Morty’s is a Hong Kong-based Sports Bar and Deli approved by the New York Times. It specialises in classic “New York City-style” fares like Reuben Sandwiches, Pastrami on House Rye, Potato Salad, Bagel & House Lox, and Classic Cornbread selections. All using sustainable meat prepared for the menu and cured by the restaurant’s own in-house kitchen.

The project’s interiors, designed in collaboration between JJA Bespoke Architecture, Morty’s and Kevin Poon, focuses on pushing the site’s existing back-of-house kitchen towards the front-of-house, so passersby can peek in through the restaurant’s kitchen window from the sidewalk.

Looking to a variety of Manhattan’s local pubs and diners as inspiration, the team focused on utilising a simple and straightforward colors and materials palette; such as the liberal use of red ceramic tiles, brushed stainless steel, and monochromatic stone flooring.

These materials are used to great effect for the long and linear “train-car” type “dining cabin” that the restaurant’s patron seating area is inspired by. Everything in the project is created bespoke for the site, except the silver-coloured Aluminium Prouve Chairs sourced from Industry West.

Four large sized flat-screen televisions are spread throughout the restaurant floor plan so sports fans can enjoy international sporting events all day long. Both the front and back-end facades are flexible so crowds can spill out into the front sidewalk and back alleyway when it gets busy, creating a jovial indoor-outdoor relaxed eating and drinking environment.

Design: JJA
Photography: Natasza Minasiewcz