Inside Puerto Prendes, a Tropical-Inspired Restaurant by Talo Atelier

A backlit green glass bar sets the tone at Puerto Prendes PH Satélite, where Mexico City-based studio Talo Atelier brings a fresh perspective to a restaurant with roots dating back to 1892. Located within the renovated Palacio de Hierro Plaza Satélite, the new space balances contemporary design with the restaurant’s Spanish and Mexican culinary heritage.

Led by founder Tadeo López Toledano, the project redefines the brand’s identity through tropical elegance, tactile materials, and carefully considered lighting. Instead of recreating the past, the studio draws on its spirit to create a setting designed for long lunches and leisurely dinners.

A dialogue between the sea and the city

References to 1940s Cuba, combined with Art Deco influences, shape the restaurant’s restrained tropical aesthetic. Curved forms, reflective surfaces and abundant greenery soften the expansive interior, creating an atmosphere that is reminiscent of a contemporary estate.

Unlike the restaurant’s original Roma neighbourhood location, the project began with a blank canvas. The challenge was to create a space with its own character while preserving the hospitality and sense of history associated with the brand.

A sculptural green glass bar

At the heart of the dining room, a backlit bar crafted from fluted, translucent green blown glass serves as the defining architectural feature. Its scale makes a statement, while its transparency and internal illumination give it visual lightness.

Creating the piece required collaborating with Mexican artisans, including specialised testing, custom cutting, together with assembly. A marble countertop, ribbed-base seating, and a soaring back bar complete the composition.

Mirrored ceilings reflect the central feature and amplify the sense of height, reinforcing the bar’s role as both a gathering point and the visual anchor of the restaurant.

Materials and craftsmanship

The wider interior combines brass, bronze, traditional metalwork, natural stone, and wood. Rather than relying on excessive decoration, Talo Atelier uses texture and crafted finishes to build some depth.

Vertical patterns across the back bar and interior surfaces introduce rhythm, while curved forms soften the architectural lines. Local craftsmanship is important to the design, establishing a contemporary Mexican identity through the materials themselves.

A terrace shaped by tropical influences

Outside, tropical vegetation, green-striped shades, wide-bladed ceiling fans, and woven light fixtures create a relaxed setting. White table linens, wooden chairs with woven backs, and curved banquettes in warm tones reinforce the sense of subdued hospitality.

Large-scale greenery defines quieter corners without blocking views towards the bar or closing off the outdoor space. The result is a fluid connection between the interior and terrace, with different areas offering degrees of openness and privacy.

Lighting sets the mood

Warm, layered lighting separates the restaurant from the brighter commercial environment surrounding it. Indirect lighting along the walls and carefully positioned accents around the bar create depth, while custom fixtures made from Mexican alabaster produce a softer glow to the space.

A relief wall made from marble dust, inspired by the structure of a fish, introduces a subtle maritime reference,  allowing elements of the design, texture, and light to evoke the restaurant’s seafood heritage.

Design beyond aesthetics

The project also addresses the practical demands of a larger restaurant. Kitchen planning and service circulation were added into the overall layout, while a double-height mezzanine provides additional storage without compromising the openness of the dining room.

For Talo Atelier, returning to the Puerto Prendes brand offered an opportunity to evolve an established design relationship in response to a new context. The result preserves the restaurant’s identity while giving it a distinct contemporary expression.

At Puerto Prendes, the defining gesture is the balance between statement-making design and everyday comfort. From the luminous green bar to the tactile material palette, each element contributes to an experience shaped by creativity and the pleasure of staying a little longer.