dining around cafés Omotesando Koffee London 120 October 2019 hospitalitydesign.com Photos by TONY MURRAY and SONYA METZLER Laboratorio di Idee brought a piece of Japan to London with the first UK outpost of this specialty coffee brand born in Tokyo, which "has a well-established design language of strong Japanese influence," says Alessandro Perinelli, founder and creative director of the Singapore-based design firm. "For the London outlet, we essentially recreated a traditional Japanese house." Imagined as the entry courtyard, the foyer is framed by charred cedar boards and granite stepping stones, while in the heart of the home, black joinery and natural ash wood celebrate minimalist Japanese design, fully immersing visitors in the intimate coffee-making experience.