Food Service

The 1852 Grill Dining Room is located within the oldest landmark hotel on historic Mackinac Island, where bicycles and horse drawn vehicles are the only modes of transportation besides walking. This newly renovated restaurant, with breathtaking harbor views, is a reminiscent escape to the relaxed atmosphere found on the island. The bright and airy decor has been achieved through the use of light colors, creative lighting solutions, vibrant upholstery fabrics and the addition of clerestory windows along the previously windowless side façade. Cozy booths and seating alcoves have been incorporated into the design to encourage intimate dining for couples and families on island getaways.

The development of a freestanding building project requires the coordination of a prototype building concept with a unique site in order to achieve a successful result. We provide restaurant developers and owners the expertise and fresh ideas to work through the resolution of initial feasibility issues including site planning, zoning, special use procedures, code adaptations and jurisdictional appearance reviews. Once these initial steps are completed, we provide code compliant construction drawings, permit approvals, bidding services and complete construction administration services.

Sarfatty Associates transformed this street level retail space, a formerly dark family-style casual restaurant, into a new Freshii location in the West Loop. Modern materials and a clean, contemporary, color palette reflect the healthy lifestyles and youthful vigor of the Freshii brand. Queuing is directed by a sleek and sophisticated seating counter that seems to float within the space, while a community table allows individual patrons engagement with one another. The shaded outdoor seating area invites busy urban workers to take a break, providing them with an island of calm in the center of the city.

Located in a ground-floor retail space, Sarfatty Associates designed a new location focused on the light, airy and energetic aesthetic of the Freshii brand. High ceilings, floating soffits, clean finishes, and expansive glazing reinforce these values. Vibrant and innovative signage also highlight the elemental ingredients of the healthy and delicious menu items available. Challenges included maximizing seating and kitchen area in a small space. A reclaimed wood communal table uses floor area efficiently, while adding to the youthful energy of the space by facilitating interaction among patrons who may not know one another prior to their meal.

The name “BARista” describes the combination of a full service bar with a gourmet coffee venue at Chicago’s Midway Airport. This efficiently designed 150 square foot kiosk offers mixed drinks, wine, beer, espresso beverages, coffee and tea, frozen drinks, bottled beverages, fresh baked goods, Panini’s plus various accompaniments such as chips and fruit. The open design is accentuated by the use of a high gloss lacquer facade and illuminated displays. Every square foot is utilized to offer the traveler with many choices for food and beverage while the food service equipment is hidden behind smoothly fluid cabinetry.

“Get Snacked” is a grab-and-go food service retail kiosk featuring packaged food and beverages located on Concourse A at Chicago’s Midway Airport. Standard refrigerated merchandisers and custom casework are trimmed with bright colors, bold shapes and signage. Corian faced rear and side wall backdrops with matching graphics are coordinated pendant lighting to create a visual frame which defines this simple and elegant space.

Sarfatty Associates partnered with State Farm to create a community space and café where anyone could ask questions about finances and insurance and get some answers. The result is a casual neighborhood hangout and educational center, where neighbors can speak with financial advisors and fuel up on great local coffee. Everything offered at Next Door is free except the coffee.

The “Dine in the Park” food court proposal offers a visionary culinary destination within Chicago’s Midway Airport. This integrated concept provides travelers with diverse food and beverage offerings, set in a park environment, reflecting Chicago’s rich tapestry of ethnic neighborhoods united with each other through the city’s extensive system of parks. Since Chicago’s incorporation in 1837, the city seal has borne the phrase Urbs in Horto translating from Latin as “City in a Garden.” Many of Chicago’s “Emerald Necklace” of parks were designed by such notable landscape architects as Frederick Law Olmstead and William Le Baron Jenney.

Walls of live plantings, accented by video displays featuring current and historic views of Chicago’s parks, are strategically placed throughout the concept. Further enhancing this parklike atmosphere are trees, flower boxes, streetlights with hanging planting baskets, a cascading waterfall, and a koi pond. A hydroponic herbarium will feature herbs and vegetables that will be grown and harvested for use in the surrounding restaurants. Not only aesthetically pleasing, these plants and indoor water features have been shown to improve indoor air quality. Finally, to stimulate the mind, one end of the food court will showcase a museum-quality informational wall telling travelers the stories of Chicago’s most beloved parks.

The original Manny’s Coffee Shop & Deli came into being during World War II, when the Raskin brothers split up so that Jack could open his own restaurant on Roosevelt Road near the open-air market area known as Maxwell Street. Now the Midway airport traveler can stop in for a true authentic Chicago Deli experience at Chicago’s Midway Airport. The serving counter, décor and graphic signage are all reminiscent of their main Roosevelt Road location. The bright well designed express deli counter and food service equipment layout speeds service and encourages customers to custom design their menu choices.

Sarfatty Associate, Ltd. partnered MAC One Midway, LLC for the transformation of an existing 140 sq. ft. space in Midway Airport into a new quick serve frozen yogurt concept: Red Mango. The front service counter was rooted in the core brand attributes of this concept with a focus on “Health, Taste and Style”. Key design elements help provide intuitive transitions and create a natural progression through the space. Finish materials that articulate the playful and healthy environment were used throughout the design. Bright and creative lighting elements emulate the brand logo and boldly colored tile walls act as a backdrop to the signage, graphics and food display. The presentation to the concourse is dynamic; drawing guests to the end of the concourse with bright signage and graphic displays.

In association with MAC One Midway, LLC, Sarfatty Associates conceived and designed a new airport food service concept: Sprigs Fresh Salads. The theme of a fresh and healthy lifestyle is reflected in the crisp, boldly colored and creatively lit storefront. LCD menu boards recessed into the façade and the dynamic signage add movement and excitement to the space. The sustainable bamboo back wall that frames the salad crispers in a halo of light provides a backdrop for the bold graphics, illuminated merchandise units and the chefs as they interact with guests. An undulating stainless steel service counter allows patrons to get up close to the action and work with the chef as he creates that one of a kind salad. The mirror above brightly reflects into the concourse the activity of the preparation area encouraging airport patrons to partake in the fun.

Teaming with Freshii and Equinox Fitness Center, Sarfatty Associates transformed a nondescript food service operation into a vibrant and energetic operation for Freshii. The restaurant’s theme carries the energy of the fitness center and combines it with a hip approach to health food. The bright menus, dynamic service line and vibrant food displays present captivating colors and threads the theme of health and fitness throughout the retail space. Our design team succeeded at re-using much of the original casework and equipment, introducing new materials with recycled content, vivid graphics, and coordinating a new kitchen equipment layout.