A fluted facade composed of handmade Kinney Block greets diners upon arrival at the Mexican restaurant Ánimo! It sets the tone for the playful sophistication that awaits. Jordana Maisie Design Studio looked to the curvature in Mexican architecture to inform the design of this outpost, which specializes in Mexican breakfast and baked goods in New York.

Animo! opens with sinuous forms. Winding millwork captures this, both on the ceiling and on the ground to create banquettes. The curving green interventions divide the room in half with seating on one side and the counter to order on the other.

The counter mirrors the curvature of the banquettes—but in a new color and material palette. Whereas the banquettes are upholstered in green leather, topped with terrazzo, and clad in light green subway tiles, the check-out counter is covered in brick-like red tiles. Texture and variation are front and center here, helping create a dynamic interior within a small space.

A rounded archway leading to the kitchen and the built-in shelving along the back wall drive home the curvy motif. This continues the sense of play and welcome in the venue, which ties the design to the name of the concept. “In Spanish, animo signifies the act of reassuring, of encouraging someone to overcome a challenge; not to give up” said Jordana Maisie. “This is a sentiment intended to liberate you from the day-to-day grind of a bustling city like Manhattan. To embody this energy, we wanted to break with the linear grid of Midtown and introduce flow, play, and texture into the space that pushes out into the city grid from the corner, inviting people in.”