The past year yielded a bumper crop of beautiful restaurants, including Bellecour (the work of Shea in Minneapolis), the Lexington (ESG Architecture & Design, Minneapolis) and 510 Lounge & Private Dining (Smart Associates, Minneapolis).

Perhaps the most talked-about — certainly the most Instagrammed, with good reason — was the Lynhall, where designer Abby Jensen of James Dayton Design in Minneapolis was handed an unremarkable structural patchwork and forged a flexible and instantly comfortable gathering space.

It's a savvy mix of sunlight, rough-hewn timbers, exposed brick and just enough high-design details — communal tables fashioned from reclaimed Northern Chinese Elm, light fixtures finished in trendy brass, envy-inducing millwork — to set it apart from its look-alike brethren.

It's that rare place that immediately telegraphs "welcome, and stay a while."

Check out the photo gallery above for a taste of her handiwork.