The Restaurant at Pearl Morissette

A destination dining experience, The Restaurant at Pearl Morissette is situated on the Pearl Morissette Winery, in the Niagara region of southern Ontario and an hour southwest of Toronto. As visitors arrive, they drive through the unmarked vineyards, past a historic house and duck ponds towards a minimalist black building, designed by celebrated local architecture frm gh3.

Severe in presence, uniform in texture, black in colour, in a shape evocative of a barn, the building is softened by a glowing beacon of warmth radiating through its second storey, central windowed wall. Visitors arrive at a discrete back door, where they are led up the stairs to the second floor restaurant. DesignAgency was tasked with transforming the linear interior into an open kitchen, lounge and bar, and a two-part dining area. Applying a similar soul and thoughtful attention to detail as exemplifed by the winery, the host architecture, and the restaurant’s French-inspired cuisine, DesignAgency established a modest design that focuses attention to the surroundings and the exquisite culinary experience.

The design team retroftted the space to accommodate an open kitchen with state-of-the-art systems that ensure that diners and chefs enjoy open sightlines. At the heart of the space, the bar and lounge is a casual zone to ease transitions from arrival to table. The team custom-designed key furnishings including clay-coloured composite concrete tabletops with stream-like metal inlay details of Niagara rivers; and elegant benches combining steel, leather and upholstery fabricated by Orior in Ireland that echo the restaurant’s delicate combinations of regional ingredients.

Lighting is key to establishing the restaurant’s soft atmosphere, including a feature installation of black wire string lights custom designed by DesignAgency hanging low over a central harvest table; round sconce lights by Rich Brilliant and Willing that offer a warm glow like a lunar eclipse; and a backlit art installation displaying a revolving selection of regional photographs by Xavier Girard Lachaine. White acoustic paneling on the gabled ceiling supports the soft atmosphere. Seating in both plush velvet and leather further contribute to the warm and comfortable ambience, encouraging guests to stay for a while as they immerse themselves in the unique dining experience.

DesignAgency