The past year yielded a bumper crop of beautiful restaurants, including Bellecour (the work of Shea in Minneapolis), the Lexington (ESG Architecture & Design, Minneapolis) and 510 Lounge & Private Dining (Smart Associates, Minneapolis).
Perhaps the most talked-about — certainly the most Instagrammed, with good reason — was the Lynhall, where designer Abby Jensen of James Dayton Design in Minneapolis was handed an unremarkable structural patchwork and forged a flexible and instantly comfortable gathering space.
It's a savvy mix of sunlight, rough-hewn timbers, exposed brick and just enough high-design details — communal tables fashioned from reclaimed Northern Chinese Elm, light fixtures finished in trendy brass, envy-inducing millwork — to set it apart from its look-alike brethren.
It's that rare place that immediately telegraphs "welcome, and stay a while."
Check out the photo gallery above for a taste of her handiwork.
![One of two main dining areas of The Lynhall, the informal eatery designed by Abby Jensen that opened earlier this year. ] JEFF WHEELER ï jeff.wheeler@startribune.com Designer Abby Jensen of James Dayton Design created the look of Lynhall, the informal dining spot on Lyndale Ave. S. in Minneapolis. She was photographed in the space Wednesday afternoon, December 13, 2017.](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/GTRUGUVP3RX52ZELFWBNJVE4CY.jpg?&w=712)
