Italian food is unlike any other, and when it’s shown others, it is savored even more. The food is so special that UNESCO designated it as an intangible cultural heritage, acknowledging not only the food however also the conviviality of the nation’s valued rituals, from household meals to olden traditions still practiced today.
Füm, a new contemporary Italian dining establishment in Atlanta, called after the Italo-Gaelic word for smoke, commemorates this very same spirit. Created by Arcturis|Square Feet Studio, Grassfed Culture Hospitality, and HAND Studio, a dynamic piazza functioned as motivation for the eatery.”There’s an expansive open area and the activity happens around it,”
states Rachel Uhelski, interior designer and task supervisor at Square Feet Studio.”All of these various minutes develop a beautiful community.”< img src =" https://design-milk.com/images/2026/05/Fum-restaurant-Arcturis-Square-Feet-Studio-Grassfed-Culture-Hospitality-HAND-Studio-03.jpg "alt="Modern bar with red cushioned stools, marble countertop, and a central liquor screen surrounded by glass wares under curved, white ceilings and natural light from big windows. "width= "1280"height ="1707 "/ > The design is reminiscent of a free market, which motivates guests to circulate throughout the restaurant and look at the cooking thrills on the menu. There’s a pasta maker’s room, white wine station, and a chamber for dry-aged meat. One addition is not usually found in a town square– a DJ booth. All kinds of music are on rotation to keep the environment in the 150-seat dining room dynamic. A wood-fired open hearth sits at the center of everything, coupled with
a show kitchen area where executive chef Sebastián Vargas prepares signature dishes like cavatelli and trout. < img src ="https://design-milk.com/images/2026/05/Fum-restaurant-Arcturis-Square-Feet-Studio-Grassfed-Culture-Hospitality-HAND-Studio-05.jpg"alt ="Modern restaurant interior with set tables, black chairs, red cushioned seating, large windows, and natural light assessing refined floors."width=" 1280"height ="1707"/ > Sculptural plaster forms a curved soffit overhead and covers columns, creating softer lines in the area. A hand-finished limewash brings subtle texture to walls and matches the millwork. Blackened metal, forged by a regional workshop, pays homage to craft. Paired with brass accents, an interaction of light and dark components uses just enough sheen. A mixed drink bar functions as an attractive declaration piece. Its polished Ceppo Rosso marble top with ingrained pebble pieces is reminiscent of Italy’s famous mosaics. The color combination takes its hints from farm-to-table tints. Paprika-toned ceiling insets are brightened by cove lighting. The exact same abundant red hue comes back throughout the wall behind the cooking area
, and on banquette and bar stool upholstery. A coffee shop boasts shelving and tiles in a luxe pistachio green shade that boosts walnut wood furnishings.
At Füm, different elements blend as easily as the flavors do to highlight every detail and change an easy meal into an unforgettable event. “The restaurant was developed to be interesting,” Uhelski notes. “And as you move through it, you experience each of the senses in one place.” Photography by Andrew Thomas Lee. Anna Zappia is a New york city City-based author and editor with an enthusiasm for textiles, and she can often be discovered at a style exhibit or shopping for more books.
Anna writes the Friday Five column, as well as industrial material.