This Mexico City Eatery is Designed to Resemble a Chicken Coop

For Nacho Cadena, the founder and creative director of his eponymous design firm, the question is not whether the chicken or the egg came first, but which part of the egg to base the color scheme on for a new restaurant—the yolk or the albumen. Obviously, the yolk won. “It’s the gem of the egg,” Cadena says, noting the power of its deep yellow color.

The fast-casual De Huevos restaurant, located in the trendy La Condesa neighborhood of Mexico City, is the first of what Cadena hopes will be many recognizable locations in the city’s architecturally diverse scene. A strategic decision, Cadena notes: “In the urban scale, the yellow really stands out, even if it’s for a really small location.” The vibrant shade also is meant to encourage passersby to explore the way they consume.

Inside De Huevos, simple construction furthers the notion of conscious consuming. “We really like the way chicken coops are built and the ways materials are used,” Cadena explains, pointing out how the restaurant’s rustic interiors harken back to the local farm stands where De Huevos sources its eggs. Chicken coops provide warmth and security within their simplistic structures, precisely like the experience of eating a hearty egg dish at De Huevos.