Design

New York-based Tao Group operates see-and-be-seen restaurants and nightclubs on three continents. One of the company’s latest ventures is Tao Chicago, located in a granite-clad Romanesque Revival-style building constructed in 1892.

Street food is often the purest expression of a culture’s culinary heart and soul, and it’s just that type of authentic experience that the founders of Hawkers Asian Street Fare sought to bring to Orlando, Fla., when they opened their first unit there in 2011.

Selecting a cost-effective, on-trend mix of materials, finishes and furnishings for the casual-dining segment requires keeping a few key considerations in mind. Designers need to not only understand the particular brand and concept, of course, but also the rapidly changing dynamics within the segment and their implications for outfitting front-of-house spaces.

An “open kitchen” is an imprecise term encompassing many types of designs. Depending on who you ask, an open kitchen can range from providing a view to the back of the house through a large counter-height window to positioning cooking stations next to dining tables so that customers can freely interact with chefs.

New York coffee roasters Toby’s Estate opened a second location in Brooklyn.

JA Jiaozi, a recent rd+d award winner, is bringing authentic dumplings to the U.S.

Drive through any city in America and what will you see? You’ll likely spot McDonald’s golden arches, Starbucks’ green mermaid and numerous other well-known restaurant chains’ iconic visual elements.

Check out some of Orlando's most beautiful restaurants.