How Might We improve an iconic restaurant experience?
Maria’s Cafe
Puro San Anto Joy.​​​​​​​
Brand Strategy + Corporate Identity + Interior Design
Maria’s Cafe is Real y True to San Antonio’s Tejano roots. This beloved family-owned restaurant located on San Antonio’s Nogalitos Road is a beacon for Texas Mexican culture.
Know the place
This place is as close to local flavor as it gets, serving centuries-old tradition and home-style soul food since 1987. It even looks and feels like your Abuelita's kitchen. Overall, its visual identity is unrealized, but it is full of artifacts and potential.
Know the space
Maria’s is the “Real Deal.” Its brand promise is based on local tradition and its customer service. Their unique customer service encompasses the experience.  It's common to hear their owner say, “If you don’t see it on the menu, we'll make it for you.” They then post the best concoctions on their make-shift menus.
However, the dozens of customer-inspired items on so many boards present a usability challenge. Plus, serving as a make-shift museum (or picker's paradise), this is a room in need of improvement. 
Understand the culture
This restaurant's soul and brand identity are deep-rooted in culture and rich history, reaching back a dozen generations. Its menu is populated by San Antonia treasures authentically Tex-Mex, and based on native American ingredients, Mexican recipes, and Canary Islander influences.
Frame the language
A relevant visual palette ensures consistency and promotes recall.
Build an honest and genuine identity
I created a logo that communicates the brand values and adheres to the cultural experience that it promises. Maria’s Cafe is the “Real Deal” when it comes to authentic San Antonio soul food.
The space was given a facelift, while the genuine experience sidestepped trendiness. Inspired by the flexible menu system, and using experiential graphic design, the decor was reimagined to host the many future make-shift menus, ensuring the organic restaurant experience will continue to flourish.
Keep the soul
Maria's Cafe is a San Antonio institution, a treasure, and the new design system celebrates its unique character and history without surrendering to meaningless stylistic trends. By giving the growing menu system a sustainable and logical strategy, the solution is now functionality and practicality wrapped in cultural pride and customer appreciation.

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