At the Vaqueta Gastro Mercat restaurant, you will find a unique blue Koi, the life-size fish designed by Inocuo The Sign and LZF Lab.

A unique blue Koi hangs at Vaqueta Gastro Mercat. Photo via Lamarquesa Magazine.

Charming the restaurant’s many hungry diners, the Koi, a design that is masterfully made by hand and employs traditional Valencian carpentry skills, hangs with poise above the sushi bar. Its intricate blue wood veneer strips complement the blue ceiling trim found in Vaqueta Gastro Mercat.

The Koi at Vaqueta Gastro Mercat. Photo via Janfri Ranchal Studio.

Vaqueta Gastro Mercat is accessed via a smart greengrocery, whose shelves are laden with tempting provisions. The restaurant’s simple exterior is painted a pale yellow, with a decorative awning above the doorway. The greengrocery is an appealing and colourful introduction to what is to come at Vaqueta Gastro Mercat, tempting patrons with a range of mouth-watering produce (that is available to buy and to eat in the restaurant). 

Vaqueta Gastro Mercat is accessed via a smart greengrocery. Photo via Vaqueta Gastro Mercat.

Produce is available to buy at Vaqueta Gastro Mercat. Photo via Vaqueta Gastro Mercat.

Vaqueta Gastro Mercat was designed in 2019 by Janfri Ranchal Studio, an architectural and interior design practice. The restaurant’s eclectic interior mixes traditional decor with a modern sensibility: raw plasterwork, original tiles, reclaimed wood and colourful motifs are complemented by quartz worktops, contemporary furniture, novel lighting, curving latticework and lush greenery. The main dining room seats seventy-five peckish patrons, across a range of spaces set at differing heights. In an area that is mainly open-plan, latticework screens provide a more intimate dining choice. There are also several private dining spaces, seating options at the open-plan kitchens, and a terrace overlooking a popular marketplace.

The main dining room at Vaqueta Gastro Mercat.

A private dining space with Poul Henningsen’s distinctive PH Artichoke.

Contemporary furniture, raw plasterwork, original tiles, and colourful motifs.