Hidden among the residential streets of Al Bateen, Chapter does not immediately announce itself as a café. Set inside a restored villa, the Abu Dhabi bakery and dining space has been conceived by IDST around a rather more domestic idea: that of moving through a home, one room at a time.

The interiors reward closer inspection. Floral wallpapers meet custom mosaics and hand-carved gypsum, while dark timber shelving forms an almost architectural framework for ceramics, books, artworks and collected objects. Pleated lampshades, patterned textiles, marble and upholstered furniture soften the composition further, giving each room an individual character without losing the sense of a single house.

There is also a distinctly local conversation running through the project. Ceramics sourced through Artemest are placed alongside works by makers from across the UAE, while artworks commissioned from local artists connect Chapter to Abu Dhabi’s wider creative community. Contemporary furniture introduces more sculptural forms, balanced by details associated with residential interiors rather than conventional hospitality design.

Perhaps the most charming element, however, lies next door. Chapter shares the villa with Ribbonaira, a flower shop where stems are selected and bouquets assembled throughout the day. Flowers, food and interiors consequently become part of the same daily rhythm, less staged experience than domestic ritual.

There is no single theatrical centrepiece. Instead, Chapter builds its identity through accumulation: a ceramic on a shelf, patterned fabric, carved plaster, flowers being arranged in the neighbouring room. It is an interior designed to reveal itself gradually — and one that makes the simple act of going for coffee feel rather like being invited into someone’s home.