Serving up German hospitality with a side of L.A. vintage
Hinterhof German Kitchen
Brand, Visual Identity, Print, Environmental
Translated from German, “hinterhof” means courtyard—an urban outdoor space where friends and neighbors spend leisure time.
That made it the perfect name for the modern German beer garden and vegan eatery that opened in Los Angeles in 2019. I worked closely with the founders to design a brand identity system that captured their vision, merging nods to traditional German hospitality, classic Americana aesthetics, and contemporary Californian culture.
A key piece of inspiration for the identity came with the location — a funky free-standing sign from the 1950s that they were set on restoring.
The shape of the sign doubled as a badge housing custom-lettered logotype. The color palette was crafted to bridge the gap between vintage and modern, and set a sophisticated, yet inviting tone.
A particularly fun challenge came in devising a functional, yet delightful system for the restaurant’s six menus that would make it easy for the waitstaff and customers alike to distinguish them. The solution? Each menu is a distinct height with a key in the upper corner indicating the meal.
