Restaurant Visit: Il Buco in Athens

Il Buco in Athens reminds us how refreshing the simple contrast of black and white can be.

Discovered via our Athens-based friend Lydia Chroni, the restaurant was designed by Dionisis+Kirki of Workshop and SOTOVIKIS + B. Working together, the architects created a light-filled, gallery-like space, where a collection of mismatched chairs sourced from local antiques markets function as an art installation. "The high ceilings of the neoclassical architecture and a collection of antique wooden chairs reveal traces of prewar Athens," Lydia says. "The black and white modern interior is a perfect blend of old and new—a reflection of my city."

Photography by Vassilis Makris via Yatzer.

Above: The restaurant is located on the third floor of a neoclassical building in the fashionable neighborhood of Psiri.

Above: The design emphasizes the building's tall ceilings; black door trim heightens the sense of entry.

Above: Droog's 85 Lamps and drapey white gauze curtains add a soft note.

Above: Mismatched chairs (a mix of antique and midcentury) add texture and warmth.

Above: Artist and designer Dionisis Sotovikis created art for the walls by folding and twisting tracing paper.

Above: The curvaceous forms of the chairs stand out vividly in the white space.