LUMINAIR, DOUBLETREE BY HILTON AMSTERDAM
A MENU OF LUMEN - LUMINAIR, amsterdam.
LuminAir · DoubleTree by Hilton · Amsterdam · Rooftop Bar · Concept Development · Bar Consultancy · Beverage Program Development · Bar Trainings · Conceptual Menu Design
CLIENT
Luminair, Double Tree by Hilton
location
Amsterdam, Netherlands
PROJECT
High-volume rooftop bar
scope
Concept Development · Bar Consultancy · Beverage Program Development · Strategic R&D · Craftsmanship Training · Conceptual Menu Design
THE CONCEPT
A Menu of Lumen.
LuminAir takes its identity from light — from the changing sky above Amsterdam to the atmosphere created as daylight fades into evening. We translated that idea into the foundation of the beverage program, using light not simply as inspiration for presentation, but as a framework for flavor.
The result was A Menu of Lumen: eight signature cocktails positioned along a spectrum inspired by different temperatures of light. Cooler expressions were crisp, fresh and bright; warmer expressions became deeper, richer and more intense. Each drink was given its own light reference, mood and character, creating a menu that guests could navigate through flavor as much as through story.
CONCEPTUAL MENU DESIGN
From beverage concept to menu CONCEPT.
“A Menu of Lumen“ were more than a collection of signature cocktails. The drinks were structured along a spectrum inspired by different temperatures of light, moving from cooler, crisper profiles toward warmer, deeper and more intense flavors. This gave the beverage concept its own visual logic, and a creative framework for the menu design.
Our sister design agency Studio Numen translated the beverage concept into a concept for the menu design. The accordion-fold format moves from cool blue through white to warm yellow and orange, while icons, lumen amount references and flavor profiles help guests understand where each drink sits within the spectrum. The result made the thinking behind the beverage program visible: the menu itself became a physical expression of the concept.
BEVERAGE DEVELOPMENT
Eight expressions of light.
Each of the eight signature cocktails was developed as its own expression of light, with flavor, ingredients, technique and presentation working together. The spectrum created room for very different profiles: from the crisp flowers, herbs and green tea kombucha of Clear Blue Sky to the smoke, cedarwood, Dutch ‘pancake’ stroop, Northern Conference Pear + Eastern Golden Delicious Apple of Match Flame.
Local ingredients and producers gave the program a distinctly Dutch character. The Stillery Ouwe Jenever, Willem’s Vermouth, North Sea samphire, Old Dutch apple vinegar, buttermilk whey and Holland heather honey sat alongside techniques and preparations such as infusions, clarification, aromatic clouds, edible textures and house-made garnishes. Leftover ingredients were repurposed where possible, including mango pulp and blueberry skins transformed into fruit leather for Sunset.
DESIGNED FOR HIGH VOLUME
Complex drinks.
Built for volume.
LuminAir was conceived as a serious cocktail destination, but it also needed to perform as a high-volume rooftop bar. The program was therefore developed with speed, consistency and service flow in mind from the beginning. Signature cocktails were engineered around efficient mise-en-place and pre-batching, allowing more complex flavors and presentations to remain practical during busy service.
The wider beverage framework followed the same thinking. Amsterdam Highballs offered different flavor profiles through one consistent presentation, while high-volume classics were redesigned for faster service and less breakable formats. Glassware, equipment and back-of-house logistics were considered alongside the drinks themselves. Creating an operational foundation that could support the creative ambition of the bar.
PRESS & RECOGNITION
From opening to award-winning bar.
Soon after opening, LuminAir established itself among the leading cocktail bars in the Netherlands.
ENTREE AWARDS
BEST NEW COCKTAIL BAR 2024
The jury praised LuminAir’s cocktail program as being of international standard, highlighting the quality and speed of service as well as the way the drinks were developed around flavor, margin and efficiency.
“The cocktail program — because that is what it deserves to be called — is of an international standard.”
— Entree Awards jury · Translated from Dutch
BEST HOTEL BAR AWARDS
BEST HOTEL BAR 2025
One year later, LuminAir was named Best Hotel Bar 2025, further establishing the rooftop as one of Amsterdam’s recognized cocktail destinations.
MANNERS
“An outstanding and original selection of signature cocktails.”
“Sublime cocktails.”
— Manners Magazine · Translated from Dutch
RESIDENCE
“High-level mixology takes center stage.”
— Residence Magazine · Translated from Dutch
OUR SCOPE
high-volume,
high-ambition.
LuminAir · DoubleTree by Hilton · Amsterdam · Pre-Opening Support · Rooftop Bar · Concept Development · Bar Consultancy · Beverage Program Development · Bar Trainings · Conceptual Menu Design