This is the third of three restaurants featured in the design series, A Visual Feast

Industria

225 Marche Way

The cavernous space that is Industria Italian Brasserie at Lansdowne Park is a full 7,000 square feet of vibrant, welcoming space that can seat 260. Dressed in snappy red, black, and white tones, with twinkling light fixtures and whitewashed walls, Industria offers contemporary chic with a rustic edge.

Pull up to one of the four-inch-thick mango-wood tables, which are set on solid black iron legs, and enjoy the industrial atmosphere channeled by the whitewashed brick walls and metal bistro chairs. The chic arrives with the tufted red and black vinyl booths and banquettes, black chairs with silver-studded bling, and the wood-look wide plank flooring. At the centre of it all sits a 1,000-bottle wine storage unit.

On one side, a huge bar with a glistening granite countertop stretches into the distance; on the other, a raised dining area offers a quieter place to eat, away from the bar scene (and the giant television high on one wall). “I wanted to create an industrial yet sexy look with a contemporary flow,” explains designer Mari-Claire D’Elia. “We wanted to please everybody — from families to couples, boys’ night out and girls’ night out, happy hour, cocktails, groups of friends, or a romantic evening for two. There is even a mezzanine. There’s a space here for everybody.”

For Richard Carrer, one of five co-owners of the Houston restaurant group that owns Industria, design was an important part of the planning process. “We chose the name for the original restaurant in Montreal, as it is in an old, industrial part of the city, Griffintown, which is being transformed into a chic area. That, in turn, inspired our designer with her aesthetic,” he explains. “I really like the lighting, the variety of seating areas, and the fun, energetic ambiance. Our credo is Eat. Drink. Laugh. After all, what else is there in life?”