When handled with care and plated with love, food can be elevated to an artform. But any good restaurateur will tell you that it’s not just about what’s on the menu. The world’s best restaurants go above and beyond to account for every last detail of the dining experience. Handsome yet comfy furniture? Check. Cool ceramics and cutlery? Check. The perfect playlist? Vibe check. Amazing art? Now that’s an added bonus.
While most restaurant owners will tell you that the art on their walls isn’t an afterthought, some eateries take curation to the next level with museum-worthy masterpieces. These restaurants double as art galleries – with just as much to look at on the walls as there is to savor on the menu.
Just this once, it’s okay to skip the museum and instead book a reservation at one of these restaurants, where you’ll find works from Yayoi Kasuma, Picasso, Miró and Takashi Murakami.
Restaurants with next-level art collections
Photograph: Nicole Marnati
Osteria Francescana in Modena
In addition to being one of the world’s best, most recognizable chefs, Massimo Bottura is an art junkie. It’s no surprise then that Osteria Francescana, his three-Michelin-starred Modena restaurant, houses some of his favorite works. Perhaps most noteworthy (and misunderstood) is Gavin Turk’s Trash sculpture, a wonderfully lifelike painted bronze cast of a very full trash bag. Elsewhere in the restaurant, guests will find contemporary works from artists including Maurizio Cattelan, Damien Hirst and Takashi Murakami.
An email you’ll actually loveGet into a relationship with our newsletter. Discover the best of the city, first.Enter email address
By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions.
Photograph: Courtesy Red Rooster Overtown
Red Rooster Overtown in Miami
- Restaurants
- American
- Overtown
Chef Marcus Samuelsson’s first Miami restaurant is a feast for the senses – the menu is rife with Southern comfort food, the playlist is always bumpin’ and there’s art everywhere you look. Curated by Derek Fleming and David Simkins, the restaurant’s collection showcases conversation-starting works that embody ‘the excellence in the African-American experience.’ While you wait for your food to arrive, scan the room to find pieces from the likes of Kara Walker, Derrick Adams, Elizabeth Catlett and Rashid Johnson.
ADVERTISING
Piqniq in Hong Kong
- Restaurants
- Central
This charming rooftop eatery is one of the coolest al fresco hangouts in all of Hong Kong. Sitting on the top floor of H Queen’s, Piqniq is decked out in beanbags, fairy lights and vibrant works of art that only emphasize the sweeping views of the surrounding Central area. The restaurant’s crown jewel is a plump, red, polka-dotted pumpkin by renowned artist Yayoi Kasuma. Adding to the whimsy is Lala Curio’s hand-painted wallpaper, which beckons guests to the terrace with cloud trees, birds and flowers.
Photograph: Courtesy Assouline
La Colombe d’Or in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, France
If walls could talk, they’d have plenty to say about this remarkable inn and eatery in the French Riviera. After swinging open its doors in 1931, La Colombe d’Or became a refuge for artists who were drawn to the area during both World Wars. Over the years, the list of regulars grew to include the likes of Matisse, Picasso and Miró – all of whom left art on the walls here. The collection has only grown since, and it’s worth venturing outside to view the Fernand Léger mosaic as well as an Alexander Calder mobile that stands guard over the pool.
ADVERTISING
Le Gavroche in London
- Restaurants
- French
- Mayfair
This restaurant colossus offers unapologetically old-school fine dining with two Michelin stars to match. The art on the walls is equally impressive and has only become more robust thanks to current chef-manager Michel Roux Jr.’s good taste. As you make your way through the eight-course tasting menu, allow your eyes to wander the room in search of works by Picasso, Miró and Dalí. There are also a number of original pieces that whisper stories about the history of this London institution.
Photograph: Courtesy Casa Lever
Casa Lever in NYC
- Restaurants
- Italian
- Midtown East
- price 4 of 4
Until recently, this sleek Italian restaurant in Midtown was home to 32 of Warhol’s iconic silk-screen portraits – including recognizable faces like Judy Garland, Aretha Franklin and Alfred Hitchcock. The current collection, which debuted in 2019, is nothing to scoff at either. The Warhols have been replaced with works by British artist Damien Hirst. In the private dining room, you can spot Since the Majority of Me Rejects the Majority of You, a glossy, butterfly-filled masterpiece. Then there’s Denatonium Benzoate, a hypnotizing white canvas that’s covered in colorful polka dots.
ADVERTISING
Kronenhalle in Zürich
There are plenty of out-of-this-world attractions to bookmark in Switzerland, from the picturesque Rhine Falls to the cloud-grazing Matterhorn. But for a taste of art and culture, skip the museums and make a reservation at Kronenhalle, a Zurich institution that’s been serving hot meals to noteworthy guests since 1924. In the ’40s, the owners befriended artists like Picasso, Matisse and Miró – collecting their work with the money they had and graciously accepting the occasional gift from their new friends. After dessert, ask your server to point out works by Marc Chagall, Georges Braque and Robert Rauschenberg.
Photograph: Courtesy Atlas
Atlas in Atlanta
Atlas isn’t your average hotel restaurant – the splurge-worthy dining destination inside the St. Regis Atlanta doubles as a venerable art museum thanks to its ever-changing gallery of modern 20th-century art that has included pieces like Francis Bacon’s Study for Portrait and Picasso’s La Famille. Currently on display is a treasure trove of 39 works by Japanese-French painter and printmaker Léonard Tsuguharu Foujita, who’s known for his portraits of women and cats. After dinner, consider a nightcap in sister restaurant The Garden Room, where a Klimt-inspired mosaic is a colorful focal point.
ADVERTISING
Sketch Gallery in London
- Restaurants
- Contemporary European
- Mayfair
- price 4 of 4
Even if you haven’t had the chance to dine at this iconic London eatery, there’s a good chance you’ve seen it on your Instagram feed. The decidedly pink, wonderfully whimsical restaurant is an art lover’s dream, thanks in part to 91 colorful works by award-winning artist David Shrigley. The tongue-in-cheek graphic prints range from a portrait of a cat to a news bulletin that proclaims ‘Woman Spills Coffee.’ You’ll also find Shrigley’s work on the table – the artist has designed a handful of ceramic pieces that are emblazoned with words like ‘It’s not OK’ and ‘Dirt.’
Photograph: Emily Dorio
Audrey in Nashville
Chef Sean Brock’s new Nashville restaurant is a love letter to his Appalachian heritage and a backdrop for his personal art collection. The jaw-droppingly beautiful interior feels like a warm, welcoming museum, and guests are encouraged to discover what’s on display – from Mary Mooney’s ethereal abstracts and a vast array of folk art to Brock’s own photography. The chef explains that the restaurant’s food is inspired by the art on the walls. In the same way that artists give new life to textiles and materials, Brock combines ordinary ingredients to craft something entirely new and luxurious.
