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Setting up a new restaurant for meteoric success in Reno’s brewery district

Estella Tacos Y Mezcal needed a brand that could hold its own within the growing ecosystem of venues around The Jesse Hotel & Bar in Reno’s brewery district. The identity had to feel connected to its sister venues while having a distinct personality — vibrant, approachable, and rooted in the energy of Mexican street food and mezcal culture.

Results

Built a strong local following from launch, becoming a recognised destination in Reno’s downtown scene despite opening just before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Successfully established as a standalone destination within the wider Jesse/Estella hospitality ecosystem across dining, bar, hotel, and events experiences.
Drove consistent demand across dining, private events, weddings, and hotel collaborations, contributing to the brand’s long-term success and eventual sale.

What they say;

“Cultivate created a brand for Estella that feels completely its own, while still connecting to our wider family of venues. Guests move between The Jesse and Estella seamlessly, and the design is a big reason why. It just works.”

— Piper Stremmel, Owner
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Solution

The identity draws on the vibrancy of Mexican street-food culture with a colour palette and typographic style that feels energetic but refined. It’s designed to stand out on the street and sit naturally alongside The Jesse.

The identity centres around a striking neon meteor inspired by the name ‘Estella’, meaning ‘star’. Shooting through the typography and across brand applications, the vivid yellow element captures the energy of the restaurant, the vibrancy of Mexican cuisine
The identity centres around a striking neon meteor inspired by the name ‘Estella’, meaning ‘star’. Shooting through the typography and across brand applications, the vivid yellow element captures the energy of the restaurant, the vibrancy of Mexican cuisine
The environmental design bridges the indoor and outdoor experience, with graphics that create atmosphere and guide guests through the space.
The environmental design bridges the indoor and outdoor experience, with graphics that create atmosphere and guide guests through the space.
Menus and print materials were designed for clarity and character — making the food the hero while the brand identity holds everything together.
Menus and print materials were designed for clarity and character — making the food the hero while the brand identity holds everything together.
The food imagery was art directed to reflect the brand’s bold, vibrant personality — using rich colour, dramatic contrast, and natural texture to capture the energy of the cuisine while creating a consistent visual style across web, social, and campaign content.
The food imagery was art directed to reflect the brand’s bold, vibrant personality — using rich colour, dramatic contrast, and natural texture to capture the energy of the cuisine while creating a consistent visual style across web, social, and campaign content.
A cohesive digital toolkit ensures the brand translates online with the same energy it has in person.
A cohesive digital toolkit ensures the brand translates online with the same energy it has in person.
Operational collateral was designed to carry the brand consistently across both customer-facing and behind-the-scenes touchpoints, creating a cohesive visual language through everything from business cards to internal print materials.
Operational collateral was designed to carry the brand consistently across both customer-facing and behind-the-scenes touchpoints, creating a cohesive visual language through everything from business cards to internal print materials.
The building exterior is transformed through a hand-painted mural that fuses street-art energy with Mexican street-food culture, echoing the vibrancy of the brand and turning the façade into a bold, expressive landmark that draws people in from the street.
The building exterior is transformed through a hand-painted mural that fuses street-art energy with Mexican street-food culture, echoing the vibrancy of the brand and turning the façade into a bold, expressive landmark that draws people in from the street.
The brand extends seamlessly across social media, website, and product touchpoints such as meal kits, ensuring a consistent experience from initial discovery through to at-home enjoyment, and reinforcing appetite appeal at every stage of engagement.
The brand extends seamlessly across social media, website, and product touchpoints such as meal kits, ensuring a consistent experience from initial discovery through to at-home enjoyment, and reinforcing appetite appeal at every stage of engagement.
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