At Brisbane’s Cucina Regina, designed by Australian-based design studio Tom Mark Henry, European grandeur is captured in a classic yet warm milieu that bucks the clichéd trends of Italian design.
As you step into Cucina Regina, affectionately named for its prime position at Queen’s Wharf Brisbane, a sense of anticipation stirs within you. The venue’s name, meaning “The Queen’s kitchen,” is perfectly apt as a place where royalty meets warmth and elegance embraces comfort. “The intention was always for the space to be opulent and decorative, but certainly not without consideration of the location,” Tom Mark Henry director Jade Nottage says of the project.
The first thing you notice upon entering is the golden light streaming through the textured glass frontage that casts a subtle radiance over the interior as though the sun itself has taken up residence. The beams of light dance on the vaulted ceiling, where a bespoke spun-metal pendant gleams like a crown, setting the tone for a sensory journey.
“From the first moments upon entry, it’s evident Cucina Regina deviates from Italian design cues,” Tom Mark Henry design manager Carla Matias says. There are many moments of visual relief that enable the more ornate design features to shine while ensuring a relaxed family friendly atmosphere. Nottage adds that they wanted to design a venue that Brisbane locals would resonate with and create an experiential space that wasn’t just another neutral venue.
Deeper into the space, your eyes are drawn to bold splashes of colour, hand-painted murals and textured layers that create a lively yet homely atmosphere. “We rigorously investigated the materials, as we knew it was going to be a very extensive palette,” Nottage shares.
Celebrated for creating influential spaces for Australia’s design enthusiasts, Tom Mark Henry has incorporated patterned textiles and curated art pieces throughout Cucina Regina to pay homage to the heritage and charm of an Italian village – a place where every detail tells a story and every corner feels familiar yet elevated.
“We had a clear vision of what each space within the venue needed to feel like,” Nottage recalls. “Then we sectioned it into various rooms of a palazzo. It was important that these spaces felt unique but interconnected when viewed holistically.”
While the aroma of freshly baked focaccia greets you like a warm embrace and mingles with the faint notes of an Amaro Sour, the bar itself stands as a neutral keystone with clean lines that echo the laid-back sophistication of Brisbane and invite you to move from daytime routines to an evening of indulgence. Nottage says the mixture of lighting typologies within the space combined with thoughtful engineering ensures the venue can seamlessly pivot from a bright daytime venue to an ambient evening one.
Sliding into a plush lounge-style banquette, you feel instantly at ease. The tabletop before you reflects a high-gloss finish and mirrors the artistry of the grand archways, metallic wallpaper and brass accents around the room. Authentic accents fused with inspired design invite you to dine, revel, linger and embrace the simple joys of life with a touch of regal elegance.
As you rise to leave, you carry with you the warmth of the space, the richness of its flavors and the feeling of having been a part of something extraordinary – a moment where Italian tradition and modern sensibility converged, leaving an indelible mark on all your senses.
Photography by Cieran Murphy
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