Five things on our radar this week

Every Friday, Hospitality Design gathers five stories from the wider design world. This week's list has something for everyone who likes eating out, good buildings or both.

First, restaurant trends. Following The New York Times' list of the best restaurants of 2026, chefs and owners talked about how dining is changing. People are ordering fewer starters and desserts, often thanks to weight-loss drugs, and drinking less. Influencers matter less than paying guests, and early bookings are having a moment, with 6pm now rivalling 8pm as the most popular time.

Second, a tongue-in-cheek look, via Cultured magazine, at the sparse, beige interiors of the young bachelor flat as an accidental kind of minimalism.

Third, London's Barbican Sculpture Court will become a fully accessible public space by 2030. Allies and Morrison and Buro Happold will add climate-resilient planting, better lighting, step-free routes and seating, while protecting its Grade II-listed landscape.

Fourth, documentary maker John Wilson, of 'How To with John Wilson', has a new feature film, 'The History of Concrete', which follows the material from Las Vegas to Rome.

Finally, Boutique Design has named its eleven 2026 Ones to Watch, emerging hospitality professionals who'll be celebrated at the Gold Key Awards in New York on 9 November.

Our summary of a story from Hospitality Design, published 25 September 2026. Read the original

Photos: Hospitality Design · See all 5