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Choose highlighted images for clickable links to projects, news or client and vendor friends. (For our website, click on logo above.)

Hats off to the good folks at @goodtimebarsj for making the Chronicle’s list of Top 100 Restaurants in the Bay Area! 🎉

Goodtime Bar serves natural wine and “punchy, creative” small plates in a cozy and warm, 1100 SF space in San Jose. Husband-and-wife co-owners Ann Le and Steven Huynh bring people together through elevated food & drink, comedy nights, and upbeat events led by the DJ behind the bar. We particularly love the zellige tile and limewash-plaster arched bar – it was our way of highlighting their globally-sourced natural wine collection.

Read more at the link in bio! 🥂🍷

GC: @stagerconstruction

We have new photos of the @comfortscafe marketplace to share! This comprehensive renovation brought new life to a beloved 38-year-old family business in San Anselmo. Founded by Glenn and Laura Miwa in 1986, Comforts has evolved under their daughter Erin’s stewardship (swipe for a family photo!)
The design challenge included executing construction over 18 months in two carefully orchestrated phases, with closure windows limited to just 8-10 weeks in January and June to maintain the business’s vital community presence.

The marketplace now features a custom @fireclaytile mural resembling falling leaves, a central sales island with white oak and azure blue zellige tile, and an overhead backlit signbox by @lux_create. The result is a bright, airy space that balances robust market functionality with a fresh and warm aesthetic.
This renovation honors Comforts’ legacy while positioning it for generations to come. Many thanks to contributors and partners ACI Construction (GC) @rubberdesign (graphics & signage), Beal Creative, and @eringgg for taking these fabulous pics!

This value-add project nearly doubled the value of an aging apartment building located just steps from the UC Berkeley campus.

Through a thoughtful renovation and strategic reconfiguration, we were able to transform a dated 29-bedroom structure into a modern, vibrant 62-bedroom community. As part of the 14,000-square-foot renovation, we converted the former garage into a new 6-bedroom ADU and redesigned the existing penthouse into a spacious 6-bedroom unit. The building was fully brought up to code and modernized with new kitchens, bathrooms, flooring, lighting, and custom casework, delivering a significant upgrade in both functionality and aesthetic appeal.

Projects like this are “wins” for everyone. This was a win for the client, who got a tremendous value-add, a win for housing near campus, and a win for renovations, which allow us to create new possibilities out of our existing built environment.

Last weekend was the groundbreaking ceremony for Berkeley Moshav, a project that we’re delighted to see finally come to fruition after 10 years of meeting, planning, and fundraising! Swipe for a pic of Berkeley Moshav members at the ceremony 🥳📸

This 36-unit condo building in West Berkeley is a first-of-its-kind Jewish urban cohousing complex built for multigenerational and community living.

📸: @aaron_levywolins

#berkeleymoshav #cohousing #westberkeley

With Valentine’s Day coming, we wanted to share some Tables for Two. These tables were all designed to set the stage for connection between two people. We like to include a range of seating options for two people in our work — (including an oceanview table we designed specifically for couples) from a first date to a 50th anniversary.

No matter how or with whom you celebrate Valentine’s Day, we hope you enjoy a table for two.

Pictured: @comalrestaurants, @makerscommon, @jackoneillrestaurant

📸: @kengutmaker

#tablefortwo #bayareaeats #restaurantdesign

According to @nytimes, the 2025 hottest trend in hospitality …is hospitality.

We are huge fans of Will Guidara, the author of “Unreasonable Hospitality” (and co-producer of “The Bear”). In his book, Will says that “hospitality is the way you make someone feel through the service, the extent to which you engage with them on a human level (and) which you’re willing to do whatever it takes to make sure that they feel a genuine sense of connection.”

Hospitality means going above and beyond basic service by being creative, thoughtful, and intentional about connecting with guests.

It’s an honor and privilege to design the “living rooms” that allow our clients to connect with their guests. Here’s a sampling of client-friends who create community and connection in big and small ways every day. From left to right: @friendsandfamilybar, @loscilantros, @barshiruoakland

First image by @wguidara

#unreasonablehospitality #restauranttrends #bardesign #restaurantdesign

We’re over the moon for @nite_nite_nite who was just nominated for the Best New Chef CA @beardfoundation award! 🎉

Shout out to the teams at @lunette_cambodia and @nyumbai for all your hard work and dedication. We loved working on Lunette and are delighted to see it thriving as one of the @sfferrybuilding’s hottest gourmet destinations! 🔥

📸: @eurydice.photo

#lunettecambodia #nyumbai #bayareaeats #jamesbeard #restaurantdesign #sfferrybuilding

Sending our best holiday wishes to you this week!

