Stendhal Milano lands in Rome. Yes, you read that right: the icon of Milanese gastronomic culture since the 1980s is opening a new restaurant inside the jewel of Art Nouveau architecture of Galleria Alberto Sordi, in the heart of Rome, with a design by Vudafieri-Saverino Partners, who worked on the furnishings, finishes, colours and materials to create a sophisticated yet informal restaurant.
Architects Claudio Saverino and Tiziano Vudafieri said: “We retained the visual codes of Stendhal Milano in the new restaurant, but with a contemporary Milanese twist, reflecting Rome’s festive vibrancy and easy-going nature. We created a welcoming space that fosters sociability.”
The two floors, covering 130 square metres, evoke the same retro atmosphere as the Milanese venue. Vudafieri-Saverino Partners focused on key elements such as the “Stendhal Green” colour as a unifying theme; bespoke wallpaper in green hues, with a design that, through arches and openings, mirrors the historic hosting Galleria; and luxurious materials like brass, marble, textured glass and wood. The wood pattern was designed by architects Claudio Saverino and Tiziano Vudafieri.
With a total of 60 seats, the restaurant is spread across the ground floor and the main dining area on the mezzanine level, where a more intimate atmosphere has been crafted around an open kitchen. Around the small, ribbed wood counter, with a marble top, there are three seats allowing diners to watch the chefs at work.
The large windows highlight the relationship between the contemporary interior and the Galleria’s historic exterior. At the entrance, the architects introduced a striking feature: a large bespoke bar counter in green lacquer, with a marble top and green tile inserts. Behind it, a back counter with an antiqued mirror and a suspended bottle rack, which reinterprets Vienna straw, with brass mesh used for the shelf’s edging.
On the wall next to the staircase connecting the two floors of the restaurant, a neon writing from Stendhal’s Promenades pays tribute to one of the writer’s reflections on Rome: “Il n’y a aucune logique à Rome, mais la sensibilité passionnée y vit toujours – There is no logic in Rome, but passionate sensibility always lives there”.
