Whilst restauranteurs are often happy enough to hang art on their walls, few of them are inclined to let their builder have free reign on a blank canvas. At Kamel they have done just that – with the courtyard in dire need of renovation, builder and artist with a nail-gun, Bryce Ritchie (who worked on 7 Seeds cafe in Carlton in 2009) has transformed it into an oasis. Using recycled blackbutt timber from the Woolloomooloo sheds, the deck is tongue and groove timbers and the seating is angled to create gorgeous curves.

A stunning courtyard space resembling the inside of a wine barrel or a velodrome, juxtaposed against lush foliage within a wall of rendered recycled industrial polystyrene.