Our 2024 holiday card contains a drawing by Studio KDA associate Hannah Micallef!

As the designers who work in our Food & Beverage studio know, restaurants and their architects need to think creatively about how to optimize precious space. For a restaurant to be successful, puzzles must be solved: how to maximize efficiency and operational flow, increase seating and/or table turnover, and make the most out of square footage.

When a restaurant tackles that creative problem-solving successfully, we can’t help but cheer them on. Our client, @itaniramen, is a great example of a restaurant that has evolved to meet the moment. Recently featured in Richmondside, owner @kyleitani has consolidated and simplified his restaurant operations, provided more delivery options, and incorporated multiple food concepts at his Uptown Oakland locations. Congrats Kyle!

Read the Richmondside article here:
https://richmondside.org/2024/10/11/tarocco-mago-hopscotch-food-mill-restaurant-pivots/

#restaurantdesign #itaniramen #bayareaeats

Looking for a festive spot to enjoy drinks with colleagues or friends this holiday season? Our clients have you covered. These venues offer amazing eats and ingenious cocktail programs throughout the Bay Area.

Many of these spots also serve delicious N.A. (non-alcoholic) cocktails as part of their beverage programs. As alcohol becomes de-centered from holiday festivities due to health and intermittent sobriety trends, bars have adjusted. Creative N.A. cocktail options make these bars ideal for diverse groups to celebrate.

1. Burma Love, Menlo Park @burmalove
2. Bar Shiru, Oakland @barshiruoakland
3. Comal, Berkeley @comalrestaurants
4. Acopio, San Jose @acopiosj
5. Top Hatters Kitchen, San Leandro @tophatterskitchen

#bardesign #restaurantdesign #nonalcoholicdrink #bayareaeats

A vibrant downtown is one that changes and evolves over time, and Berkeley’s downtown is no exception. While the retail environment has faced challenges, one of the positive changes is the addition of a cluster of new buildings that will help to address the need for more housing and draw thousands of new residents to the area. We believe the flow of new residents will help jump-start a growth loop, with new retail, restaurants, and services coming in to support their needs.

On this map, you’ll find the locations of all the projects we’ve worked on, some of which are still in the planning phase. Swipe for renderings of some projects that will soon house Berkeley residents and contribute to the vitality of downtown.

#downtownberkeley #housingdesign

We are so moved by Nite Yun and the story she tells with her food.

Chef’s Table: Noodles is now out on Netflix, and while we had fun watching some of our team members on screen enjoying dinner at Lunette, we were also struck by how poignant Nite’s episode was. Her mission to share Cambodian cuisine and connect with her cultural roots is profound, and echoes the dreams of so many chefs.

We were honored to help Nite create the vision for Lunette and bring it to fruition. The space pays homage to the bustling street life of Cambodia with an indoor-outdoor feel. Swipe for photos of the design process!

Congrats again, @nite_nite_nite and the team at @lunette! We’ll be back soon for more noodles!

@chefstablenetflix

#lunettecambodia #sfferrybuilding #restaurantdesign #foodhalldesign #chefstable #nyumbai

We stopped in to Comforts Marketplace at @comfortscafe last week - and wow. What a transformation!

This remodel process took a lot of time and team coordination. Comfort’s Marketplace is a popular grab-and-go spot, open seven days a week. This meant that they could only be closed for ten weeks in January or June, and the bathrooms had to stay open for the adjoining café. It ended up taking several years to get the timing just right, as the team coordinated design time, permits, and construction timeframes.

We want to give a special shout-out to the contractor on this project, ACI Construction, for their incredible work, as well as @fireclaytile (responsible for the gorgeous tilework) and @rubberdesign (graphic design and signage)! Swipe all the way for a “before” pic.

Comforts Marketplace has been open for two weeks, so now is the perfect time to stop by San Anselmo and check out the remodeled space!

