Walking into YUZU feels like stepping into a carefully curated dreamscape—where warm textures, earthy tones, and playful design accents converge to create a Pan-Asian dining experience unlike any other in Dhaka. Located in the bustling neighborhood of Dhanmondi, this restaurant is not just about food—it’s a celebration of space, craft, and atmosphere. Designed by Lava Biswas Nandini and Shaharia Nasrin Reta, cofounders and principal interior architects of Thinkspace, along with Assistant Architect Tahsin Ridwan Pulok, YUZU exemplifies how architecture and design can shape how we savor flavors, linger over conversations, and perceive culture.
The starting point for YUZU was a simple but powerful idea: to create a Pan-Asian restaurant with a strong sense of identity. The design team envisioned a space that would break away from the predictable modern-minimalist style often seen in Dhaka’s restaurants. Instead, YUZU embraces a bohemian soul—warm, tactile, and delightfully unpretentious. Here, design is not just background; it becomes part of the dining ritual. From the rattan-backed chairs to the bamboo ceiling accents, every material choice carries both narrative and sensory value. The intention was to
design a place where guests would feel transported, yet rooted—where every corner could spark curiosity.
The entry lounge sets the tone immediately. A textured plaster wall, sculpted with rhythmic grooves, frames YUZU’s glowing neon logo—a bold graphic statement softened by the rustic textures around it. A cozy sofa with earthy-toned cushions and a woven rattan floor lamp invites guests to pause before stepping further inside. A potted palm extends its leafy arms into the space, bridging the natural with the crafted.
Even before tasting the food, guests absorb YUZU’s ethos: a harmonious balance between earthiness and sophistication.
Materials are the heart of YUZU’s design narrative. The walls, painted in a warm beige tone, provide a calming canvas for the eclectic details layered over them. Rope, bamboo, rattan, and terracotta hues create a palette that feels organic yet striking.
One of the most captivating design gestures is the rope art accent wall, crafted from woven cords in varying thicknesses and patterns. It not only draws the eye but also adds an almost tactile dimension to the space. Rope reappears throughout the interiors: macramé installations hang by the windows, filtering light into dappled patterns across the floor.
The bamboo ceiling accents are another detail that both grounds and elevates the interior. Their linear rhythm echoes traditional Asian craft while softening the acoustics of the restaurant. Paired with handmade blooming flower lights, the ceiling becomes a feature in itself—part functional, part sculptural.
The dining area carries forward this commitment to detail. Tables are dressed with woven placemats and wooden platters, further enhancing the tactile experience of dining. Chairs and benches, in muted natural finishes, encourage long, unhurried meals. Perhaps
the most Instagram-worthy corner is the wall installation featuring YUZU’s bold typographic logo mounted over a spray of dried palm leaves.
It’s playful, photogenic, and distinctly bohemian—showing the design team’s understanding of how contemporary diners engage with space not just physically but digitally.
Lighting at YUZU is as carefully considered as its furniture. The designers favored warm ambient tones that echo the earthy palette of the interiors. Woven rattan lamps cast patterned shadows on the walls, while LED backlighting highlights the logo and art features, adding a touch of drama.
This balance of soft glow and accent lighting ensures that the restaurant feels both intimate and vibrant—perfect for a dinner date, a family gathering, or even a casual afternoon meal.
For Thinkspace, the project was as much about storytelling as it was about construction detail. Many of the handcrafted elements—such as the rope installations and woven furniture—were sourced or commissioned from local artisans. “The design celebrates handmade imperfection,” they explained, “because that’s what makes it human and relatable.”
The project timeline reflects both ambition and collaboration. The initial design sketches began in June 2024, and after months of fine-tuning details with the client, YUZU finally opened its doors in November 2024. The architects describe the handover as “bittersweet”—after all, each corner of the restaurant carries hours of their experimentation, debate, and problem-solving.
What makes YUZU truly remarkable is its personality.
It doesn’t feel like a generic restaurant but rather like a living, breathing environment with its own quirks and charms. The bohemian décor ensures that no two visits feel exactly the same—depending on the light, the crowd, or even the season, guests discover new textures and details.
In the fast-changing dining culture of Dhaka, YUZU stands as a reminder that design can—and should—play a role in creating memorable experiences. It is a space where the flavors of Pan-Asian cuisine are heightened by the warmth of woven textures, the glow of thoughtful lighting, and the rhythm of handcrafted details.
Ultimately, YUZU is not just a place to eat. It’s an escape. A corner of Dhanmondi where the bustle of the city gives way to a cocoon of texture, craft, and color. The collaboration between Nandini, Reta, and Pulok has resulted in a project that feels fresh yet familiar, experimental yet comfortable.
As diners step back out into the busy streets after a meal, they carry with them not just the taste of Pan-Asian flavors but also the lingering memory of a space that felt curated just for them. That is the true triumph of YUZU’s design—transforming dining into an art form.
