Northamptonshire firm's new look for buzzy London restaurant and bar

Following success in Manchester and London, Tampopo has launched its first new location for some time, in a 726m2 ground floor and mezzanine site in Central Wimbledon. The empty shell provided a blank canvas for the design team to shape their design to deliver a stylish, contemporary venue that works perfectly from an operational perspective.

The new restaurant features a double-height space which creates a shopfront with impact. The interior design, furniture and lighting work with the music, food and drinks on offer to build a fun, vibrant atmosphere where guests can relax and enjoy everything from morning brunch service through to a late-night buzzy bar, welcoming families, groups and individuals at different times.

The space was zoned to include options to suit all guests - from a central island bar that’s a fun, sociable area to meet and mingle to more intimate spaces for dining. A raised area includes the open kitchen pass, allowing guests to enjoy the theatre of chefs at work. Two ‘Phuket Pods’ are set to become the most-wanted tables of choice - these nest-shaped booths for groups are a fun focal point and a perfect backdrop for social media snaps of nights out with friends.

Lighting design was key to adapting the mood from day to night, with lanterns, rattan pendants and concealed lighting used to add atmosphere. Jones AD designed bespoke light fittings for the project, including backlit parasol wall lights incorporating traditional parasols imported from Japan.

An outside terrace accommodates a further 40 covers with a mix of fixed and loose seating. Cocoon-shaped statement rattan chairs are positioned at the entrance and bespoke fabric-covered parasols feature both heating and lighting to extend dwell time and capacity throughout the year.

Abi Perry-Jones, Creative Director of Jones AD, commented:“We’ve loved working on this project, and had fun bringing together lots of design details to create something new for an established brand. Starting from a shell space means we could design a restaurant that looks great, while also working efficiently from an operational perspective. Tampopo Wimbledon will be busy throughout the day so the layout allows staff to provide efficient and friendly service, with great flow and visibility throughout the space. We used a mix of flooring, lighting and furniture to create zones within the restaurant and bar areas, while careful planning of ceiling heights makes movement throughout the venue seamless and instinctive. There’s so much to see and enjoy in the new restaurant and we’re excited to see it so buzzy and busy already.”

Commenting on the project, David Fox, Founder of Tampopo said:“This is a significant project for Tampopo, with an extension of our successful brand into this new space. The atmosphere, welcome and hospitality will be familiar to our regular guests, and we hope they’ll love the updates we’ve made to our menus and find the new interior as exciting and inviting as we do. It’s a fun, stylish look that makes Tampopo Wimbledon a destination for all-day dining and drinks, so we’re looking forward to welcoming new guests to enjoy the experience. Abi and team really understood what we wanted to achieve and it’s great to open the doors to this new chapter for the business.”