CLIENT: KENNY LACOUR | LOCATION: COVINGTON, LA

Welcome to the all-new Dakota Restaurant, a culinary haven nestled in the heart of downtown Covington. Steeped in the rich history of the old Dakota, this revitalized location seamlessly blends the charm of the past with a refreshed and contemporary ambiance.

As you step into the new Dakota, you’ll be greeted by a sophisticated atmosphere that pays homage to the restaurant’s legacy while embracing the modern spirit of downtown Covington’s dining experience. The decor is a perfect fusion of classic and contemporary elements, creating an inviting space that exudes warmth and elegance.

CLIENT: THE REMINDING | LOCATION: TERRABELLA VILLAGE - COVINGTON, LA

Thoughtfully brewing coffee and community to make the perfect blend, Greenleaf Architects worked closely on this interior renovation with founder, Bryan Umphenour, to bring his longtime vision for The Reminding to fruition. Nestled within the bustling town square of TerraBella Village in Covington, The Reminding prides itself on not only its in-house offerings of small-batch roasted craft coffee, freshly baked goods, homemade organic and farm-sourced syrups, scoops of Flying Dolly ice cream, and its carefully curated retail experience – but its ability to foster connection and creativity through numerous niched spaces. From hosting songwriter nights to its kid-friendly areas, to an industry-professional studio for developing quality content, podcasts, live music and more, one cannot walk in without feeling inspired by this multifaceted space! Without a doubt, the team at The Reminding is brewing up great things every day! 

CLIENT: CHIP LAVIGNE | LOCATION: HIGHWAY 190, COVINGTON, LA

Located on bustling Hwy. 190 in Covington, LA, Lavigne Development Group has welcomed tenants to its completed development. Greenleaf Architects provided architectural services for the shell of this project, all while maintaining flexibility for its soon-to-be occupants. Now open, Chipotle and T-Mobile join a rapidly growing commercial corridor just north of I-12.

CLIENT: HAVEN COFFEE & COCKTAILS | COLLABORATION: STUDIO MV | LOCATION: COVINGTON, LA

After sitting vacant for several months, the former home of local favorite Beck-N-Call Café is taking on a new life as the equal parts cozy and lively Haven Coffee & Cocktails! Working alongside Studio MV, the team has taken inspiration from the surrounding Covington Historic District to bring familiarity and fun to the façade and its interiors. Please reference renderings of what's to come and some Studio MV magic of the initial concept. We can't wait to welcome Haven Coffee & Cocktails to the neighborhood!

REPEAT CLIENT: WENDY'S CORPORATE & FRANCHISEES | LOCATION: SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA & TEXAS

The Ohio-based fast-food company has spent years updating its restaurants to provide customers with a consistent dining experience throughout its stores. Greenleaf Architects has a strong relationship with Wendy's Corporate, resulting in a large amount of repeat business. Corporate and Franchisee stores have been renovated from Louisiana to Texas.

CLIENT: PONTCHARTRAIN PO’BOYS | LOCATION: MANDEVILLE, LA

We’ll take more Po-Boys, please! Pontchartrain Po-Boys, a family-operated business in Mandeville, Louisiana since 2006, was in need of an expansion and renovation to match the growing patronage of their popular fast-casual restaurant.

Now, customers are sinking their teeth into delicious fare in this newly expanded space! Greenleaf worked with the owners to refresh the customer areas with an improved dining layout and circulation. Resulting in the removal of an existing wall to expand seating. Completed in a quick turn-around, the renovation and expansion itself had the restaurant closed for no more than two weeks before opening once more. New materials were also selected to stand up to the fast-paced restaurant environment while adding a coastal vibe.

CLIENT: DESI VEGA’S STEAKHOUSE NORTHSHORE | LOCATION: COVINGTON, LA

REPEAT CLIENT: FAT BOY’S PIZZA | LOCATION: MANDEVILLE, LA

Through the process of building all of the existing prototype work into Revit, Greenleaf Architects utilized its in-house Interior Design Department to upgrade the existing design to reflect the efficiency that is expected by the Fat Boy’s Pizza operations. The use of 3D walkthroughs has allowed the owner and operations team to digitally walk through the kitchen and dining areas to allow for quick and efficient decision-making.

