- Project: Les Morilles French Restaurant
- Architect: Tanzo Space Design
- Location: China, Beijing
- Year: 2021
- Area: 220 m2
- Photography: Ricky
A Hidden Gem on the Liangma River
Tucked within an office building by Beijing’s Liangma River, Les Morilles French Restaurant offers an intimate Parisian dining experience with a refined oriental touch. At just over 2,300 square feet, the restaurant feels more like an elegant salon than a conventional dining hall—its understated presence belying its international acclaim.
Awarded the Michelin Dining Plate for two consecutive years and recognized by the Black Pearl Restaurant Guide, Les Morilles has built a reputation as one of Beijing’s most authentic French dining destinations.
Redefining French Dining in Beijing
The restaurant’s founders, trained in Switzerland and France, sought to create more than a dining room: they envisioned a cultural space where French cuisine meets Beijing’s urban rhythm. Partnering with Tanzo Space Design, the transformation unfolded over nearly a year, evolving the restaurant into a low-profile yet atmospheric landmark.
The absence of an exterior sign only adds to its allure. Guests push through a heavy door with a brass handle, stepping into a sensorial world that fuses French romanticism with oriental serenity.
Design Concept: Layers of Emotion
Corridor and Entry Sequence
The journey begins in a dimly lit corridor, where orange tones dance across stone floors under wall-wash lighting. The atmosphere is immersive, evoking the damp streets of Paris or the mist rising from Beijing’s Liangma River.
Sculptural Dining Space
An arched ceiling with three curved surfaces defines the dining hall, its twisting geometry conveying both dynamism and intimacy. The use of glass partitions and sliding doors creates a cinematic sense of montage—spaces unfolding like chapters of a narrative.
Guests encounter a mix of classical European references with oriental symmetry, a deliberate juxtaposition that elevates both traditions. Private rooms borrow from palace interiors yet maintain a calm balance through symmetry and proportion.
Materials and Atmosphere
The interior palette bridges heritage and modernity:
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Textured wall finishes with mottled patina evoke timeless character.
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Black metal detailing outlines strong architectural gestures.
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Velvet, silk, and leather upholstery introduce Parisian elegance.
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Walnut flooring laid in French patterns grounds the space with authenticity.
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Colored lights—red, yellow, and blue—cast a subtle cinematic glow, evoking Paris at night.
The result is a setting where sensory richness defines the dining experience. Though newly renovated, the space feels storied, as though it has quietly existed for decades.
Culinary and Cultural Experience
While design establishes atmosphere, the cuisine completes the narrative. Les Morilles blends classic French techniques with oriental ingredients, creating dishes that are simultaneously familiar and surprising. The interiors echo this duality—polished yet intimate, global yet rooted in Beijing’s context.
Each corner of the restaurant offers a unique dining vignette, ensuring no seat feels secondary. Guests often select their table according to mood, social gathering, or the type of evening they envision.
A Future Expanded by Gardens
The next chapter in Les Morilles’ story will be the addition of an outdoor garden, extending the dining experience beyond the interior. Guests will stroll through landscaped paths before dinner, sip wine in a riverside setting, and then move seamlessly into the intimate dining rooms.
The Les Morilles French Restaurant, redesigned by Tanzo Space Design, demonstrates how architecture can elevate gastronomy into an art form. With its balance of Parisian elegance, oriental refinement, and riverside intimacy, the restaurant has established itself as a culinary and cultural landmark in Beijing.