#comfortscafe #sananselmo #grabandgodesign #marketplacedesign #bayareaeats

As the designated tenant architect for the @ferrybuilding, we’re delighted to see this iconic landmark at 95% capacity! Five new businesses have opened in the building since June, including several projects that we’ve personally had a hand in. We’re so grateful for the incredible leasing and management team at the Ferry Building and all the hard work they do. Swipe for images of some of the projects we’ve worked on:

1. @cholita_linda
2. @grandecreperie
3. @lunette_cambodia
4. @a16lapala

And not shown, Reem’s California, Nopa Fish, and the upcoming concept from Sorrel Restaurant!

#SFferrybuilding #foodhalldesign #retaildesign #bayarearetail

As students return for the Fall semester we are reminded of the critical need for more affordable student housing, especially in Berkeley, our own community. U.C. Berkeley’s campus houses a lower percentage of undergrads and grad students than any other U.C. campus. While the university is working to rectify the problem, most of the need is addressed by private sector housing developers. To meet the need, and get projects to pencil, we are seeing a number of programmatic and design trends roll out this year.

One example is The Valiant, pictured here, which starts construction this month. The project addresses a greater need for privacy and affordability, with more private bedrooms and larger living spaces. The move away from larger shared bedrooms with two or three beds to a room, as often found in U.C. Berkeley dorms, is a direct response to student requests. In the case of The Valiant, the building also provides welcoming common spaces to facilitate friendships and community-building. Take, for example, the large roof deck, where residents will be able to enjoy beautiful landscaping as well as clear views of the campus - the perfect place to host gatherings.

#studenthousing #ucberkeley #ucberkeleyhousing #uchousing

We’re thrilled for @nite_nite_nite and the incredible teams at @lunette_cambodia and @nyumbai! Catch the new season of @chefstablenetflix this October for a celebration of noodles, culture, and possibly some background shots of our architects and designers enjoying Nite’s fabulous Khmer cuisine at our @sfferrybuilding project!

#chefstable #lunettecambodia #khmerfood

2024 marks the 10th anniversary of the Santa Clara Town Centre remodel!

This retail re-design project reenvisioned an old strip mall into a pedestrian-friendly shopping destination - swipe all the way for a “before” pic!

Today, the Santa Clara Town Centre features Spanish Colonial Revival style architecture based on Santa Clara’s “Mission City” heritage. The storefronts are surrounded by landscaped walkways, plazas, and courtyards that encourage visitors to gather in the public space. A series of fountains, shaded terraces, and dining patios make the Town Centre a welcoming place to stop, shop, eat, and enjoy.

📸: @kengutmaker

#retaildesign #stripmalldesign

Word is out - a new dining destination is coming to @presidiosf in 2025!

We’re working on Mess Hall for Presidio Tunnel Tops, with views of Crissy Field, Alcatraz, and the Golden Gate Bridge. The mess hall will be the closest dining option to the playground at Tunnel Tops Park, which opened in 2022. Designed by @fieldoperations, best known for the High Line in New York City, Tunnel Tops Park connects the Palace of Fine Arts to the Presidio. Swipe for pics!

The 6,000-square-foot mess hall will house multiple types of food experiences at a range of price points and will feature a large outdoor patio and a bar with wine, beer and cocktails courtesy of Zach Negin (@znegin), owner of @tabularasabar. Chef Peter Serpico (@serpicopter), a Momofuku group alum, will develop the food.

Our Food, Beverage, and Hospitality Studio folks are thrilled to be working with such an amazing creative team on one of San Francisco’s most iconic destinations. More details to come as the project develops!

#sfpresidio #foodhalldesign

In the food and beverage industry, sound is a constant concern.

We’ve attended a number of hospitality conferences recently and spoken to many restaurateurs who are puzzling over the best way to handle ambient noise in their businesses. It’s curious to us that this is still such a tricky thing - because eleven years ago, we were lucky to collaborate with @meyersoundlabs on @comalrestaurants, where we created a totally unique sound system that still makes headlines!

Marites Abueg, Co-Leader of our Food, Beverage and Hospitality Studio, sums it up very well in this short video clip - sound is an incredibly important design consideration for a restaurant, just as much as visuals.

📹: Michael Coleman

#restaurantdesign #sounddesign #meyersound

@stripmallguy? We know that guy!