PRESS

Fat Boy’s Pizza to Open in Mandeville, Louisiana | QSR Magazine

Fat Boy’s Pizza to Open July 19 in Mandeville | New Orleans Biz

REPEAT CLIENT: TCHEFUNCTA COUNTRY CLUB | LOCATION: COVINGTON, LA

The new design for the Tchefuncta Country Club Clubhouse mixes traditional and modern elements in in the perfect duo to create an atmosphere of elegance. The furniture layout offers multiple seating areas for gathering and socializing in small groups, and the hallway exhibits artwork that has the potential to display work from local artists

The main areas of this interior update use a warm wood grain LVT, creamy white walls with wall trim, bold accent ceilings, and statement light fixtures. The Founders’ Room presents a more sophisticated and intimate aesthetic with dark gray walls with black accent features and beautiful brass chandeliers. The space is suitable for hosting formal meetings or dinner parties and includes a large table that seats up to 14 people with additional lounge seating along the perimeter of the room. This renovation is the perfect mile marker for new things to come to Tchefuncta Country Club.

CLIENT: MERIBO | LOCATION: COVINGTON, LA

Meribo, a vibrant Italian restaurant known for its wood-fired pizzas and welcoming atmosphere, engaged Greenleaf Architects following the acquisition of their prime location in the heart of downtown Covington. With a vision to create a space that was both functional and inviting, Meribo sought architectural expertise to guide them through a series of thoughtful renovations.

The project scope included comprehensive updates to key public-facing areas: a complete redesign of the bathrooms, enhancements to the bar and entryway, and the creation of a visually engaging social media wall to serve as both a marketing tool and an interior focal point. A custom-built pizza oven was also integrated as a centerpiece of the culinary experience, requiring both aesthetic consideration and technical coordination.

A central challenge of the renovation was optimizing the dining layout to balance ambiance with operational efficiency. Greenleaf Architects reimagined the seating plan to improve circulation, ensuring that waitstaff could move fluidly between tables without interrupting the dining experience. The result is a spatial arrangement that feels open yet intimate, supporting both the restaurant's service needs and its warm, community-oriented brand.

Through a collaborative process, Meribo and Greenleaf Architects transformed the space into a dynamic, contemporary dining environment that supports both customer enjoyment and staff workflow, all while maintaining the charm and character of its historic Covington setting.

REPEAT CLIENT: CHEF PAT GALLAGHER | LOCATION: COVINGTON, LA

Gallagher’s Grill, a Covington fine dining staple by Chef Pat Gallagher, was ready to renovate a tight dining area and small bar into an expanded experience, featuring fantastic upgrades including a new bar and higher seating capacity.

Talk about a transformation! Diners and staff at Gallagher’s Grill have been enjoying an extended dining area, expansive new bar, and plenty of natural light! It was a pleasure to elevate repeat client Chef Pat Gallagher’s original space to match the fine dining served throughout!

CLIENT: MEGUMI | LOCATION: COVINGTON, LA

REPEAT CLIENT: DON'S SEAFOOD | LOCATION: COVINGTON, LA | CONTRACTORS: McMATH CONSTRUCTION

How could a new entrance location, and a fresh new look for the interior, be within reach while still providing the branding and tradition that Don’s Seafood has built? When Don’s Seafood was in need of an eye-catching tower design for its existing Covington location, a solution for their interior seating renovation and arrangements, as well as adding waiting space for customers or those grabbing food-to-go, Greenleaf stepped up to the task.

