Award-winning vegetarian countryside restaurant

Restaurant Moment is situated in a sustainable eco-village close to Aarhus. Despite opening only a few years ago, the eatery is already attracting international attention through being run in a very eco-friendly way, which is also reflected in its interior design.

Restaurant Moment is situated at the end of a short gravel track with views of green fields. The restaurant opened only a few years ago, but is already enjoying overwhelming success, culminating in 2019 with the award of a ‘Bib Gourmand’ by the French Michelin Guide for being a ‘good-quality, good-value restaurant’. The restaurant sits on the outskirts of the Friland eco-village on Djursland. The village consists of about 45 households committed to sustainability, being free from debt and self-employment.

“We run the restaurant out of a desire to be as self-sufficient and sustainable as possible. This rubs off on every aspect of our business – from the menu and our daily routines to the interior design and the architecture of the building,” says Rikke Storm Overgaard, who owns and runs the restaurant together with her husband Morten Storm Overgaard.

Sustainable construction

Morten and Rikke Storm Overgaard were complete newcomers to the restaurant business when they embarked on their successful food adventure. Their desire was to open a vegetarian restaurant where everything is made from scratch. The menu is based on seasonal vegetables, most of which come from the surrounding garden and from local, organic suppliers. The sustainable approach is also reflected in the actual restaurant design.

“We want to demonstrate how you can build in a way that respects the environment, people and animals. Therefore, we’ve used materials and technologies which enable recycling and less pollution,” say Rikke and Morten Storm Overgaard.

For example, the building is constructed using insulating straw elements. Moreover, the adjustable solar cells provide heating all year round, while the large double-glazed facade ensures good air circulation.

A stylish look

Inside, every single element has been carefully considered and chosen with the environment in mind. The lamps are design products made from old cardboard boxes, the chairs are handmade in Aarhus from beechwood that grew close to the chair factory, and the floor is treated with natural products. In this way, the couple want to challenge people’s prejudices.

“Many people mistakenly believe that anything sustainable has a particular look. We want to show that it is, in fact, possible to make vegetarian gourmet food, and that stylish and luxurious interiors can be constructed exclusively from recyclable materials,” say Rikke and Morten Storm Overgaard.

The ceiling in the restaurant is clad with natural wood Troldtekt acoustic panels – in perfect harmony with the other natural elements in the restaurant.

“Our customers deserve a sublime dining experience. And superior acoustics are crucial to diners being able to concentrate on the food and the company. The light Troldtekt ceilings beautifully match the restaurant’s subdued colour scheme, while also making the room feel bright and inviting,” say Rikke and Morten Storm Overgaard.