New York City is considered a cultural giant in the fine-dining scene, and the greater New York area boasts a number of up-and-coming restaurants that more than hold their own. Across the state, in towns like Albany and Troy, new restaurants are popping up regularly, featuring bold layouts, stunning visuals, and impeccable design that offer guests a memorable night out.
One design firm is building a notable footprint in the New York restaurant scene with its unique design strategy. Dunne Kozlowski is an architecture, interior design, branding, and project delivery firm that operates around a single core belief: that meaningful experiences are built on more than design alone. Led by founders Corey Dunne and Paul Kozlowski, the firm designs around how people actually live, not how spaces are traditionally categorized or how they are supposed to function.
Photo Credit: Dunne Kozlowski
“Many restaurants are designed to look good, but fail operationally,” says Corey Dunne, co-founder. “We start in a different place. We listen first, spending time understanding how our clients move through the day. Design decisions come after that, not before.”
The team at Dunne Kozlowski considers the brand’s initial vision, how the space will actually be used, and the experience they want to create for their guests. Then they work with them to design a restaurant that serves its guests not just visually, but practically.
“We don’t design for ego or for a pretty picture in a magazine,” says Paul Kozlowski, co-founder. “Hospitality is about more than just getting a meal. It takes into account many things, from how the customer feels to the quality of their experience and the seamless flow of operations.”
The other part of the equation that helps define Dunne Kozlowski is its holistic approach to restaurant design. Whereas traditional architectural firms draw up architectural plans before handing them off to outside vendors, Dunne Kozlowski handles every part of the process from concept through completion.
The firm offers services including architecture, interior design, concepting, branding, project management, procurement, and construction administration. Its strategy of consolidating everything under one roof came as a natural evolution of years spent watching clients deal with friction, costly delays, and vendor miscommunications.
“We brought interior design services in-house to reduce friction for our clients,” says Dunne. “From there, we’ve continued to evolve by identifying the services in a project that can cause the most problems for our clients and integrating them into our business—allowing operators to stay focused on running theirs.”
Photo Credit: Dunne Kozlowski
Take, for example, the firm’s work designing MOSU in Albany, NY. As a modern Asian restaurant with hibachi-style cooking, the logistical requirements could have been a design disaster. Hibachi grills require exposed exhaust ductwork and mechanical infrastructure along the ceiling, a notorious eyesore most designers would try to distract from. The space was also long and narrow, which presented a challenge for the owners’ goal of creating a flexible, community-oriented space.
Rather than pushing seating to the perimeter, Dunne Kozlowski introduced a central bar, creating a strong social anchor and focal point for guests. They also introduced a hanging rope installation along the ceiling, softening the presence of infrastructure and bringing attention back to the dining experience.
“Design must respond honestly to real constraints and real human behavior,” says Dunne. “You can’t ignore or hide operational requirements. If you address them directly, however, then you can turn them into assets that enhance the overall experience.”
After the success of MOSU, Dunne Kozlowski also led the architectural and interior design for a second location in Henrietta, New York, set to open in the near future. The firm has also designed several recently opened restaurants in the greater Albany area, including Sea Smoke Waterfront Grill, the Mexican restaurant Toro Cantina, and The Scene.
Photo Credit: Dunne Kozlowski
“With MOSU, we were able not only to help elevate a brand from 800 miles away, but to help elevate an entire city’s restaurant scene,” says Dunne. “We became a leading designer in Albany, leading to projects like Toro Cantina, Sea Smoke Waterfront Grill, and The Scene. Whether in Chicago or beyond, we’re able to elevate brands to the same level of quality, demonstrating success on a nationwide scale.”
The firm has expanded its presence into other cities and industries, from the modern Adalina Prime steakhouse in Chicago to the Hotel Julian in San Francisco. With every project, Dunne Kozlowski is refining its design-led, design-build approach to set restaurants and businesses up for long-term success.
“In today’s marketplace, it’s not enough to have a beautiful design,” says Kozlowski. “To create memorable experiences that elevate a brand, design must be rooted in function—flow of operations, budget, and schedule. You may hesitate to part with your current firm, but it’s worth asking: Do they truly understand your business? Can they deliver a space that’s not only beautiful, but operationally sound and genuinely memorable?”
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