A Land and Sea Inspired Dining Experience
Situated on Cadogan Gardens, Meat The Fish Restaurant captivates visitors not only through its Mediter-Asian cuisine but also through its richly layered interior design. Created by MARIAGROUP, the Beirut, London, and Dubai-based studio led by Georges and Michèle Maria, the space was conceived as a land-and-sea-inspired environment that mirrors the restaurant’s diverse culinary roots. Marine-inspired sculptural elements, graphic patterns, and warm wood finishes immerse guests in an atmosphere that balances elegance with comfort. The design also pays tribute to the brand’s origins as a premium meat and fish delivery service founded in Beirut in 2011, before evolving into a celebrated hospitality destination.
Crafting Harmony Through Materiality
The restaurant unfolds through three interconnected zones: a dining area, a central bar, and a more intimate lounge space. To unify the elongated floor plan, the designers employed consistent flooring and ceiling treatments throughout the interior. Custom-made black-and-white encaustic tiles introduce a geological-inspired pattern that guides movement through the space, while a timber grid ceiling creates visual rhythm and order above. Combined with wood-panelled walls and carefully selected materials, these elements establish a warm and grounded atmosphere, contrasting beautifully with the polished bar at the heart of Meat The Fish Restaurant and reinforcing its distinctive culinary sensibility.
▏The Aquatic Theme of Enhanced Installation
Based on the cross-section of a crab and made of mirror polished stainless-steel, the sinuous, wave-like bar counter is bathed in natural light thanks to a skylight above, zanily reflecting its more sombre surroundings. Alabaster wall lights by French-Egyptian-Lebanese designer Chakil Omar echo the bar’s organic shape as do the flowing fabric light pendants in the dining area. The aquatic theme is further enhanced by a bespoke bas relief ceramic installation that Souraya Haddad created for the venue’s fireplace which consists of an array of unique sculptural tiles that form giant interlacing octopus-like tentacles.
Marine references continue in the lounge area with a coral-hued, patterned carpet by Tai Ping inspired by coral reefs and matching armchair upholstery. Sinuous banquettes in burnt orange and sleek chrome and marble tables by Beirut-based design studio Spockdesign enhance the scheme’s elegance, while a five-panel embroidered mural custom-made by Beirut-based design studio Bokja adds playful touches depicting a whimsical wildlife scene complete with sprouting florals, a floating crab, the head of a donkey and a cow jumping over the moon.
Downstairs, a circular mosaic pattern of encaustic floor tiles introduces sheen and colour to the restroom area while sea-urchin-like ceiling lamps and wood-panelling soften the mood further enhancing the scheme’s dreamy ambience.
