Located on the corner of Exhibition Road and Thurloe Square in the heart of South Kensington in London, Italian delicatessen and restaurant chain Lina Stores’ seventh outpost is hard to miss thanks to its pistachio-green facades painted in the brand’s signature colour. As expected, the colour can also be found in the restaurant’s interior, yet, as is the case with all of Lina Stores’ branches, far from abiding to a uniform brand language, the space reflects a unique interpretation of the chain’s aesthetic, courtesy of interior design studio North End Design. Drawing inspiration from the espresso bars of Milan and Rome, the design team has imbued the newly opened all-day restaurant with a communal spirit by centreing the light-filled space around an open kitchen counter and coffee bar. A palette of warm timber, stainless-steel and dark green leather complementing the predominant pistachio-green hues conjures, along with a mix of bespoke and vintage furnishings, the timeless elegance of mid-century-modern Italian design while subtly referencing the brand’s original deli.

Opened in 1944 on Brewer Street, the original store has since become a Soho institution supplying Londoners with authentic Italian produce including fresh home-made pasta and dolci. Since 2018, when its first restaurant opened in neighbouring Greek Street, Lina Stores has also been building a reputation for authentic Italian dining with the help of Umbrian born chef Masha Rener. Interestingly, while the brand’s restaurants share the same menu and overall aesthetic, each location is uniquely designed. For Lina Stores’ foray into West London, North End Design took a page from Roman and Milanese espresso bars, filtering the deli’s signature green tiling, timber shelving and terrazzo flooring through a lens of mid-century-modern design to create an elevated space that converses with South Kensington’s upscale character.

At the heart of the space is the open kitchen counter and adjacent coffee bar. Clad in cream-coloured tiles, the counter is topped with dark timber and stainless steel and paired with dark green leather-upholstered stools with cream-hued piping and stainless-steel supports. Dark timber and stainless-steel have also been used throughout the space, most notably in the glossy wall panels that elegantly complement the pistachio-painted walls and ceilings. Dark green accents are used once again, this time in the plush dining booths and the painted steel columns while the black and white chequerboard flooring brings everything together.

Cream-hued marble and green mosaic topped tables paired with mismatched Bentwood chairs add to the space’s understated charm as do several vintage Tuscan credenzas and cabinets that act as waiter stations. Signature opaline globe lighting inspired by the original delicatessen enhance the scheme’s mid-century sensibility. On the walls, a rich collection of vintage Italian black and white photography mixed with framed newspaper cuttings documenting Lina Stores' history conveys a sense of heritage accumulated over a long period of time.

With large windows offering patrons a front row seat to the hustle and bustle of South Kensington, plus outdoor seating below the brand’s recognisable green and white striped awning, Lina Stores’ latest restaurant offering channels Italian café and bar culture not only through its culinary offerings, immaculate espressos and aperitivo options but also as a destination where patrons can engage in the artful ritual of observing as well as for that matter, being observed.