Since it opened in May, Baton Rouge’s buzzy new Supper Club has garnered significant attention not just for its ultra-high-end menu, but for its design. The $7 million project conceived by Walk-On’s co-founder and owner Brandon Landry and his wife, Mackenzie, is a dinner-only luxe establishment modeled after similar spots in Las Vegas, Dallas and Miami.
The Supper Club’s emphasis on design stands out, but it’s part of a larger trend unfolding in Baton Rouge and around the country in which many restaurant operators now consider design to be as important as the menu. Working with architects, branding firms, and interior and graphic designers, operators are using design to differentiate their brands, gain a competitive edge and meet modern diners’ changing expectations.
There’s no single way to pull off restaurant design these days, but many operators are weighing common factors, from the new emphasis on patio dining, to selfie-worthy restrooms, to novel features like tableside or DIY dishes and gimmicky cocktails.
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“Design has been a big consideration in all of our concepts, and it really reflects what our customers want,” says Jeff Conaway, director of operations for City Group Hospitality. The restaurant group’s latest of seven concepts, the bicycle-themed Spoke & Hub, opened earlier this year in Mid City. “At Spoke & Hub, we tried to create as many separate, interactive spaces as we could, so if you show up in a business suit or on a bike, you’re going to find the area where you feel comfortable.”
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This story originally appeared in an Aug. 10 issue of Daily Report. To keep up with Baton Rouge business and politics, subscribe to the free Daily Report e-newsletter here.