By working closely with Don’s Seafood owners and management staff, Greenleaf was able to understand what makes Don’s Seafood unique through the exploration of their company culture and refreshed branding elements. GLA provided the restaurant the ability to stand out from the street by creating a striking street presence to those passing the restaurant, in addition to a protected covered waiting space for customers, and a “Big Ass Fan” cooling element. Locating the tower in the front area provided an opportunity to relocate the accessible parking from the rear of the building to the new entrance by the tower. From the entrance tower in the building, Greenleaf provided a more pronounced hostess stand area that incorporated Don’s Seafood branding and graphics while providing additional seating for waiting. The design then flows into the dining area, creating new booths and dining seating areas while incorporating branding elements, as well as showcasing Don’s history, memorabilia, and merchandise. With a successful refresh to its Covington location, Greenleaf continued repeat work across multiple existing Don’s Seafood locations across Louisiana.

REPEAT CLIENT: BALLARD BRANDS | LOCATION: BOOMTOWN CASINO, MS

Our client engaged our design services to establish a new identity that reflected the Urban Gastro Pub for which this New Orleans-based restaurant is known for. The challenge included an extremely rigorous design & construction timeline that required the design team to design while construction was already underway and trades were being coordinated on-site. 

While paying very close attention to cost, scheduling, and availability of materials, lighting & furnishings, we needed to stay true to the new identity that was created for this restaurant concept.  With our rigorous timeline and budget set forth, we spared no expense to the level of detail that was created for this new restaurant concept. Our solution evokes a feeling that urban gastro pubs are known for, with seamlessly coordinated exposed brick, industrial lighting & furnishings. The entire team worked very cohesively and efficiently to arrive at the solution presented.

CLIENT: BALLARD BRANDS | LOCATION: COVINGTON, LA   

Sometimes you just got to mix it up! As a franchise with a former local Louisiana presence, WOW American Eats was ready to return with a new prototype highlighting their identity refresh; with an appearance appealing to young families, while striking enough to demand presence in the quick-service restaurant industry.

Starting right where the concept first began, WOW American Eats new identity was created through materials built to withstand the demanding restaurant crowd, but punctuated, and accented throughout to be bold, daring, and hip. Not only did we reimagine the dining atmosphere, but we also design-assisted in every detail.  From the menu to the basket liners, to the wall graphics, to-go containers, and signage. The importance of identity, circulation and customer flow was achieved through the use of materials, ceiling elements, and furnishings placed properly to let the consumer experience the space without hesitation. Branding holds a special place in our designer hearts, and WOW’s wings hold a special place in our stomachs. It was the perfect pairing!

REPEAT CLIENT: WALK-ON'S CORPORATE | LOCATION: COVINGTON, LA | CONTRACTORS: ARKEL CONSTRUCTORS

Baton Rouge-based restaurant Walk-Ons showcases its local pride not only in its menu but in its culture and design. To take this model out of Baton Rouge, and fit it into a community that does not have any universities, required an out-of-the-box design approach. With the Northshore’s growing population of millennials in need of a hangout, Walk-On’s branched out into a new market – setting its sights on Covington. Greenleaf Architects took on the challenge of addressing these needs, as well as assisting in site selection.

Fulfilling the need of the local community to come together and watch their favorite games, Greenleaf designed multiple seating opportunities, including an “Upper Deck” featuring outdoor space with TVs, a bar, and exterior lounge furniture, to enhance the Walk-Ons’ experience. Being that Covington does not have a University, Greenleaf brought the Game Day to the first location on the Northshore with a customized athlete wall including Southeastern University, LSU, and Saints athletes; with an entire section dedicated to local high school athletes.

With its Covington location now a staple for sports fans and families alike, Greenleaf continued their relationship with Walk-Ons through prototype design and a Metairie location.

REPEAT CLIENT: TCHEFUNCTA COUNTRY CLUB | LOCATION: COVINGTON, LA   

Tchefuncta Country Club's state-of-the-art training facility is located near the driving range within the Country Club. Greenleaf Architects designed the indoor-outdoor facility with operable garage doors, 12 cameras utilized to film and analyze a golfer's swing, as well as five putting cups on the floor with synthetic grass.

