On Rye by Pentagram’s Michael Bierut, United States

Opinion by Richard Baird.

On Rye is a fast-casual sandwich shop, with a space in the US capital of Washington DC, inspired by the Jewish deli. It has a menu of unexpected recipes that dial down the salt and bumps up the veggies, uses natural and wholesome ingredients, and gives traditional dishes a modern twist. On Rye has an interior that brings a contemporary finesse to retrospective detailing and features a brand identity designed by Pentagram partner Michael Bierut and his team. Brand identity functions on a few different levels. It works as an expression of On Rye’s wholesome menu, honours the origins of the Jewish deli in the US and adds to interior using contrast, in the weight and shape of type, the brightness of colour and the playful qualities of photography within a space of material detail and traditional fixtures and fittings. The project included business cards, menus, wall-coverings, signage and website.

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