The Cofoco group has been operating successful stand-alone restaurants (like Höst) in Copenhagen since 2000, but its new place Italy marks the start of a chain of venues under the same brand. Norm architects has been charged with the design strategy, and the studio has looked to deliver a version of the Italian aesthetic that works for its Copenhagen audience, while still retaining some key Mediterranean characteristics.
Pointing out that authentic Italian restaurants are often simple and crisp, Norm has — it says — been mindful of the Scandinavian need for cosiness in their chilly climate. Italy, then, is apparently what passes for cosy in Copenhagen — doesn’t exactly make me want to kick off my shoes and curl up with a book, but then again I’m not Scandinavian, so I’ll have to take their word for it. Italy is definitely evocative of warmer climes though, with very pale yellow walls and azure upholstery that brings the inviting coastal waters of southern Europe to mind. Wooden flooring comes from local family firm Dinesen.
