Restaurant-goers are looking for more interesting experiences, and restaurants are looking to provide them. KatzDesignGroup principal Beth Katz recently served up three restaurant interior projects in Downtown Phoenix ranging from a fast-casual eatery at CityScape to an upscale Italian dining establishment at Collier Center.

Mancuso’s Restaurant

Location: Collier Center, 201 East Washington St

Size: 8,700 SF

Katz partnered with Pasadena Avenue Design to create Bob Mancuso’s venture. The space evokes the restaurant’s 35-year Phoenix history with family heirlooms and photographs. It's also inspired by Northern Italian cuisine and design, with a custom map of the town in northern Italy where the Mancuso family lived as a backdrop for the new host area.

Noodle Bar

Location: Orpheum Lofts Building, 114 West Adams St

Size: 2,700 SF

Katz worked with chef Marco DiSanto to design a restaurant as a mix of his Japanese and Italian heritage. The space features locally made custom metal light fixtures described as “organic and noodle-ish.” Other design features are Italian tiles, bento box counters, artist-inspired visual graphics and the graphic branding by AWE Collective.

Yogi’s Grill

Location: CityScape, 1 East Washington St

Size: 1,200 SF

The first of the newly branded Yogi’s Grill–Teriyaki & Roll fast-casual restaurants, this one at CityScape brings in a branded interior with a variety of materials. The counter has a combination of granite and “burnt” wood. Millworker URI Construction repurposed pieces of salvaged wood for several weeks to create the mixed wood panels in the 250 SF dining area.

Want to find out what else is new and cool in Downtown Phoenix? Come to our Future of Downtown Phoenix event on Jan. 18 at Beth Hebrew Synagogue. The event begins with breakfast and schmoozing at 7:30am.