Davy Denduyver’s new restaurant branding includes over 100 charcoal drawings of foodie imagery

The best meals are always a little messy. Splashes of sauce and wine on scrunched up napkins, sleeves rolled up, maybe a button (or two) undone. That’s the feeling behind Mina, a cosy restaurant and wine bar in Barcelona with a visual identity to match. Created by Davy Denduyver, its centrepiece is a series of over 100 charcoal illustrations reflecting a communal space where people come together – it’s familiar and effortlessly inviting.

These rough, textured illustrations mirror the intimate and unpretentious atmosphere of the Italian eatery. “A lot of my work revolves around embracing imperfections,” says Davy, who is currently based in Bruges, Belgium. “In Mina’s case, the illustrations look like they could be drawn by a toddler [...] it creates a sense of humanity and trust that really resonates in the hospitality industry.”

Davy was approached by Mina’s founders – a trio of Italian entrepreneurs – early on in the process, before they even had a name or location. All they knew was that they wanted to create a restaurant in Barcelona that provided “the highest quality of food and drinks in a cozy and inspiring setting”.

They initially explored a type-only direction, “but as the restaurant developed further, the brief evolved too”, says Davy. When they began to incorporate drawings, one thing quickly became clear: “The style of the illustrations would be key, not the actual illustration itself.” Together with his intern at the time, Lisa Van Landschoot, Davy drew as many objects relating to the restaurant as he could think of – wine glasses, cutlery, fruits, vegetables, even iconic Barcelona landmarks – in rough and raw charcoal.

“I thought a lot about the idea of ‘letting loose’,” says Davy. “Mina isn’t the kind of restaurant you have to wear your fanciest shirt to. The feeling of opening your zip or button after having the best meal of your life – that’s what Mina is, and what its visual identity is supposed to be. This is why I worked more towards a toolbox with some vast elements, instead of a classic brand identity with really strong set of guidelines.”

Mina is named after a famous Italian singer, known for her dramatic eye makeup. So, they included an eye to sit alongside the handwritten logo – “reminiscent of what I’d imagine the singer’s signature might look like”, says Davy. To complete the identity, he chose a strong, decorative serif and a straightforward sans serif for balance. These elements are all combined in simple layouts inspired by old film posters – a large image with rows of text above and below.

Davy has now worked on a number of restaurant branding projects. “A restaurant is a tactile environment, and in my work I often seek out ways to create in a tactile way,” he says. “The key is to treat it in a way that feels personal. Above all, my goal is always to make it fun, because that’s why we go to restaurants – for a fun night.”