Brooklyn's Margot has painted its two-story exterior a striking cobalt blue, joining a growing wave of restaurants embracing bold jewel tones and saturated colors for their storefronts. The restaurant's vivid blue exterior, positioned at a busy corner amid typical red-brick buildings, channels the aesthetic of designer eyewear, workwear, and contemporary cookbook design.
This color choice reflects a broader shift in restaurant design philosophy. Proprietors are moving away from the minimalist grays, whites, and natural wood tones that dominated the past decade. Instead, they're adopting rich, confident hues that demand attention on crowded urban blocks. Deep blues, forest greens, and warm burgundies signal confidence and personality rather than restraint.
The trend carries real business implications. In competitive markets like Brooklyn, a distinctive exterior becomes essential marketing. A boldly colored storefront photographs well on Instagram, distinguishes a restaurant from competitors, and creates an immediate mood before diners even enter. The color becomes part of the brand identity itself.
This aesthetic also reflects changing attitudes about what feels contemporary. Younger diners and chefs increasingly reject the sterile minimalism of fine dining in favor of warmer, more individualistic spaces. The movement parallels the natural wine boom and the rise of casual tasting menus. It's about personality over pretense.
The color psychology matters too. Blues inspire calm and sophistication. They suggest a restaurant confident enough to take design risks, implying creativity extends to the kitchen. Margot's choice signals this is a destination worth seeking out, not a neutral placeholder in the urban landscape.
These visual shifts often precede menu and service changes. Restaurants investing in distinctive exteriors typically pair them with intentional interior design and thoughtful food concepts. The blue storefront becomes a promise about the experience inside.
As New York and other dense cities grow more crowded with dining