The concept for the restaurant is drawn from John Anthony, the first Chinese man to be naturalized as a British citizen in 1805. An employee of the East India Company, he embarked on the voyage from the East to West, arriving in Limehouse, the east end docklands of London. Ensuring lodgings and food for arriving Chinese sailors, he became the father of Limehouse’s Chinatown.

The design drew on John Anthony’s journey. Exploring the fusion of architectural styles and materiality between East and West, colonial architecture blurs with eastern detailing to create a British tea hall turned Chinese canteen.

Arriving guests are transported down a vertical staircase of white metal and back lit diffused glass. The entrance captures a glimpse of terracotta render walls with a triple height arched ceiling clad in pink tiles, and a lime green terrazzo floor.

The main dining hall is an interpretation of the dockland storehouses. The vaulted space plays on verticality and lightness with a sense of whimsy as circular canopy columns in dusty pink lacquer and white metal arches are surrounded by terracotta render.

Gin tubes hang vertically above the bar, infused with botanical blends found along the Spice Routes. At high level the arches are back lit with diffused glass, allowing for shifting light qualities. The arches hover above the bar displaying a vast gin collection. A white metal structure hangs from the render ceiling reminiscent of an industrial storehouse, suspending custom timber lighting.

Beyond the main hall, arched spaces allow for more intimate dining. The arches are clad in handmade tiles in green and blue and frame views of the kitchen and spaces beyond. Behind the bar, guests are welcomed to floral booth seats that offer glimpses of the bartenders beyond.