Project Overview
Esther’s Kitchen
Esther’s Kitchen is beloved by locals and critics alike, so much so that they recently expanded to a larger space. At the heels of this, we realized an improvement on their cocktail menu would do wonders to showcase their newly improved space.
Challenge
Esther’s Kitchen already has a very strong identity especially with locals for being eccentric yet welcoming, and we wanted to balance that with their fine dining experience. Their cocktail program is one of the best in the city, constantly changing and known for experimenting. We knew we had to highlight these cocktails into a book to really showcase the talent that makes this restaurant so great.
The Process
Esther’s Kitchen’s interior is warm and homely, but has so many flairs of eccentricity. Moreover, its location in the Arts District is one of the most important parts of this restaurant’s identity. As someone that has been in and around the Arts District for over a decade, I felt well equipped to identify the trademarks of this neighborhood. We found inspiration from jazz cocktail lounges and jazz album art, leading to collaborating with illustrator Brent Holmes to create illustrations that felt like jazz! We wanted this cocktail book to have lots of open space so the cocktails and spirits could breathe. Further, because this menu changes constantly, we sought after a binding solution to have pages that could easily be removed and inserted without looking cheap.
The Result
For Esther’s Kitchen, I designed a visually engaging cocktail book that not only showcased the bar’s creative offerings but also elevated its brand identity. The collaboration with the illustrator, bar manager, and owner ensured the design was both beautiful and functional, enhancing the overall dining experience. The cocktail book became a key piece in the restaurant's branding, contributing to a 13% increase in drink orders and helping drive a noticeable boost in overall sales. Additionally, I redesigned the Treehouse menu, streamlining it for clarity and ease of use, which led to improved customer satisfaction and smoother service operations. Both projects reinforced the restaurant's unique personality, contributing to increased brand recognition and stronger customer engagement.
