When we first met with Nancy and her family, we learned a lot about the rich history of Rea’s as a family-run establishment that has served Calgary since 1996. Through multiple generations, the restaurant has changed names and even burnt down and rebuilt from scratch. The current generation- Nancy and her four kids- are keeping the Rea’s legacy alive and serving Calgary amazing, authentic meals. We aimed to curate everything to respect and represent the history and family legacy that is the cornerstone of Rea’s identity. 

We expanded upon the traditional Rea’s colours- a rich burgundy and a gold- with similar tones that invoke an authentic Italian experience. We chose typography that emphasizes the beautiful dishes on the Rea’s menu and matches the almost art-deco style of the original logo. 

We also re-designed the Menu’s at Rea’s to upgrade the customer experience. We tackled the menu redesign with a very structured approach. The Rea’s menu is so full of amazing dishes, each section has versatile options with all the authentic flavours of Italian home cooking. We wanted to structure the menu with more visible hierarchy. The original menu was a large one-page design with a lot of small text and everything crammed into one spread. We opted to retain the size of the original menu, but to design a bifold menu to introduce more structure, and a place to include some highlights of their history on the back. We introduced a structured layout and menu icons to help people with dietary restrictions. We also redesigned the wine, cocktail, and coffee/dessert menus to match the new branding and incorporated some custom illustrations to highlight some of their featured beverages. 

In summary, what we aimed to highlight throughout this redesign was the rich history and flavours of this traditional, family-focused Calgary icon. We stayed true to their vision and values while upgrading their customer experience. Our goal was to get people in the door and help them find something delicious to try off the menu… the Rea’s cooking, staff, and dining experience does all the rest.