5 Stunning Restaurants Designed by Ste. Marie

From Italian restaurants to Vietnamese cocktail bars, Ste. Marie has created some of Western Canada’s most memorable dining rooms—with atmospheres that are as thoughtfully crafted as the menus.

Below, we spotlight five standout spaces that show exactly why the Vancouver-based firm steered by Craig Stanghetta continues to set the bar for restaurant design.

Maxine’s

Using the restaurant owners’ collection of vintage furniture and an antique bookcase as sources of inspiration, Ste. Marie transformed a cycling-memorabilia-filled space in Vancouver (the former Musette Caffè) into a pretty bar with a casual European style. Think dark leather banquettes and sage beadboarding, French windows and doors, and a patio complete with string lights.

Earls 67 / Earls Bankers Hall

There’s a reason this space doesn’t look anything like your neighbourhood Earls. In 2016, Ste. Marie was tasked with designing a “prototype” restaurant in downtown Calgary called Earls 67.

And even though the name has changed—today it’s known as Earls Bankers Hall—the beautiful design remains. That’s because the studio challenged the status quo while keeping the restaurant’s long history intact. (Peep the rhino-head display wall. IYKYK.)

Botanist

The menu at this Vancouver restaurant is influenced by the principals of botany, and Ste. Marie’s design follows suit—plants drape from the ceiling, floral patterns cover the dining chairs and a glass-enclosed bar gives off conservatory vibes.

The studio covered up a breathtaking view of the waterfront to achieve the desired effect, and you know what? You don’t even miss it. “We wanted to make it more insular,” says principal Craig Stanghetta. “We are fundamentally interested in places where you want to spend time.”

Elio Volpe

Ste. Marie had a goal of making this Italian spot be a go-to for everything from date nights to family birthday dinners and after-church brunches. “We want to be grounded within the neighbourhood,” says Stanghetta. “We want to feel connected to that kind of character and sensibility.”

The materials palette went a long way here. Heavy stucco details and dark green and ochre marble give the space a carefree, easygoing personality that perfectly complements the menu of wood-fired pizzas, pastas and fresh seafood.

Good Thief

Vietnamese traditions, creative cocktails and innovative design come together at this Main Street restaurant. With a mix of velvety curtains, quartzite, warm woods, rattan and brushed brass, Ste. Marie created a cool dining room that embraces ‘nhậu’ (socially drinking and feasting).

“We’re building to last,” says Good Thief co-founder Amelie Nguyen. “Everything is intentional; everything is meant to be a tribute to where we come from.”