The restaurant’s décor predominantly relies on a neutral colour palette of pale greys for the floor, lime plaster for the walls and soft pink for the ceiling, enlivened by indigo blue wall panelling and matching banquette seating enveloping the space. Against this subtly rendered background, the bar, centrally located opposite the entrance, stands out in sumptuous elegance. Undoubtedly the venue’s focal point, it combines a gold liquor display with a lush veneer counter, complemented by patinated brass finishes, gem-like wall scones and minimal lighting pendants by Lee Broom and Tom Dixon, and the restaurant’s illuminated logo.

The bar’s veneer surfaces and brass finishes are picked up by the restaurant’s tables whilst the gold hues of the bar shelving are also found in the kitchen entrance, which, far from being sidelined, is prominently showcased. Darker chairs and bar stools of mid-century design in soft leather provide a respite from the predominantly bright décor while opal lighting globes of the same modernist sensibility give the space a soft diffused warmth.

Providing a counterweight to the bar’s commandeering design, the two lateral walls are densely filled with an eclectic collection of prints, photographs and paintings—some of which were specially commissioned to local artists such as Weronika Kozak and Mateusz Kołek while others were collected by the restaurant’s designer and owners on their travels from Barcelona to Hong Kong—as well as an assortment of objects, altogether evincing a casual, salon-like sophistication that perfectly encapsulates the venue’s laid back yet refined character.

Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner with a menu that changes seasonally, and offering a delectable selection of cocktails made with homemade syrups and jams, Zenit is an all-day and night destination that taps into the pulse of the city, most notably on warmer days, when the full-length windows on Midowa Street are opened and the restaurant’s seductive energy fuses with the bustle of the thriving neighbourhood.