Astet Studio Designs Mitsu Restaurant in London with Tokyo Izakaya References

Barcelona-based Astet Studio has designed Mitsu, a Japanese restaurant in Shoreditch, east London, drawing inspiration from Tokyo's izakayas and street culture. The design incorporates contemporary Shoji screens reinterpreted as large backlit panels that emit a soft red glow, alongside eight-metre-long hand-painted fabrics with sake motifs referencing traditional Noren. Co-founders Ala Zreigat and Oscar Engroba aimed to create a lived-in, warm space with vibrant energy, blending Japanese cultural elements with urban design. The exterior features concrete panels resembling Yakisugi, an ancient Japanese wood-preservation technique, while guests enter through a courtyard garden referencing a Tsuboniwa. Inside, a blackened steel structure and ceiling-height drapes create a floating bar illusion, and adaptive lighting inspired by the Japanese concept of Utsuroi transitions the space from day to night. The color red evokes Tokyo's night street lamps, contrasting with the main dining area's warmer golden tones of timber joinery and textured wallpaper. An open Robata kitchen enhances the culinary connection, and the restaurant displays Japanese collectibles like Kokeshi dolls, records, ceramics, and Taru sake barrels. Photography is by Stevie Campbell.