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In restaurant design, every detail matters, from the ceiling to the floor and everything in between. While many bits and pieces come together in one harmonious design, those design elements that take up the most space visually and spatially, such as flooring, not only need to look good, but they also have to perform well.

Artist, builder and designer John Sofio founded his Los Angeles-based design/build firm Built, Inc., in 1995, performing primarily residential work. Having friends in the nightclub business, he was soon recruited for commercial projects and got hooked on hospitality.

While all types of pizzas have been among America’s favorite foods, Neapolitan-style pies are the current hottest trend. As spelled out by the Italian organization Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, restaurant operators must make this “true” style of pizza to exacting standards. The association specifies the quality and type of ingredients, sauce and dough production techniques, and rising times. Most important, Pizza Napoletana can only be made in a wood-fired oven that has reached a temperature of 485 degrees C (905 degrees F). “This is essential,” admonishes the Italian association.

The sandwich chain moves seamlessly from daytime to nighttime with its new fast-casual concept.

This Miami eatery uses thoughtful design to emphasize the craftsmanship of its food.

The inside and the outside merge at Glass and Vine in Miami, Fla.which was the specific intent of designer Vincent Celano. The owner of Celano Design Studio in New York City, Celano says this allows the restaurant’s owners to maximize the square footage of the restaurant but also offer a lifestyle concept where energy flows seamlessly from the outside to the inside and back again.

Mexico City has earned a reputation for being a food lover’s mecca. So it’s no wonder that the city’s restaurant design has taken an innovative and artistic turn. Fueled by a Mexican cooking renaissance thanks to menu globalization, diners have become privy to creative menu items served in intoxicating environments. These two restaurant designs are as architecturally inspiring as the food they serve.

Connors Steak & Seafood recently opened its fourth location, this one in Franklin, Tenn.