THE BRIEF
We worked with the energetic owners of Monte Mente to create the concept, brand identity, and interior design for the restaurant within the Das Center in Berlin. We were brought in for a full-service design: brand strategy, interior design, and visual identity. The existing Australian themed restaurant, owned by the same entrepreneur, was in need of a complete reposition, rebrand, and refurb.
B3 Designers were appointed to study the market, respond to findings by building a concept with the most potential to be popular and profitable, and deliver a design that brought it to life.
MARKET STUDY AND STRATEGY
With a deep-dive study of the local competition and target audience desires, we arrived at a modern Mediterranean concept. The restaurant is located in a busy destination in the heart of Berlin, attracting both locals working in the nearby offices, as well as tourists and shoppers.
We defined a narrative driven by the stunning Mediterranean landscape, setting out to create a comfortable and flexible space where guests could truly immerse themselves in the joys of the region - flavours, aromas, and visual design details. The venue itself offers seating over two floors alongside alfresco dining, requiring the design to be attractive and inviting straight away.
F&B CONCEPT
Identifying a city-wide gap in the market, we proposed an all-day-dining concept that would invite guests from breakfast through to dinner. The menu offers vibrant, modern food from across the Mediterranean that encourages conversations and sharing.
We also recommended a beverage concept that would present a feature bar mimicking interior elements from these countries, offering a curation of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
A MEMORABLE NAME, A STORY, AND A BRAND
Armed with an enviable location, the restaurant needed the most ideal name, brand story, and narrative.
Going through hundreds of potential names, we chose ‘Monte Mente’ which is derived from Spanish and Italian, and refers to the spirit of the mountains - a tribute to the origin of the F&B concept.
We also liked the sound of ‘Monte Mente’ - it’s a memorable name, one that sounds like a riddle!
We then derived the logo and colour palette from the region, inspired by the dawn-to-dusk concept. The gradient transitions from orangy-pink to blue tones. Our in-house illustrators added hand-drawn bespoke illustrations across the physical space.
INTERIOR ELEMENTS
The interiors use sandy neutral tones to reflect the raw beauty of the region’s landscape and towns with pops of bold colour and texture that are a nod to the local craftsmen. Vibrant artwork and bric-a-brac sit in wall niches lit up by a carefully picked curation of lighting - lampshades, pendants, sconces, and spotlights. A great deal of attention went into the details and finishes - seating options, furniture choices, fabrics, and styling. Over 600 sqm, Monte Mente has been designed to have something for everyone, from intimate booths to handcrafted communal tables.