CLIENT: DAT DOG 

Greenleaf Architects has been commissioned by Dat Dog’s CEO, Paul G. Tuennerman, to design a new prototype for their well-known New Orleanian restaurant concept, Dat Dog, as the company prepares for expansion. One aspect of this initiative is to position the prototypical design as a tool to scale their chain for regional growth. Dat Dog is currently evaluating opportunities for expansion throughout Louisiana, the Mississippi Gulf Coast, as well as Southern United States.

Keeping a keen eye on what truly makes Dat Dog unique, our team further defined and created a vision that had initially originated by Dat Dog’s Proprietor, Constantine D. Georges. We turned up the creative juices creating new dining experiences for their patrons, while designing solutions to fit the aesthetic and cultural demands of this restaurant chain. In order to exceed expectations, we leaned on the guidance of Paul and used 3D digital imagery to consistently communicate the design intent. Together we believe that a proper design solution was created by our team that continues to emit the personality of Dat Dog and its organizational culture, one that we align well with. It’s fresh, it’s fun, it’s clever, it puts a smile on our face too! Listening and working along Paul and Constantine has been nothing short of imaginative and collaborative. It is with great anticipation that we present to you Dat Dog 2.0.

PRESS

Dat Dog Preps Store Design Ahead of Expansion | QSR Magazine

Dat Dog Panoramas

REPEAT CLIENT: TERRABELLA GROUP | LOCATION: TERRABELLA VILLAGE - COVINGTON, LA

CONTRACTORS: BROADMOOR, LLC

TerraBella Village, a traditional neighborhood development (commonly referred to as a TND) located in Covington, LA, challenged our team to design and produce documents for an amenity that could service the residents yet remain flexible for use in alternative ways.

The design followed established design guidelines for a seamless integration into the fabric of the development, complied with the budget and provided residents a space for leisure swim as well as competitive swim.  Residents will soon be able to enjoy the pool, gardens, and adjacent open-air pavilion beginning Summer 2018.

CLIENT: TOPHER’S | LOCATION: HATTIESBURG, MS

Topher’s, a restaurant concept that prides itself on good food, good company culture, and a family-friendly atmosphere, was looking to renovate an existing facility into its latest and greatest design aesthetic, as well as outfit the kitchen from an existing Frozen Custard Concept to its new concept all under a very strict budget and timeframe, completed a renovation to a former diner in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

Topher’s collaborated with Greenleaf Architects on a rustic industrial design, while incorporating existing large pains of glass, for an open feel. With a large portion of the available funds for construction being utilized for kitchen equipment and furniture, our team needed to think outside the box for both new interior and exterior upgrades. Seating accommodates over 50 people inside, while an open-air covered patio seats up to 24, with a drive-thru. The approved design solution still defines the brand today.

REPEAT CLIENT: CHEF PAT GALLAGHER | LOCATION: MANDEVILLE, LA | CONTRACTORS: MCMATH CONSTRUCTION

First-rate Gallagher’s Grill gained a sister restaurant when Chef Pat Gallagher purchased a former free-standing Japanese restaurant near the foot of the Causeway in Mandeville. The building called for a complete overhaul. With intentions to attract residents south of the I-12 corridor, Chef Pat Gallagher sought Greenleaf Architects to assist.

With a goal of seating 70 diners, Greenleaf aided in space planning, in addition to the design of a private room, full-service bar, and a to-go pick-up location near the main entrance. Design solutions were cost-effective, handled quickly, and within budget. The complete renovation wrapped ahead of schedule in July 2015.

CLIENT: FOOSACKLY'S CHICKEN FINGERS | LOCATION: PENSACOLA, FL

Mobile, Alabama native chicken finger chain Foosackly’s extended its sights on the Pensacola, Florida region. With a vision to align physical space with company character, Greenleaf was hired to enhance the company's aesthetic through exterior refinements and interior redesign. Improving its aesthetic to drive customers for more than just food, minimal exterior refinements were made, along with a redesign of the interior. Interior improvements focused on a variety of seating types to appeal to all customers, in addition to clever graphics to keep it fresh and fun - setting the standard for all future expansions!