Commercial

Restaurant & Café Air Conditioning in Surrey

Few environments are harder to keep comfortable than a busy restaurant — a hot kitchen on one side, full tables of diners on the other. Tempest designs air conditioning for restaurants, cafés and bars across Surrey that handles real kitchen and crowd heat loads without intruding on the dining experience.

Ducted air conditioning loft unit with connected ductwork

In short

Restaurant air conditioning in Surrey must cope with high heat loads from kitchens, cooking, lighting and diners. Most projects use cassette or VRF systems with capacity sized well above a standard office. Expect £3,500–£7,000 for a small venue and £7,000–£20,000+ for larger restaurants with separate kitchen and dining zones.

Managing kitchen and dining heat together

A commercial kitchen generates intense heat from ovens, grills and extraction, while the dining room fills with diners, candles, spotlighting and an opening front door. These are two very different heat-load problems and they often need separate, independently controlled zones so the kitchen pass stays workable and diners stay comfortable.

We size from a full heat-load assessment — restaurant cooling demand commonly runs well above the office benchmark — and design zoning so the chef and the front of house can each set their own conditions. Note that air conditioning manages comfort cooling and air temperature; it works alongside, not instead of, your kitchen extraction and ventilation.

Quiet, discreet and hygienic

Diners shouldn't hear or see the cooling. We specify quiet indoor units and plan layouts so airflow doesn't blow across tables or candles. Easy-clean cassettes with accessible filters matter in food environments, and a regular service schedule keeps filters and coils clean and hygienic — particularly important where food is prepared and served.

Working around your trading hours

We install around your service times — often fitting and commissioning during closed periods or quieter daytimes — to avoid lost covers. For leased premises we coordinate with landlords and managing agents on external condenser siting, and we recommend a planned maintenance contract so the system stays reliable through summer trading and busy event seasons.

  • Separate, independently controlled kitchen and dining zones
  • Capacity sized for cooking, lighting and diner heat loads
  • Quiet, easy-clean cassette and VRF systems
  • Works alongside your kitchen extraction and ventilation
  • Installation scheduled around service to avoid lost covers
  • Regular servicing for clean, hygienic, reliable operation

Typical restaurant air conditioning by venue size (Surrey, ex-VAT, indicative)

VenueTypical systemIndicative cost
Small café / barMulti-split or cassettes£3,500–£7,000
Mid-size restaurantVRF, zoned£7,000–£15,000
Large / multi-area venueVRF, multi-zone£15,000–£20,000+
 

Frequently asked questions

Does air conditioning replace my kitchen extraction?
No. Air conditioning provides comfort cooling and temperature control for the dining and kitchen areas, but it works alongside your kitchen extraction and ventilation, which remove cooking fumes, grease and moisture. The two systems do different jobs.
How much does restaurant air conditioning cost in Surrey?
A small café or bar is typically £3,500–£7,000, a mid-size restaurant £7,000–£15,000, and larger multi-zone venues £15,000 and up. Costs depend heavily on kitchen heat load and zoning. We quote after a heat-load survey.
Can you keep the kitchen and dining areas at different temperatures?
Yes. We design independently controlled zones so the kitchen can run cooler for staff comfort while the dining room is set for diners — usually best achieved with a zoned VRF system.
Will installation disrupt our service?
We schedule fitting and commissioning around your trading hours, often during closed periods, to avoid lost covers wherever possible.

Ready for a cooler home or office?

Book a free, no-obligation survey and fixed quote with Guildford’s air conditioning specialists.

Call Free quote