New York City has no shortage of stylish coffee shops promising a delicious cup of java. But in the Manhattan neighbourhood of Two Bridges, something new is brewing. The Mandarin, which opened late last year, started as a mobile cart promising expert baristas, compact supplies and quality service for photo shoots and events — and has now expanded into a brick-and-mortar cafe. Designed by Brooklyn-based Almost Studio — the team behind popular fashion label Sandy Liang’s NYC flagship and Love’s h|Edge, a month-long Times Square hedge installation — the brand’s newest venture plays with material and form to create a rich, interior world.
As the first foray into hospitality interiors for both the designers and the clients, The Mandarin was born out of a desire to host friends and family — and celebrate their shared love of coffee. “We love to eat and drink, and we travel a lot, so we wanted to find something that was like the sweet spot of all the things that we have gathered over the years,” says owner Jessica Tjeng.
For Almost Studio co-founders Anthony Gagliardi and Dorian Booth, transforming the previously vacant lot into a dynamic community hub presented an exciting challenge. Known for their unorthodox use of materials in commercial and residential spaces, the duo found inspiration in American artist Ellsworth Kelly’s abstract, geometric paintings and Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks, an ancient, circular Indigenous landmark in Circleville, Ohio. Motivated by these core motifs, the pair decided the interior scheme should revolve around three shapes: a circle, square and rectangle.
In the front of house, a custom microcement banquette divides the cafe into two zones. On one side, a circular seating arrangement mirrors the large disk-shaped volume on the ceiling, featuring ambient, glowing lighting. On the other side, a large communal table (custom-designed by close friend Brett Paulin Design) in heather-purple offers another distinct social zone — lit by another ceiling volume in an angular, quadrilateral form.
Towards the back of house, the central serving counter is framed by green stucco walls in an organic, rounded form, revealing the glistening golden bar behind. Moving from form into texture, each of the other rooms — including a bathroom, anteroom and private office — are marked by their distinct materiality, from textured metallic surfaces to lacquered panels.
Designed as a series of distinct worlds through spatial and material composition, The Mandarin cafe’s range of interior spaces accommodates both intimate moments and community events. And don’t forget to try the matcha!
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