Raised by Wolves – Restaurant

Opened this April, Raised by Wolves at Westfield UTC, includes a 1,500 square foot boutique bottle shop and a hidden 2,500 square foot cocktail bar. Designed by Paul Basile of BASILE Studio, the concept was inspired by early 19^th century French Art Nouveau design. The design transports guests from a modern shopping experience to early 1900s Paris or London.

The exterior facade of this restaurant resembles a shop that one might find strolling down the cobblestone streets of old world Europe, rather than one in a suburban mall setting. Raised by Wolves features French Provencal-inspired ornate molding painted in a deep “Old Mill” color, stained glass entry panels, brass wolf-head detailing, and vintage street lanterns that are all custom elements built in-house at BASILE Studio.

The entry area features a shop for spirits. Detailing in this area supports the concept by including three different types of custom-cut marble tiles designed to create a three-dimensional effect, inlaid marble tile logos, vintage lighting and antique furnishings throughout. Other details that support the design are stained-oak cabinetry display fixtures for bottles that have an eclectic “found” look and  hand painted, French country, murals by Zoe Design that decorate the walls.

Basile created a secret entrance using a stained oak fireplace as a fake front that sits atop a dual-sided 360-degree rotating platform. In order to enter, guests are led by a hostess to 1920s-era Victorian spindle chairs before spinning into the hidden bar awaiting on the other side. Basile utilized a motor controlled car carousel, typically used in showrooms with controls that are discreetly hidden in a liquor cabinet.

Guests enter a bar encircled by a massive green Art Nouveau-inspired steel garden gazebo structure that is illuminated by LED RGB lighting behind stained glass paneling. The lights are timed to mimic the outdoor lighting from sunrise to sunset. In the surrounding parlor, the design evokes an English library showcasing cabinetry lined with old books and vintage found goods. Staged vignettes of oversized Victorian settees provide an intimate place for small groups to gather.

At the entrance to the bar, parquet oak and walnut wood flooring transitions to porcelain metallic tiles. The focus of this room is a 22-foot round bar finished with African Gold marble that surrounds a massive water fountain. The bar face is comprised of vertical brass and glass rods back-lit with LEDs. The “claw and ball” bar stools were imported from London, cast in brass to cover the original aluminum, and covered in a graphic Pierre Frey fabric.

Furthering the garden feel, the bathrooms are finished with flagstone slate flooring and alfresco paintings, complemented by a ceiling illuminated with fiber optics to emulate the celestial night sky.