In the world of interior design, the conceptual seed is everything. This is particularly true within restaurants—those curious theatres of taste and gathering. Design is
the first chapter, the whisper before the welcome.
“Moments Hospitality Group’s primary intention is to provide elevated, world-class service, enhancing the guest experience to ensure our spaces feel welcoming to all walks of life in a safe and special way,” says Co-Founder Eli Brennan. Their restaurants are built on a collaborative team environment, a host of closely upheld core values, and a mission to enhance the communities they do business in.
While their great food and high-quality service always draws guests back, the thoughtful design of their locations upholds the experience. Each of their four intentionally designed spaces began as all good tales do: with a sense of place, a hint of wonder, and a promise
of discovery for each of the
sensory palettes.
Water St. Cafe in Vancouver marks the group’s origin story
We begin on the mainland with the Water St. Cafe in Vancouver, BC, where wainscoting in each room inspires the same detail in every other location—a design tribute to their early beginnings in the city where the journey started. Here, they honed their craft before returning to the island, bringing unapologetic hospitality back to their home communities.
The Nanoose Bay Cafe channels the feeling of a homecoming
We then travel across the Salish Sea to the Nanoose Bay Cafe in Schooner Cove, where the restaurant bar emerges on the horizon like a tall ship sailing home to harbour after adventures abroad. This feeling of homecoming makes for a grand arrival. The floor to ceiling arches of the bar allude to billowing sails, and textured mirrors reflect the view in between the wine caves lining the walkway from dining room to kitchen.
Pacific Northwest greenery, preserved ferns and mosses, create a scenic border between the cafe lounge and dining room. A locally hand-built wooden canoe is suspended from the ceiling and a sweeping patio wraps the entire view out to sea.
Light dances like newly uncovered treasure from the oversized chandeliers, calling to mind the opulence of the storied Titanic. The design details of this unique space emphasize the features of the gorgeous Pacific Northwest. The conceptual seed of “homecoming” has grown into something deeply felt: a place where arrival is celebrated, and where stories of journeys past and those yet to come mingle in the warm glow of shared experience.
Greenview Taphouse at Fairwinds Golf Course celebrates play and community
Not too far away, nestled among verdant hills, lies Greenview Taphouse on Fairwinds Golf Course. The conceptual story here begins with play, merriment from sport, and a community of friends. The delightful greeting of a painted crab brandishes cutlery as though it were both host and herald.
The Head Chef and Operating Partner makes his statement with a matching tattoo. A main feature in the space is the design-directed collaboration with local muralist, Lydia Beauregard, who hand-painted the walls with specific storied details, woven together with historic photographic collage images and family photos. The walls themselves speak, alive with a mural that captures moments both real and imagined. A golfer swings a guitar triumphantly across the skies, while a baseball player bats across a sunset made of pizza. Within it all, one feels a sense of shared belonging.
The sports style humour and local references from the staff and surrounding families create moments in time for all to celebrate. Two Island hockey teams, the Nanaimo Clippers and the Victoria Cougars, are depicted with the Cougars celebrating a Stanley Cup win. A history-making professional female golfer is pictured, famously swinging her club. This art direction and custom mural offers a joyful and vibrant welcome into the space.
The chandeliers in this dining room give the illusion of bouncing golf balls on the green, while British wallpaper of beer mat logos covers the walls in the lounge area. It feels like home in the lounge; guests can relax on the couch and enjoy the excitement of a televised sporting event or a conversation with an old friend. Rooted in humour and belonging, the conceptual design feels comfortably alive—a place where one might sit back, laugh loudly, and feel entirely at home amid the cheerful action of it all.
A tidal concept transforms the Qualicum Beach Cafe
Travelling north away from Nanoose Bay you will find the Qualicum Beach Cafe. A design refresh is underway here with a tidal concept serving up great mystery and intrigue.
Emerging from the seaweed forests of the deep sea, dark emeralds and rich tones await discovery in the bar lounge. Crossing from stone tile to soft sand-hued carpet, the dining room feels like standing at the shore in the open clamshell brightness of the 180-degree view space.
Concept becomes reality when uninterrupted views of the open sea feel otherworldly. The colourful glass installations in the dining room mimic a glimmering sunset or sparkling sea glass.
The palette at all their locations is designed to engage the senses; from taste buds to visual, to tactile and sound elements, their multi-sensory storytelling fully immerses guests.
Why concept matters more than décor alone
In places like these, the importance of a concept cannot be overstated. It is the origin of meaning, the quiet beginning from which all else flows. “We create an intentional atmosphere, controlling elements beyond food and drink, to fully enhance the guest experience,” says Brennan.
“Every moment from the build of the space, the music and light in the room, to the food on the plate or drink in the glass, must reflect true intention and passion for creating that special moment in time for our guests”
We begin by discovering the sense of place, local histories and stories, myths and legends. These elements are then synthesized into a sensory palette of visuals, textures, sounds, and—in the case of the Moments Hospitality Group restaurants—tastes. Conceptual design marked the first chapter in creating the felt sense of these storied spaces.
“Sharing a meal with a loved one, friend, or colleague is truly an honour for us as a team to be a part of. Every moment from the build of the space, the music and light in the room, to the food on the plate or drink in the glass, must reflect true intention and passion for creating that special moment in time for our guests,” says Brennan.
Each restaurant is a full sensory experience and each visit allows for the creation of new memories. Designers must listen to the land, the stories, and strive to create meaning and connection in every space.
With every moment, sip, and bite, they share a piece of BC with their guests.
