Lai Rai

An evocative reinterpretation of Vietnam’s retro canteens. Lai Rai arrives on Peckham’s Rye Lane as a new-school Vietnamese restaurant with an interior as unforgettable as its menu. Conceived by house of baby the space is a transportive homage to the utilitarian charm of Vietnam’s café culture, filtered through a playful, contemporary lens. Occupying a two-storey unit in the heart of South London’s most vibrant neighbourhood, Lai Rai is the latest project from the team behind Bánh Bánh.

With a design approach rooted in emotion and narrative, favouring a cinematic sense of world-building over trend-led aesthetics. For Lai Rai, we drew on memories of Vietnamese roadside cafés and home kitchens — their cooling tiles, stainless steel, and soft overhead light — to build a nostalgic yet forward-looking space.

The downstairs dining room invites spontaneity, perfect for impromptu drop-ins, while upstairs opens up into a more communal setting. Larger tables are arranged beneath a custom-designed recessed halo light, casting a warm, circular glow that anchors the room and subtly nods to the moonlit energy of late-night feasting. The palette throughout is “buttery and youthful,” in the words of the designers — with soft yellows, pale greens, and warm neutrals creating a sense of lightness and ease.

Textural contrasts are key: slick ceramic is paired with brushed steel edges, reminiscent of Ho Chi Minh’s busiest street corners. The visual language is one of quiet confidence — a space that knows when to lean into kitsch and when to pull back.