There’s a lot to appreciate about X celebrity Don Tepman, who doles out advice under the handle “StripMallGuy.” Followers value his candor and experience. What we appreciate about Don is his commitment to strategic design thinking.

We’ve worked with Don on many strip mall projects. We will be sharing a few to highlight the benefits of strategic repositioning.

The first in the series is a strip center in Santa Clara, California - swipe for a “before” pic! The team redeveloped the property and renewed rents at market rates and attracted a new national tenant. A 4-year transformation with stellar results: Net income at purchase: $258,000. Net income at time of sale: $671,000.

#stripmallguy #stripmalls

Our team had a great time last week at @the_breadproject 24th Anniversary Gala!

Keith Morris (who also happens to be a Bread Project board member), Ann Slobod, and Hannah Micallef attended on behalf of our team. It was a lovely evening, and we were delighted to show up to support such an incredible organization. The Bread Project has deeply impacted our community by providing job training and employment assistance in the food and baking industries to thousands of Bay Area residents. To learn more, visit www.breadproject.org

Happy opening to @lunette_cambodia!

Our team went to celebrate the grand opening of the newest addition to the SF Ferry Building last week with @nite_nite_nite and the @nyumbai family! Lunette’s design is inspired by Nite Yun’s vision of Cambodian street life meets 1950’s vintage diner. Using a collage of variegated turquoise tiles at the front counter, a full-size Cambodia-inspired mural by local artist @nakbou and retro-diner furnishings and custom lighting by @metrolightingca, the space is at once vibrant, accessible, nostalgic and unique. The restaurant façade, modeled on a Cambodian street, opens up completely to the pedestrian promenade in the Ferry Building, giving Lunette an indoor-outdoor feeling. The result is an entirely new and fresh dining experience within the San Francisco Ferry Building.

We’re so proud to have worked on this project with Nite, and delighted to see (and taste) the final results! Congrats to the Lunette team. We can’t wait to dine here again!

#lunettecambodia #sfferrybuilding #sfeats #restaurantdesign #foodhalldesign

This new downtown Berkeley project just sailed through design review!

Built on the site of a former auto body shop, 2037 Durant is classical in style but fully modern in its layout and approach to student housing. The 76,370-square-foot building is designed to reference its historic neighbors (the Berkeley Main Library, Morse Building, and Barker Building). It uses the California Density Bonus ordinance to increase the building height to eight stories. The ground floor provides a large landscaped patio and 1,500 square feet of retail/cafe space for pedestrians and the public.

2037 Durant features a variety of outdoor terraces for residents to enjoy, including a large balcony on the 4th floor and four common balconies on the 5th-8th floors, which will provide expansive views to the west and south. Located just steps from Downtown Berkeley shops, transit options and UC Berkeley, this project will be a great addition to a thriving neighborhood!

#housingdesign #apartmentdesign #downtownberkeley #studenthousing #ucberkeleyhousing

In honor of Earth Day, we wanted to highlight a project from a Studio KDA team member that exemplifies sustainability - @benzigerwinery in Glen Ellen, CA 🍇🍷🌱

Buddy Williams, Studio KDA Associate Principal, worked on the Biodynamic Trail, a garden designed to teach visitors about the biodynamic farming practices used at Benziger.

The discovery trail circles around a pond, which provides biodiversity, ambient noise, and evaporative cooling qualities. A willow-woven shade structure welcomes visitors and offers seating for picnics.

Guided tours are available during normal business hours.

#earthday #sustainability #biodiversity #sustainablewine #sustainabledesign #greenarchitecture

Congratulations to Hannah Micallef and Vita Rey, California licensed architects! 🎉

Hannah and Vita are both Project Managers and Designers working primarily in the Food & Beverage studio at Studio KDA. They studied together to pass the tests. Swipe for a silly pic of some post-test shenanigans featuring @the_amberbook ( Vita and Hannah are actually big fans, and highly recommend for anyone wanting to follow in their footsteps.)

Proud to have them both on the team!

#architecture #architects #studioKDA

We’re delighted to share this new high rise project, planned for Downtown Berkeley.

In addition to providing 83 apartments, the project will preserve the facade of the historic Morse Block, built in 1906. The vertical addition to the building is designed to complement the historic structure without imitating or competing with it.

