Sweet Taste of New Yorkby Maike Burk | 19.09.2013

Omonia Bakery

The name Omonia stands for a Greek family, who has specialized in traditional pastry. Now, they just opened their third branch in Queens: the Omonia Café – Next Door. But, by now, the small chain is no longer limited to pastry and coffee, but offers menus for each time of the day. Nevertheless, the Queens branch still considers itself as a new “sweet point”.

Entrance made easy

The sweet point intends to tempt to enter quickly. The entire shop front is glazed and draws the attention towards the chocolate coloured interior with the long display case filled with pastry. If you don't happen to be on diet, you will necessarily have to enter. And this is exactly what the architects of bluarch aimed at – the purpose of the Omonia Bakery is to celebrate indulgence.

Room Chocolate

The interior is designed as tenderly melting chocolate. You will never bump against right angles, all surfaces are round and soft, even the ceiling bulges. The impression of standing amidst chocolate is created by tiny chocolate brown Bisazza tiles, cladding the walls and ceiling.

LED strips and balls of western red cedar are hanging from the ceiling, forming an installation. Arranged in groups, they create different zones. The installation seems three-dimensional and gives depth to the long room.

Kitchen Aid

If you manage to leave the display case aside, you will encounter a glass box – which is where the kitchen is located. Therefore, the walls which are inspired by chocolate may in turn inspire the production of the chocolate pastry. Lori Zimmer calls it on inhabitat.com a “cafe as sweet as the treats it sells.” In any case, the architects succeed in conveying architecturally the theme of indulgence.