Pastaria by Atomicdust

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CLIENT

A fam­i­ly-ori­ent­ed Ital­ian restau­rant in St. Louis, MO, owned by three-time James Beard nom­i­nee Ger­ard Craft. Pas­taria has an acces­si­ble but uncon­ven­tion­al menu that appeals to kids, adults, and culi­nary enthu­si­asts alike. 

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BRIEF

Cre­ate a com­plete visu­al iden­ti­ty for Pas­taria. We want­ed our work to embody every aspect of Ger­ard’s mul­ti-dimen­sion­al vision, account­ing for the restau­ran­t’s phi­los­o­phy, its in-devel­op­ment menu, and its space, which was still in the midst of design and con­struc­tion when we began the project. Ger­ard’s pas­sion and dynam­ic under­stand­ing of St. Louis’s chang­ing culi­nary land­scape meant that Pas­tari­a’s shape was still evolv­ing. From inte­ri­or design tweaks, menu changes, and sig­nage-approval chal­lenges, we had to be ready to roll with the punches.

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APPROACH

Pas­tari­a’s kitchen is open to the din­ing room, so any­one can watch the team work their mag­ic. The visu­al iden­ti­ty we cre­at­ed achieves the same open­ness and warmth. The pas­ta-like logo and whim­si­cal icons bring a sense of fun and acces­si­bil­i­ty to the brand. We also cre­at­ed youth­ful illus­tra­tions, includ­ing a three-wheeled deliv­ery truck, chil­dren enjoy­ing pas­ta wrapped around over­sized forks, and anthro­po­mor­phized noo­dles (with names like Gus­ta­vo Gar­ganel­li and Rober­to Riga­toni). Addi­tion­al mate­ri­als includ­ed menus, to-go piz­za box­es, stick­ers, check hold­ers, t‑shirts, olive oil labels, and wood­en nick­els that could be trad­ed for gelato. 

I wanted Pastaria to embody the charms of “old world” Italy. And all of Atomicdust’s identity work—from the check holders to the window decals and gelato coins—is whimsical and surprising. It puts a fresh spin on traditional Italian restaurant branding the same way that our menu puts a spin on classic recipes. Our customers have a sense of what their Pastaria experience will be like before they even start eating. It heightens the anticipation and excitement. — Gerard Craft, Chef Owner of Pastaria”