Papa San Restaurant Design at The Spiral
A Vertical Fusion of Culture and Context
At the base of BIG’s iconic skyscraper, The Spiral, in New York’s Hudson Yards, the Papa San restaurant design by INC Architecture & Design creates more than just a stylish dining venue — it manifests a spatial and cultural fusion. Seamlessly blending Peruvian vibrancy with Japanese refinement and grounded in the grit of New York City, the project challenges typical hospitality typologies with a bold spatial narrative.
The restaurant, situated at street level in a supertall tower completed in 2023, enjoys architectural advantages from BIG’s design: expansive glass walls stretching 100 feet, and ceilings that soar up to 30 feet. INC Architecture & Design embraced this vertical opportunity, filling it with layered materials, sculptural elements, and culturally rich details. The result is a restaurant that speaks three languages — Peruvian, Japanese, and New Yorker — without translation.
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Reinterpreting Fusion Through Space
Papa San’s culinary offerings are based on Nikkei cuisine — a Peruvian-Japanese fusion that has deep historical and cultural resonance. The interior design becomes a spatial translation of that hybrid identity. INC Architecture & Design refers to the concept as “a glorious aesthetic mash-up,” and the design certainly lives up to that claim.
Upon entry, visitors are greeted by a glowing neon “night market” sign, hinting at the layered experiences within. A polished U-shaped stainless-steel bar anchors the main space, and just behind it, a sculptural pink spiral staircase twists upward like a visual exclamation mark.
Industrial Grit Meets Warm Craft
What makes the Papa San restaurant design remarkable is its blend of contrasts. Concrete floors, exposed ceilings, and industrial glass blocks speak to New York’s raw architectural character, while lush plants — suspended in drum-shaped ceiling planters — soften the edges. Blue Pirelli rubber flooring in the mezzanine adds texture and echoes Japanese restraint, while colorful plaster finishes take their cues from Peruvian textiles.
The long dining space is defined by bench seating on either side of curved wooden tables, accompanied by vivid blue chairs. These colors are more than decorative — they ground the restaurant in cultural references and tie the design back to the identity of the cuisine.
Layered Program and Elevated Experience
The layout follows a step-down scheme from the entrance into the main dining zone, using floor levels to separate but not isolate. At the back of the space, diners can see into the open kitchen, where chef Erik Ramirez — known for Llama Inn and Llama San — leads a culinary team crafting an ambitious fusion menu. This transparency turns dining into theater, reinforcing a sense of participation in craft.
Above, the mezzanine hosts semi-private dining areas and a listening room. This small but thoughtful addition elevates the guest experience into something ritualistic — a place to hear music in curated acoustic clarity while surrounded by caramel-toned vintage pine wood, leather chairs, and plywood panels.
A Design in Dialogue with Its Tower
The Papa San restaurant design doesn’t shy away from its architectural context. The Spiral, designed by BIG, is a building of visual drama and sculptural ambition. Papa San mirrors that ambition at the ground level. The lighting fixtures stretch vertically, echoing the tower’s upward spiraling terraces. A constant play of light, reflection, and materiality makes the interior feel dynamic even when still.
Unlike many restaurants in large commercial developments, Papa San avoids becoming a backdrop for foot traffic. Instead, it creates immersive, site-specific atmosphere. Even at full capacity, the space encourages visual dialogue between guests, food, architecture, and the urban fabric just outside the glass.
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The Papa San restaurant design offers a masterclass in fusing spatial storytelling with cultural identity. INC’s interior choreography balances texture and tone across a vertical canvas — lush greenery contrasts with exposed concrete, while the pink staircase disrupts linear sightlines. Yet, the open plan might suffer during peak hours due to acoustics and flow. Still, the layered material language and thoughtful programming — especially the listening room — create a bold, hybridized typology that feels both contemporary and timeless.
Final Reflection: Designing for Cultural Conversation
Papa San’s greatest achievement lies in its refusal to reduce culture to mere decor. Too often, fusion restaurants lean heavily on surface aesthetics, but Papa San restaurant design is different — it integrates cultural memory, material expression, and architectural presence. It’s not just about creating a stylish dining room; it’s about designing a space that encourages curiosity and cross-cultural exchange.
In a city where design can be loud and shallow, this project whispers sophistication and depth. From the smart use of spatial layering to the nods at Peruvian and Japanese heritage, Papa San isn’t just a restaurant — it’s a cultural intersection built in glass, wood, and steel. For architects, it’s a valuable case study in designing hospitality spaces that resonate beyond the plate.
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The photography is by William Jess Laird.
