The Rockwell Group may be better known for its big-ticket projects in far-flung spots, but as its work on the newly minted Daily Provisions shows, it’s equally at home designing small neighbourhood delicatessens.
The rich blue facade of restaurateur Danny Meyer’s 600 sq ft all-day coffee and sandwich shop near the corner of Park Avenue and East 19th – a couple of equidistant blocks from Union Square and Gramercy Park and just next door to the larger Union Square Café – extends into the interiors.
Here, Rockwell have created an intimate mood complete with homey cabinetry wrapped around a central stone bar counter, oak wood floors, bar stools and antiqued mirrors on which are splashed perfectly-styled calligraphy of the day’s specials.
In an unexpected sleight of hand, the functionality of the furniture morphs during the day – the stone counter turning into a communal table at lunch, and the baked goods rack turning into a wine display as the after-hours crowd streams in.
As expected, the menu is small, but engagingly wholesome, ranging from salted caraway rye loaves to Berkshire bacon, orange kouign-amanns and herbed ricotta spreads. And just in case you’re in any doubt about what’s on the menu, the bathrooms feature customised wallpaper that illustrate the deli’s stock in trade as five ‘B’s: bread, booze, rotisserie birds, coffee beans and breakfast.
