Bold Flavors in
Adventurous
Small Plates.
ART DIRECTION
BRAND DESIGN
BRAND STRATEGY
UI DESIGN
ENVIRONMENTAL DIRECTION
Credits - Award-winning chefs Greg Denton & Gabi Quinoñez-Denton provided the overall creative direction. Denis Kegler & Toby Grubb provided art direction on the brand, environmental, photography & digital materials. Heather Barrett worked directly with our client partners, Jessica Silverman & Kevin Chambers. Adam Bagerski provided brand design support while Cody Peterson at Human Shapes assisted in development. All printed materials from Brown Printing. Interior and food photography shot by John Valls.
Husband and wife chef team from award-winning, Portland mainstay, Ox, Greg Denton and Gabi Quinonez-Denton, envisioned a different sort of dining experience for Portland—one that celebrates disparate ingredients, paired perfectly. They wanted a constantly surprising menu and delightfully disruptive service, all housed in a contemporary environment, rooted in old world charm. We translated that vision into a fresh, timeless brand and physical design concept.
An Ann Sacks tile and memories of an Italian trattoria fueled Greg and Gabi’s brief. SuperBite would not be an excuse to indulge without restraint. Rather, an interplay of vivid, dissimilar flavors and textures would create balance in a playful manner.
The Superbite wordmark evolved as a series of playful explorations that combined shapes and contrasting typefaces. It resulted in a footnote that personifies Superbite perfectly. Dots or 'bites' are subtly added to branded materials and typography and playfully skew side to side, alluding to the creativity in each bite.
For their digital presence, we created a custom website on Squarespace. The brand concept utilized top-down food photography to entice foodies and lead the users eye through the experience.
In the restaurant, bold geometry, considered accents, cognac leather, brass overlays and signage are both familiar and novel. Texture and nuance shift as guests move about the space. A peg board wall morphs from pragmatic to delightful. Bespoke lighting is a beacon on the dreariest of PNW nights.
From first digital impression to that final morsel savored, Superbite is both inviting and elegant. The seamless presentation and intentional space have facilitated an innovative service model sparking interest throughout the dining industry. As Gabi and Greg continue to innovate and remind us of the brilliance of Spaghettios, SuperBite indeed “gives downtown the restaurant it needs”.
