Positioned in the heart of DIFC, Amazonico adds to the big international brands entering Dubai’s hospitality market. Its cuisine and décor take inspiration from the “cultural diversity and gastronomic heritage of the Amazon region” and adds a new dimension to Dubai’s growing restaurant scene.

Set over three floors and comprising a restaurant, sushi counter, bar & lounge and rooftop terrace, the Dubai restaurant is only the second Amazonico venue to open outside of Spain by husband and wife restauranteurs Sandro Silva and Marta Seco.

Tricon Foodservice Consultants were appointed by d.ream (Doğuş Restaurant Entertainment and Management) to work alongside architects AAID and interior design artist Lázaro Rosa-Violan to bring the rainforest-inspired restaurant to life.

The balance between functionality and design is a common challenge faced by our teams and the Amazonico project was no exception. With a range of dining spaces, each with its own atmosphere and specific catering requirements when it came to design and equipment, the Tricon team had its work cut out for them.

Located on the ground floor with its own terrace and dining tables, the dedicated Nikkei-inspired sushi counter combines seating and kitchen space in close quarters. The eight seats available at the counter allow guests to watch and engage as the chefs prepare Japanese-Peruvian dishes and so the requirements for this kitchen had to blend the interior design of the dining area, whilst still allowing the chefs full functionality and the correct equipment to do their job.

The bar & lounge, also on level one, offers indoor and outdoor seating areas, and has a large, well-equipped and well stocked bar to allow expert mixologists and bartenders to prepare high-end cocktails, wines and other beverages.

The main restaurant on the second level, is a formal setting with both indoor and outdoor dining and offers open dining on the outdoor terrace as well as fully enclosed seating. A full a la carte menu is available and served from an open display kitchen, allowing guests to observe the chefs at work.

The rooftop terrace on level three had a similar requirement to that of the bar & lounge downstairs, where expert cocktails and other specialist drinks could be made and served to an evening and late- night crowd. This level also offers private dining areas for guests to enjoy.

With four very different dining areas, each with their own specific requirements, Robert Plumb, Tricon’s Dubai Design Director said, “The Amazonico restaurant team was very specific about the specialist kitchen and bar equipment required and so space become our biggest challenge during this project. The main restaurant included a large display kitchen with open grills, smoke and fire and so ventilation systems were an extremely important part of the design, and proved a challenging installation for the engineering team.”