Casa Pastor follows the success of El Pastor in Borough Market which design firm, Michaelis Boyd, designed in 2017.
With extensive specialist expertise in the hospitality sector, Portview is experienced in delivering award-winning, world class interiors for the top hotels, bars, restaurants, spas and leisure establishments in the UK and Ireland.
The client approached Portview to carry out the fit-out of Casa Pastor – seen as the big sister to El Pastor. The restaurant is located in the new regeneration of Kings Cross. Designed by Heatherwick Studio, Coals Drop Yard is the new retail area set within historic Victorian and industrial railway arches. The restaurant is located in the Western Coals drop yard at Unit 4, with a 12m historic end façade. The restaurant is based on the yard level, comprising an internal restaurant – Casa Pastor, and external terrace restaurant – Plaza Pastor. The restaurant retains the incredible original brick fabric and five-metre ceiling heights.
Shortlisted
Shortlisted
The key features of the site are the huge old brick walls and arched glazed windows. The front of the restaurant, close to the entrance is very vibrant and features antique patterned cement tiles, Mexican murals and custom designed hanging basket
Most of the tables are bar counter height with bright and vibrant glazed pyrolave tabletops. Terracotta tile perches along the entrance perimeter have been designed to encourage people to enjoy Mexican cocktails.
In the centre of the restaurant is the Mezcaleria bar, clad in vibrant emerald marble with tall trees inserted either side of the bar.
In the fixed seating areas, the detail of the banquette is simple with leather back seat cushions, hung individually with leather straps from the back of the banquette. The India Mahdavi chairs were chosen for their playful colour palette, unique to each
As with El Pastor, the theatre kitchen is open so that this becomes part of the dining experience.
A series of doors are visible from the mezzanine balcony which are clad with copper and zinc. The textured pink plaster walls are highlighted with a neon lighting detail – to evoke a sense of Mexican street life.
There is direct connection from Casa Pastor to Plaza Pastor at the side entrance of the restaurant. The terrace is covered with industrial cast iron beams, directly above which sits Barrafina’s external terrace.
The bar and theatre kitchen are located in the centre of the plaza with blackened steel cladding and cut out backlit branding on the top of the canopy.
