Carl Gerges-designed restaurant in Batroun pays tribute to the sun on one of the region’s most beloved coasts

The idea for the Capo Boutique Hotel – located in the Lebanese coastal town of Batroun – was to create an amphitheatre that surrounds the water. The Mediterranean and the sun are the main actors, and visitors can watch the show from all corners of the resort. This tribute to natural elements – and particularly the sun – carries into Butler’s Table: the latest dining concept set in the hotel: “I envisioned the restaurant as an ode to the sun,” says architect Carl Gerges, who is behind the design of both the hotel and the Mediterranean restaurant, headed by chef Youssef Akiki. “I firmly believe in the inherent brilliance of nature’s processes, often reminding myself that minimal interventions yield the most remarkable results.” 

Butler’s Table overlooks the historic waterfront of Batroun and is imbued with warm tints and yellow accents that simulate and stimulate the natural sunlight. The focal point of the space is the bold yellow bar that symbolises the radiant energy of the solar rays, reinterpreted through a fractal design. Handmade using a mixture of sand and epoxy by Lebanese artist Nelsy Massoudi, its soft brightness alludes to the golden hour. Suspended above the bar is an oversized chandelier, meticulously crafted using 200 pieces of blown artisanal glass, arranged in four descending levels – all executed by local artisans.

“Artisanship holds a special place in my heart,” Gerges explains. “It is very inspiring to have collaborated with many local creatives [on the restaurant]; those who are still guardians of their craft, incredibly generous with their time, and highly skilled. Although they are constantly faced with adversity, there is always that commitment to finding solutions and problem-solving that resonates with my own process as an architect. There is a lot of possibility when you are in this disposition.” 

Echoing the chandelier, the walls are decorated with sconces made from the same captivating material. “Every aspect of these glass fixtures has been carefully designed to maximise the reflection and amplification of the natural sunlight during the day. As night falls, they create a warm ochre light, enveloping the surroundings with a touch of enchantment and adding a sense of magic to the space,” Gerges describes. Throughout the interiors, elegant iroko wood envelops the space from floor to ceiling, blending seamlessly with the terrace panelling, where the restaurant continues outdoors. Butler’s Table embraces the hotel’s hedonistic slow-living approach: it is a place where culture and luxury meet, under the complete cycle of the sun. 

Read more about Carl Gerges design here.

More of Batroun? Read here.