At 186 feet, the building is slated to be one of the tallest in the city, offering new views and perspectives of the entire inner East Bay.

Serving mostly the student population, unit types will vary, with nine residences designated as affordable to very low-income households.

#buildingdesign #multifamilyhousing #apartmentdesign #architecture #studenthousing

Last week, Ann Slobod, Marites Abueg, and Keith Morris attended @icsc in Monterey to learn more about the latest restaurant and retail business trends. It was a great event - we reconnected with colleagues and friends (including our pals at @chromataretail, Jamie Flaherty-Evans & John Polyzoides) and got so much out of it. Key takeaways include:

🌱 The retail market is strong and expected to get stronger over the next year.

🌱 We can take advantage of new tools that use AI to evaluate locations for new restaurants or retail development.

🌱 We were delighted to see the trend of adding food & beverage, entertainment, and gathering spaces to retail sites increase across Northern California. The data is there: building community is directly tied to building success for center owners.

The future of restaurants and retail aligns beautifully with our mission and we returned to the office feeling so inspired.

#icscmonterey #icsc2024 #retaildevelopment #restaurantdevelopment

Delighted to share some images of the newly-opened @ferrybuilding location of A16 Pizza - @a16lapala!

Serving Roman-style pizza, panini, salumi, salads, and more, A16 La Pala is the third location of this Bay Area Italian hot spot. We were delighted to work with owner @shelleylindgren to create a warm, inviting space for this latest iteration of A16.

Featuring custom tile from @mmclay_ceramics

#a16 #restaurantdesign #sfferrybuilding #foodhall #foodhalldesign
@hudsonppi

San Pablo Avenue is a happening spot for new development!

We’re currently working on five projects in Southwest Berkeley, all on San Pablo Avenue, and thought it would be interesting to see them all on a map. From mixed-use to multifamily housing, these new projects will bring living spaces, offices, retail, and dining to more people in Berkeley.

#bayareahousing #berkeleyhousing #buildingdesign #apartmentdesign #architecture

Enjoy this first look at the newly-remodeled @comfortscafe in San Anselmo!

Consistently rated “Best of Marin,” Comforts Cafe is a great spot for a weekend brunch with the whole family. Construction just finished on this project, with a Comforts Market remodel coming later this year. Serving seasonal comfort food, this family-run business got a major upgrade, with a beautiful warm interior meant to evoke the comfort of dining in your own home.

Custom leather and glass pendant lights by @metrolightingca

Photos by @eurydicephoto

#comfortscafe #comfortfood #restaurantdesign #interiordesign

In honor of Super Bowl LVIII this weekend, we wanted to share renderings of @thepropaloalto, a 5200 sf Palo Alto sports bar we’re currently designing.

The Pro (formerly known as The Old Pro) has a history dating back to 1964. The bar is getting a major revamp with the owner of the nearby and popular @zola.barzola. Our redesign brings a fresh take to a traditional pub with a convivial, festive vibe. The Pro will be a gathering space for die-hard sports fans and casual observers to enjoy sophisticated American cuisine, craft cocktails, and great conversation.

#thepropaloalto #sportsbardesign #bardesign #restaurantdesign #hospitalitydesign

Congrats to @lazybearsf on being a semifinalist for the James Beard Award for Outstanding Hospitality!

A fine dining restaurant in San Francisco, Lazy Bear features foraged and cultivated produce. Its interior reflects an interactive, creative epicurean philosophy with a mid-century vibe. The building is a truly unique space - built in 1900, it used to house a Filipino-American hall. We exposed the roof’s wood framing and chose materials to achieve a raw-modern-warm style.

If you’ve never been to a “dinner party” style seating at Lazy Bear, we definitely recommend it!

#lazybearsf #jamesbeard #restaurantdesign #bardesign #interiorarchitecture

New year, new buildings! 🎉

We have several multifamily housing projects in the works right now, with preliminary renderings just completed. It’s always fun to see these projects side by side, as they’re all different in size, shape, and style. Each building reflects the client’s preferences, target markets, building context, and financial considerations – and all will bring more housing to the Bay Area.

#multifamilyhousing #apartmentdesign #architecture

A big congratulations to two of our newly-minted California architects!

Nishka Maheshwary (Associate) just got officially licensed as an architect, and Erik Waterman (Associate Principal) who was previously licensed in New York got his California license.

