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Award-winning identity for the restaurant that brought modern Greek cuisine to Sydney — still in use 15 years later

Service Tier : SNACK PACK – The Strategic Identity

The Apollo is a modern Australian Greek restaurant in Sydney’s Potts Point, set inside a striking art deco building. Restaurateur Sam and chef Jonathan Barclamas needed a brand identity and website for a completely new concept — one that could transport the warmth of rustic Greek cuisine into a distinctly modern Australian context without falling back on blue-and-white clichés.

Results

Shortlisted for Best Identity Design at the 2012 Eat-Drink-Design Awards Jointly won Best Restaurant Design at the 2012 Eat-Drink-Design Awards
Brand identity still in use 15 years after launch (2011–present) The perforated venue cards are still displayed on the restaurant wall
Generated strong industry and public attention from launch, with extensive press coverage and sustained demand that established The Apollo as one of Sydney’s standout dining destinations.
Solution

The identity takes its cues from the building’s deco architecture, with a handcrafted logotype and raw material palette that balance rustic Mediterranean character with contemporary Australian dining culture. The design grows out of the space rather than being imposed on it.

The identity takes its cues from the building’s deco architecture. The design grows out of the space rather than being imposed on it.
The identity takes its cues from the building’s deco architecture. The design grows out of the space rather than being imposed on it.
Raw box board for rustic warmth, fluorescent orange and pink for modern energy. The colour palette was drawn from 1939 newsprint signage — history without looking backwards.
Raw box board for rustic warmth, fluorescent orange and pink for modern energy. The colour palette was drawn from 1939 newsprint signage — history without looking backwards.
Hand-drawn, inspired by the building’s deco detailing. The kind of mark a guest remembers.
Hand-drawn, inspired by the building’s deco detailing. The kind of mark a guest remembers.
The brand shows up in the details guests notice on repeat visits: neon touches on pillar tops, delicate stitched upholstery.
The brand shows up in the details guests notice on repeat visits: neon touches on pillar tops, delicate stitched upholstery.
The website translated the restaurant experience into digital form through an interactive homepage, tactile textures, and structured navigation — creating a forward-thinking platform that felt immersive across both desktop and mobile.
The website translated the restaurant experience into digital form through an interactive homepage, tactile textures, and structured navigation — creating a forward-thinking platform that felt immersive across both desktop and mobile.
A dedicated press area gave the brand a platform to share evolving menus, events, and newsworthy moments, helping generate ongoing reviews and media coverage. Shifts in colour created a change of pace within the digital experience while keeping the site feeling fresh and current.
A dedicated press area gave the brand a platform to share evolving menus, events, and newsworthy moments, helping generate ongoing reviews and media coverage. Shifts in colour created a change of pace within the digital experience while keeping the site feeling fresh and current.

What they say;

“Victoria created a brand for The Apollo that felt unmistakably Greek and completely modern at the same time — no clichés, no shortcuts. The identity helped establish the restaurant as one of Sydney’s most in-demand dining destinations from launch, generating extensive press coverage and creating a place people wanted to be seen dining at.”

Sam – Owner, The Apollo
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