Baiser, Xanthi, Greece

A decade after he had worked on Baiser – a popular café and bar in central Xanthi – the Thessaloniki-based designer Minas Kosmidis was tapped to refurbish the 120 sq m space.

The result is a slick reimagining that is almost entirely at odds with the menu offerings of whole-grain sandwiches filled with prosciutto and basil olive, and toasted bruschetta layered with smoked salmon, lime and dill. The space – named after the French word for ‘kiss’ – really comes into its own in the evening as slender brass cylinder lamps cast a warm glow over the walnut floor and the white marble slabs of the bar, the latter cast with the sleek silhouette of a submarine. Ovaloid metal panels swathed in peacock wing prints, mirrors and stone, double as room dividers and decorative features.

The high tables and upholstered stools make perfect perches for people-watching while sipping the Submarine, a lethal cocktail of vodka, vanilla and mastika.