The Contract Chair Company

Cafe Furniture

Cafe furniture is becoming less distinguishable from restaurant furniture as the ‘casual dining’ sector has mushroomed. Nonetheless, it still tends to be more robust and more practical, with less upholstery than typical restaurant furniture.

Cafe furniture is largely dining chairs and tables (often with bar stools and fixed seating too). Cafe dining chairs include side chairs (ie no arms) and armchairs; cafe tables consist of tops and bases, which are ordered as separate items; the bases are almost always pedestals, which allows seating flexibility. 

After setting a budget, perhaps the place to start when buying commercial cafe furniture is deciding the number of covers; this will inevitably impact on the size of the tables and may also affect the choice of chairs - some chairs have bigger footprint than others; other chairs may not tuck under the table top, so taking too much space.

Some cafes require furniture that is almost bulletproof; chairs that won’t break and tops that won’t mark easily; how robust the furniture needs to be is an important consideration.

There are many different styles of cafe interiors and we frequently sell everything from classic French & Italian cafe furniture to modern and retro cafe furniture. Well-chosen designs can utterly transform an otherwise unexceptional interior - most cafe chairs are wooden (plastic is also popular), with stickback and bentwood chairs among our best sellers, often in bright finishes. Laminate cafe table tops are popular, being robust and low-maintenance; they are available in many colours and finishes, with a range of edge options.

Possible pitfalls include choosing table tops and bases that cannot be connected easily, problems with fire regulations, issues with chair glides and how best to specify outdoor furniture; please do get in touch with us for advice about these and everything about cafe furniture.



  • bentwood chairs in natural finish in front of a slatted wooden banquette and green avocado hued tiles
  • Stickback chairs combine with laminate tables with exposed plywood edge and vibrant green Da Vinci chairs in this John Lewis cafe
  • Barstools and booth seating against grey walls and tiles with neon sign that says Do What Comes Naturally
  • Upholstered and stickback chairs in pink and blue against a floral mural
  • Blue bentwood chairs and blue metal tables combine with pale pink walls and a natural-finish wooden seating island

Cafe Chairs

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Cafe Table Tops

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Cafe Table Bases

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relevant projects

  • The Good Egg - Soho

    The Good Egg - Soho

    Gundry + Ducker's water blue design for The Good Egg in Soho is off to a cracking start after being shortlisted for the Restaurant and Bar Design Awards in the Fast/Casual category.

  • Farmer J - London

    Farmer J - London

    With materials, colours and textures evocative of Israeli food and architecture, the space is casual, unpretentious and authentic, balancing functionality and atmosphere.

  • John Lewis - Cheltenham

    John Lewis - Cheltenham

    As well as providing furniture for The Place to Eat Cafe our furniture can be found throughout the store in changing rooms, customer service & waiting areas. As more shops push towards offering the consumer a superior buying experience, adding value to compete with online purchasing, furniture in spaces of this kind will become more prevalent.

  • Hillsborough Castle - Northern Ireland

    Hillsborough Castle - Northern Ireland

    The design features contemporary industrial touches alongside traditional heritage design cues - we supplied traditional Windsor chairs in natural matt ash finish and industrial style inox table bases in brushed stainless steel to further this effect.

  • Peggy Porschen - Chelsea

    Peggy Porschen - Chelsea

    The Peggy Porschen mission is to create happiness through the global language of cake and confectionery, where every stage of the customer experience is packed with pretty details.

  • Manicomio - Chelsea

    Manicomio - Chelsea

    The Lana Barstools we supplied provide a diversified space with casual counter seating below hanging pendant lights; perfect for sharing antipasti and intimate drinks with a friend or grabbing a coffee and breakfast on the way to work.

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relevant blog posts

  • Farmer J: Designing Restaurants For All-day-trade

    Farmer J: Designing Restaurants For All-day-trade

    Farmer J accommodates dine-in and on-the-go customers; the space effortlessly transitions from morning to night, week to weekend and coffee to cocktails. Discover how Biasol have merged the concept of grab-and-go with a full-service restaurant.

  • Restaurant Tables and Chairs Buyers Guide

    Restaurant Tables and Chairs Buyers Guide

    Restaurant tables & chairs are vital in determining the look & feel of your eatery. Appropriate styles & materials are essential for an effective ambience.

  • Outdoor Furniture Buyer's Guide

    Outdoor Furniture Buyer's Guide

    For outdoor furniture choosing the right colours and materials matters even more than for indoor hospitality furniture. Black furniture can get too hot in prolonged direct sunlight, but it is equally important to avoid white table tops, which can cause an unbearable glare in the same circumstances.

  • Hospitality Table Size Guide

    Hospitality Table Size Guide

    The right table size depends on how many covers are required on each table and what the table is used for; fine dining or drinking will differ. Drinking requires less space than quick meals; fine dining requires the most space. To calculate how many covers will fit in a restaurant use this diagram.

  • 11 Alternatives To Marble Table Tops

    11 Alternatives To Marble Table Tops

    Marble has downsides that mean it's not the ideal material for hospitality use. This is our list of marble alternatives to consider when specifying for your projects.

  • Pros & Cons of Different Dining Chair Materials

    Pros & Cons of Different Dining Chair Materials

    Here are the benefits and drawbacks of the most common types of dining chair materials used in hospitality settings. Which will suit your needs best? Metal, wood, plastic and upholstered chairs all have different pros and cons when used in hospitality spaces find out more.

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Information
SHOWROOM

135 Glenthorne Road
Hammersmith
London W6 0LJ
Telephone: 0800 8494 135
E-mail: sales@thecontractchair.co.uk