Smoked Room by Astet Studio Named World’s Most Beautiful Restaurant

In a city known for architectural spectacle and culinary ambition, Smoked Room on Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah has carved out a quieter, more elemental kind of magic—and the world has taken notice. Designed by Astet Studio, the 14-seat omakase-style restaurant has just been crowned Most Beautiful Restaurant in the World by the prestigious Prix Versailles, selected from a shortlist of 16 global finalists.

Tucked within The St. Regis Residences, Smoked Room is the brainchild of acclaimed Spanish chef Dani García, and it’s as much a performance space as it is a dining destination. At its heart is a live fire kitchen, where flames flicker and dishes are composed in full view of the guests. But it’s the design—moody, metallic, and meticulously choreographed—that transforms the experience into something cinematic.

Astet Studio, based in Barcelona, approached the project as a sensory journey. A dark, glowing corridor leads guests into a space where black brick, brass mesh, and mirrored surfaces evoke the primal drama of fire and smoke. The palette is rich and tactile, the lighting low and deliberate. Every surface reflects, absorbs, or refracts light in a way that draws the eye and stirs the senses.

The restaurant’s semicircular layout invites intimacy and trust—true to the spirit of omakase, which in Japanese means “I’ll leave it up to you.” Here, diners surrender not only to the chef’s vision but to the space itself, which envelops them in shadow, warmth, and quiet spectacle.

Astet Studio’s work is known for its architectural precision and emotional storytelling, and Smoked Room is a masterclass in both. It’s not just a restaurant—it’s a stage, a sanctuary, and now, a global design icon.