This restaurant's branding is like a portal to Mexico

Food is an art form, drawing on tradition, culture and creativity to create something delectably beautiful. Honouring this, New York City-based Mexican bar and restaurant, Mixteca, has unveiled a vibrant new brand identity that blends authentic flavours with contemporary design.

While it can be tempting to follow interior design trends, Mixteca's restaurant design serves up its own unique identity with a fusion of Mexican craft and bright modern design. With custom typography, intricate patterns and warm interiors, Mixteca's identity is a testament to the beauty of culturally shaped design.

Created by branding agency Grandmerci, Mixteca's identity is shaped by the Mexican roots of its founder, Victor Lopez. Capturing the "lived-in essence of a Mexican town" and transforming it into a design-led dining experience, the identity has a rustic authenticity embellished with a contemporary refinement.

"When I walk into Mixteca, I feel Puebla alive around me," says Lopez. "This is not another Mexican theme bar – it’s my home away from home, built on the spirit of mi casa es tu casa.”

Drawing from elements of Mexican craft, Mixteca's identity features pottery, tiles, architecture, and floral motifs that bring a sense of familiarity and warmth to the design. For a worn, bespoke appeal, the Puebla-inspired blue logo features distressed textures to "echo sun-worn walls and tactile surfaces."

Dynamic and vibrant energy is built through the identity's custom typeface, embracing imperfection for a human appeal. Shaped in tandem by striking patterns inspired by Talavera tiles, the brand identity is rich in culturally inspired design that gives it a strong flavour of soul and personality.

“Mixteca is the first of two new brands I’ve worked on with Grandmerci, and the process was a collaborative dream,” says managing partner Jeff Bell. “They didn’t just hear me out – they genuinely listened and articulated the ideas in ways I couldn’t have imagined,” he adds.

For more branding inspiration, check out this sleek restaurant branding that's the perfect fusion of class and contemporary design or check out these tips for better menu design.