Scarpetta brings a taste of Italy to Doha

David Collins Studio has brought a taste of Italian classism to Doha with its new design for the first Scarpetta restaurant in the Middle East. 

Scarpetta at the Waldorf Astoria

Scarpetta is known for serving reliably delicious Italian fare in luxurious settings, with locations around the world including New York, London, Tokyo, Miami and Las Vegas. The key to the restaurant’s success is its use of simple, high-quality ingredients to create bold flavours; case in point, its famous Spaghetti Tomato & Basil, which has turned the simplest of Italian dishes into a crowd-drawing favourite. 

Scarpetta is making its Middle East debut at the Waldorf Astoria Lusail Doha, and David Collins Studio has created a decadent space worthy of both the Astoria and Scarpetta’s reputation. Inspired by the work of Carlo Scarpa, the 20th-century architect known for reinterpreting ancient Italian aesthetics for a modern context, David Collins Studio’s design is characterised by the use of Palladiana terrazzo flooring, coloured marbles, and travertine columns throughout the bar and restaurant space. 

As Simon Rawlings, creative director at David Collins Studio, says, the space is full of ‘tailored elegance, Italian craft and midcentury charm, bringing the relaxed yet refined ambience of Scarpetta to Doha. Towering travertine, shimmering timbers, sumptuous leathers, and nostalgic lighting create a bar, restaurant, and terrace which capture Italian incantesimo [enchantment].’ 

Continues Iain Watson, CEO at David Collins Studio, 'The project was an opportunity to combine our knowledge and understanding of the location and the Scarpetta experience, in an inspired architectural setting. A contemporary interior that subtly blends periods [and] references with sophisticated use of materials and bespoke elements – the hallmark of David Collins Studio.’ 

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