Maketto restaurant - Washington DC, USA

Maketto, after the exotification of the word ‘market’, is a cross-disciplinary concept space that weaves together the areas of retail, dining, bar and coffee cultures, in a space inspired by Asian night markets. In an attempt to mimic these bustling environments, Los Angeles-based architect and interior designer Michael Francis replaced the street and courtyard façades with black folding doors, so as to create an open alleyway in which commerce takes place. On the ground floor, the men’s retail destination, run by Will Sharp – founder of fashion label DURKL – showcases brands such as Wood Wood, Stutterheim and Porter, while beyond that, the space transfigures into a bar, outdoor patio and an open kitchen, where head chef Erik Bruner-Yang and his team take up orders of Cambodian and Taiwanese-inspired dishes such as Kuy Teav (noodle soup), Laab (minced lamb salad) and Kwah Ko (Cambodian sausage). At the top of the wood and steel stairway, is a continuation of the retail area, as well as a cocktail bar and café that serves hand-poured brews from local roaster, Vigilante Coffee and artisan pastries from baker Erica Skolnik.