Such a fantastic way to start out 2024. We’re so glad to have you, Nishka and Erik!

#architecture #architects #studioKDA

Snapshots from a recent materials hunt at @mmclay_ceramics (swipe for a work-in-progress shot!)

We love when our projects are able to feature unique details from local artisans - this time, tiles for the new location of @a16sf, under construction now in the Ferry Building.

These three ladies (From left, Shelley Lindgren from A16, Rebecca Kornmeyer from @hudsonppi, and MaryMar Keenan from MM Clay) represent a partnership that will result in a beautiful restaurant interior! Stay tuned for more pics as the project develops.

#sfeats #interiordesign #restaurantdesign #a16sf #ferrybuilding #ceramics #sfartisans

With Thanksgiving coming up, we wanted to highlight a few past projects that incorporate communal tables into the space. Communal tables provide the perfect opportunity for family, friends, and strangers to share the joy of a meal together. Swipe to see pics of some of our favorite communal tables - and have a happy Thanksgiving!

Pictured: @lazybearsf, @burma.teakwood, Tuolumne Family Camp, @makerscommon

#restaurantdesign #communaltables

We’ve shared renderings and opening day snapshots of @burmasuperstar’s new restaurant, @burma.teakwood, and recently we were finally able to capture some images that really capture the details of the space!

Inspired by the richness of Burmese culture, Teakwood contains a mix of iridescent glass chandeliers, peacock color palettes in velvet upholstery and tile and custom gold wallpaper against the backdrop of the historic rough wood structure and steel storefront.

The restaurant is named for the oldest and longest teakwood bridge in the world, which is located in Burma. The space includes graphics throughout which depict the bridge as well as a teakwood host stand - the perfect homage. Custom murals by @Luxcreate tell the story of the Burmese fishing tradition and neighboring cuisine influences.

Teakwood is a truly unique dining experience - we hope you’ll get the chance to visit soon!

Photos by @eurydice.photo

#burmalove #teakwood #restaurantdesign #interiordesign #bardesign #burmesefood #sfeats

We’re honored to be working with Nite Yun on her next incarnation of @NyumBai, this time at the SF Ferry Building. Looking at material palettes together with the @Hudsonppi team is too much fun!

It’s been 13 years since we designed Prather Ranch in this space, and we’re excited to be re-envisioning the space as “Lunette”, with a Cambodian street food retro diner aesthetic. (Bonus points if you recognize the inspo image on the last slide.) Coming in 2024!

#bayareaeats #sfferrybuilding #restaurantdesign #nyumbai

This 1000 sq ft accessory dwelling unit is the result of our partnership with @mcdunnadus and will be featured this week as part of the First Annual East Bay ADU Tour, hosted by @inspiredadus and @ryanohousing .

13+ homes across the East Bay will be on display for a self-guided tour with reception afterwards this Saturday, October 21st. The tour is ideal for those curious about the process of building an accessory dwelling unit who want to meet homeowners and learn more about the process.

#adu #accessorydwellingunit #aduarchitecture

It was such a pleasure working with @cooklinesf to upgrade the kitchen at @lapenaculturalcenter. @loscilantros celebrated its soft opening earlier this month!

Los Cilantros provides delicious, authentic, accessible Mexican meals in a community-focused space. We worked very closely with Cookline to rebuild the kitchen with new plumbing, a new electrical panel, new hood, custom stainless steel, and new finishes throughout the kitchen and the dining room. The space is a beautiful site for La Peña’s ongoing work to promote peace, social justice, and cultural understanding through the arts. We were so honored to get to work on this project!

Photos by @kristenloken

#restaurantdesign #kitchendesign

First look: The Valiant, a new 83-unit student housing project located just one block from the U.C. Berkeley campus!

The Valiant (just approved by Berkeley’s Design Review Committee) features a mix of unit types to allow for a variety of living options. The building is exceptional in its abundance of amenities – there is one on almost every floor – as well as its blending of traditional and contemporary elements.

Balanced proportions of a classic base, middle and decorative top are countered by the contemporary cladding materials and prominent vertical frame marking the building’s main entry and creating a visual play of light and shadow.

#studenthousing #studentlife #buildingdesign #apartmentdesign #ucberkeley