Collection: Restaurant & Hospitality Lighting

Lighting for Restaurants, Cafes, Bars & Hotels

Hospitality lighting works across two levels, ambient light from above that defines the zone, and light at the table level that creates the intimacy that keeps people seated longer. Getting both right is what separates a considered fitout from one that looks complete but doesn't perform. All fixtures in this collection are dimmable-compatible and suited to commercial installation.

For fitout orders across multiple tables or venues, our trade team offers dedicated account management and trade pricing. See trade and bulk ordering page for more information.

What is the best lighting for a restaurant or café?

It depends on the brief, but colour temperature is the decision that matters most and gets specified last. For dining, 2700K warm white is the standard it's flattering on food and on faces in a way that cooler temperatures aren't, and it creates the psychological cue that this is a place to settle in rather than move through. Push to 3000K for a cafe counter or fast casual environment where brightness drives service pace rather than dwell time.

On fixture type: pendants handle the ambient layer, table lamps handle the intimate layer. A venue that relies only on ceiling fixtures will always feel like something is missing at table level, particularly once the room fills and the ambient light gets absorbed. A cordless rechargeable table lamp solves this without any electrical work and is increasingly standard in mid to upper tier venues. Always check for dimmable compatibility before purchasing to avoid flickering.

Why do restaurants use dim lighting?

Lower light levels slow the pace of a meal. The research is consistent around 50 to 150 lux at table level versus 300 plus in a retail environment creates measurably longer dwell times and higher spend per head without any change to the menu or service model.

There's also a noise perception effect. Warmer, dimmer environments feel quieter than they acoustically are, which matters significantly in open plan venues where hard surfaces are doing the opposite. Customers feel more comfortable in the space and stay longer as a result.

The practical implication for a fitout: dimmable fixtures aren't optional, they're the mechanism by which you control all of this. A fixed output fitting locks you into one atmosphere for every service period regardless of how the room is actually behaving.

How many pendant lights does a restaurant or cafe table need?

One pendant per 80 to 90cm of table length, hung 70 to 80cm above the surface. For a standard four-person rectangular table at around 150cm, two pendants spaced evenly is correct. For a bar run or long communal table, space individual pendants at 80cm intervals or use a linear pendant sized to the run length.

Ceiling height changes the drop calculation. In a heritage or warehouse space with four metres or more overhead, the pendant should sit at 200 to 220cm from the floor, not flush to the ceiling or the light source ends up too far from the table to do its job. Cord length is adjustable with most products in this collection; confirm the maximum drop before ordering if you're working with a high ceiling.

If your looking for further material on successfully lighting your venue have a read of our restaurant lighting blog article