This restaurant in Poznań captures the Japanese vibe in the best possible way: it’s like stepping into a small local diner in Tokyo, where everything is in perfect order, and the almost austere interior is made playful with a handful of gags.
Tonari means ‘neighborhood’ in Japanese, and the name of the place is extremely important to the restaurant’s philosophy: to bring people from the neighborhood together, casually, around a plate of a particularly delicious meal.
The interior is inspired by the aesthetics of the late Showa era (1926-1989), with lots of dark wood surfaces, tatami mats, and dim lighting. The designers at Studio Uzarowicz chose this particular period to deliberately avoid the currently highly popular Japandi or even overly Orientalist styles but to evoke a bit of 80s nostalgia in their own special way.
The layout is still determined by functionality, with the restaurant divided into several sections depending on how you want to dine. You can sit at the bar and eat alone, there are classic tables, a corner where you can read Japanese magazines and comics while you enjoy a drink, and the most exceptional is the barefoot section with tatami mats, where you sit on the floor to eat your dinner.
The central point of the space is the bar, which features a style reminiscent of a real Japanese home kitchen: the refreshing mint-colored tiling (echoed in the washrooms) pops out between the dark, wooden shelves, and is enhanced by kitchen accessories and retro Japanese trinkets. Contemporary Japanese posters also adorn the walls—together they create a lovely mix of kitsch that perfectly balances the space’s almost austere lines.
Tonari Poznań | Instagram | Facebook
Studio Uzarowitz | Instagram
Source: We Heart
Photos: Tonari Poznań/Addbox
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