Situated in a century-old San Francisco venue, designer Jeff Schlarb’s first restaurant project, Holbrook House, surprises and delights. “We were trying to make it vibrant to complement the classic feel,” he says.

That starts with the patio seating that flows out into the Conservatory, the One Sansome Street property’s ground-level event space. There, marble flooring—a collage of white, black, gray and brown geometric shapes—leads inside, where guests can tuck into a banquette or settle onto upholstered green stools at the Calacatta Oro-topped bar.

Patterns come into play in ways both small—see the banquettes’ checked buttons—and large—like the botanical wallcovering. Another highlight: Toggles in the single booths allow guests to illuminate a sconce, summoning a champagne or martini cart.

PHOTO BY MATTHEW MILLMAN