating above, and cozy swing seating in the window — alluding to sitting on the porch of a casita and embracing the sense of community and belonging.
Images courtesy of Kristopher Ilich
