HBA reimagines Salt restaurant at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island
HBA has redesigned Salt restaurant at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, taking inspiration from land and sea.
The hospitality design firm pays homage to the destination’s natural beauty and maritime heritage, enhancing the culinary journey and Chef Okan Kizilbayir’s menus of fresh, locally sourced ingredients.
It all begins with a luminous entry and a tonal palette of warm woods and bronze metals. Patina metal wraps the host stand in gentle curves, while an alabaster-lit wall behind recalls the crystalline properties of salt.
Into the lounge, and the fireplace harks back to the Gilded Age of Amelia Island’s past with a dressing of black leathered quartzite, gold veining and patina metal surround. Along the fireplace wall, upholstered banquette seating is paired with chic tables for enjoying pre-dinner cocktails and amuse-bouche selections. A neutral wallcovering serves as a backdrop to historical artworks suspended from bronze pulleys that bridge Amelia Island’s storied past with its present.
The bar area strikes a balance between linear precision and sculptural elegance, with a fluted bar front harmonising with the back bar’s smoked mirror and rich wood finishes. It’s crowned by a custom light fixture made from seeded glass. Complementing the space, a diptych captures the flow of rolling sand dunes, rendered in neutral golden tones.
In the main dining room, floor-to-ceiling windows frame far-reaching views of the Atlantic Ocean. A dialogue between metal, glass and wood is complemented by a light fixture evocative of salt crystals. Art from local galleries adorns the dining room walls, each celebrating coastal treasures. Above the service station, a sculptural work of natural shells explores patterns in repetition, while individual oyster shells dipped in gold form a clustered focal point on the banquette wall.
The Atlantic Room, a private dining experience accommodating up to 30 guests, offers a refined setting for gatherings and has been outfitted with comfortable seating, new wood tables and elegant millwork shelving. Custom sconces glow against natural cork-textured walls, while cascading, gold-dipped glass pendants shimmer reflections from the chandelier. On the private outdoor terrace, fire towers stand like beacons against views of rolling dunes and the ocean’s horizon.
“We sought to maintain The Ritz-Carlton’s level of luxury while introducing a contemporary freshness much like the ocean breeze sweeping across the island,” adds HBA San Francisco Senior Project Director, Mrinal Suri. “Our concept combines inspiration from Amelia Island’s misty marsh mornings and radiant sunsets over the Atlantic. Each considered detail contributes to the tactile poetry, deepening the connection to this remarkable destination.”
