The tiny southwest London enclave of Balham has just been injected with a shot of Latin magic with the arrival of Piraña, a bold new bar and restaurant with a South American flavour. Amongst the genteel family-friendly cafes and restaurants of Bedford Hill enters a cacophony of colour, conceptualised by brothers Alastair and Nicholas Heathcote and designed by Sella Concept.
Every corner of the space is touched by a bold, retro theme courtesy of Sella Concept co-founders Tatjana von Stein and Gayle Noonan, who have created a series of subtly different moods for the multifaceted outlet, which includes a chef’s table, bar, banquettes and a secluded nook featuring a private bar hatch. Bypassing obvious visual references to South America in favour of a focus on a rich and sensory palette and materials, Piraña’s design narrative is playful and adventurous. Here, timber panelled walls and bespoke jade terrazzo flooring reign supreme amongst deep red framework and upholstery, and custom furniture in a measured departure from Sella Concept’s usual penchant for pastels.
It all amounts to a striking venue, which, despite its compact size, is peppered with subdivided areas, each with a personality its own. Ideal then, for Piraña’s dual functionality as a restaurant and bar, which sees tacos, ceviches and empanadas sent out at the same time as creative cocktails like ‘An Englishman in Chile’, a concoction of gin, smoked lavender and Abba Pisco.
INFORMATION
ADDRESS
76 Bedford Hill
-
Olfactory Art Keller: the New York gallery exhibiting the smell of vintage perfume, blossoming lilacs and last night’s shameOlfactory Art Keller is a Manhattan-based gallery space dedicated to exhibiting scent as art. Founder Dr Andreas Keller speaks with Lara Johnson-Wheeler about the project, which doesn’t shy away from the ‘unpleasant’
-
Explore a barn conversion with a difference on the Isle of WightGianni Botsford Architects' barn conversion transforms two old farm buildings into an atmospheric residence and artistic retreat, The Old Byre
-
Audi launches AUDI, a China-only sub-brand, with a handsome new EV conceptThe AUDI E previews a new range of China-specific electric vehicles from the German carmaker’s new local sub-brand
-
First look at Belmond’s new ‘romantic and nostalgic’ luxury trainBelmond introduces the Britannic Explorer, the first high-end sleeper train experience in England and Wales
-
London bar Bauhaus Warehaus is a factory by day, drinking den by nightMixologist of the moment Remy Savage shakes up the world of cocktail-making with a hardworking sibling to A Bar with Shapes for a Name, his Bauhaus-inspired bar enterprise in east London
-
First look at 19 Motcomb Street, Belgravia’s iconic Pantechnicon reinventedFormer Nordic-Japanese design and dining hub Pantechnicon reopens as 19 Motcomb Street with a trio of food and beverage concepts
-
Where to eat Italian food in LondonFrom four-course blow-outs to the perfect pizza , food critic Ben McCormack recommends London's best Italian restaurants to have on your radar
-
Out of office: from Loewe loafers to volcanic views, the Wallpaper* editors' picks of the weekWhat the Wallpaper* team have been eating, seeing, wearing and crucially, enjoying, this week
-
Explore Cornwall's cosiest coffee shopsCornwall is known for its natural beauty and stunning landscape, here is our pick of coffee shops to enjoy the views and refuel
-
Out of office: What the Wallpaper* editors have been doing this weekTeam Wallpaper* are hard to pin down. Here's what our editors have been up to this week that might inspire your own downtime, from films to food, architours to musical interludes
-
First look at Soma 2.0: a new nighttime highlight in east LondonFresh from its Soho roots, this newly opened London bar is set to redefine Canary Wharf’s nightlife – not least with its Indian-flavour-twist cocktails, as Neil Ridley discovers
