Milló Restaurant by AÉ02 Features a Show-Stopping “Volcano of Light” Ceiling.

Bucharest’s newest dining destination sits on the ground floor of the Milló office building in the city’s historic centre—a space where Art Deco heritage meets sharp contemporary design. Architects Anda Zota and Elena Viziteu from AÉ02 have conceptualised a 498-square-metre restaurant that plays with geometry, light, and local materials to create something more sculptural than your typical dining room.

The real showstopper here is the ceiling. Above the main dining table, it morphs into what the architects call a “volcano of light”—a dramatic central focal point that draws the eye upward and creates an intimate, almost theatrical atmosphere. Over at the cocktail area, the ceiling takes a different approach, with sharp slopes that open up the space for conversation and tastings.

Lighting does serious work throughout Milló. LED strips run along the ceiling slopes, highlighting textures and geometry, while the volcanic centrepiece shifts colours to match different times of day—functional drama at its best.

Bucharest's Communist-Era Apartment Block Becomes Romania's Coolest Music Venue.

Romania's first listening bar occupies a historically significant 1960s apartment block. The design embraces original socialist features through contemporary materials: birch plywood, marble mosaic flooring, and a striking mechanical glass façade.

The material palette connects directly to the building’s facade. Flooring combines microcement with cast-in-place terrazzo, echoing the geometric rhythm of the exterior columns. The central dining table, also terrazzo, anchors the space, while the cocktail table features a warm reddish pigment that plays against high-gloss wooden walls. These reflective surfaces bounce light and silhouettes around the room, adding depth.

The bar brings visual punch with its stainless steel and cherry Levanto marble composition. A DJ booth hides beneath a removable wooden cover. Artist Andrei Arion created the lamp-object perched on the cocktail table, while Polish artist Piotr Drabowa designed the lighting fixtures above the sideboards—visible from the street.

Bathrooms deserve their own mention. Cherry Levanto marble walls (matching the bar), sculptural sinks, and considered lighting create spaces that feel almost cinematic in their attention to detail.

Milló speaks to the power of collaboration between architects and local artists to produce spaces where functionality and aesthetics work together without compromise. Every detail serves a purpose, transforming what could have been just another restaurant into something worth experiencing.

Lines Between Fashion, Architecture and Performing Arts are Blurred in This Bucharest Boutique.

Inspired by the intricate craftsmanship and sculptural volumes of Hohan's evening wear, the interior takes cues from the world of theatre, creating an immersive environment that blurs the lines between multiple disciplines.

[Images courtesy of AÉ02. Photography by Ollie Tomlinson.]