Colibrí Mexican Bistro
Contemporary Hacienda in
the heart of San Francisco.
Duration
Spring 2022
Activities
Restaurant brand identity
Menu & collateral design
Environmental & uniform design
Role
Freelance Designer
Team
Alex Agahnia
Ethan Pidgeon
Overview
Colibrí Mexican Bistro is a long-standing restaurant known for its authentic Central Mexican cuisine and warm hospitality. After nearly two decades in Union Square, the restaurant relocated to the Presidio and took the opportunity to refresh its brand to better reflect the quality and care behind the dining experience.
Working alongside designers Alex Agahnia and Ethan Pidgeon, I helped redesign the restaurant’s identity system and develop a cohesive set of brand applications to support the relaunch.
Background
After 20 years of success, the Colibrí brand had accumulated a patchwork of visual styles across menus, signage, and marketing materials. While the hummingbird logo had built recognizable brand equity, the broader identity lacked consistency and did not fully reflect the quality of the restaurant’s food and service.
With the move to a new location in the Presidio, the owners saw an opportunity to elevate the brand. The goal was to retain the familiarity of the existing identity while introducing a more refined and cohesive visual system that matched the warmth and sophistication of the dining experience.
Process
The client gave the team broad creative freedom with a simple guiding phrase: “contemporary hacienda.” The concept suggested a balance between heritage and modernity, drawing from traditional Mexican design while presenting it through a more contemporary lens.
We began by building moodboards that explored what those two ideas could look like visually. From there, each designer developed concept directions exploring logo refinements, typography, illustration styles, and color palettes. Through iterative exploration, the team narrowed in on a direction that respected the restaurant’s existing identity while expanding it into a more versatile system.
Brand System
The final identity builds on the existing hummingbird illustration, refining the mark while preserving the brand equity the restaurant had built over two decades. The mark became the foundation for a broader visual system, informing patterns, graphic shapes, and supporting illustrations inspired by its organic forms.
A layered typography system helps express the “contemporary hacienda” concept by pairing expressive display type with more structured supporting faces. The color palette is grounded in warm, earthy neutrals with a vibrant orange accent, creating a balance between an elevated dining atmosphere and the bold, flavorful character of the cuisine.
Result
The new identity was implemented across menus, packaging, uniforms, signage, and promotional materials, creating a cohesive visual experience throughout the restaurant. The updated system elevated the perception of the brand while remaining approachable and rooted in the restaurant’s history.
The refreshed identity launched alongside the restaurant’s reopening in the Presidio, giving Colibrí a visual presence that better reflects the craft and care behind its food and hospitality.
