La Imperiale
Cantina & Brauhaus
La Imperiale
Brauhaus & Cantina
La Imperiale is a restaraunt concept rooted in an odd historical footnote—the short-lived German occupation of Mexico in the mid-1800's & immigration in the 1890's, following collaboration between Otto Von Bismarck and Porfirio Diaz. With these German immigrants came their customs—the influence of which can be seen in Mexican beers, foods like chorizo, mariachi, and the architecture of the regions Chihuaha and Durango. Small communities of German Mennonites exist to this day in Northern Mexico, and speak a combination of German and Spanish.
This history brought up an interesting question: What would a restaraunt that combined these disparate cultures look like? Taste like? La Imperiale is a foray into uncharted culinary territory.
Tentatively located in Philadelphia, the identity pulls visual cues from the strong cultural heritage of the city—from Benjamin Franklin's Farmer's Almanac to the Declaration of Independence and American patriotism to create a fun, irreverent, identity. Bold, eccentric copy paired with found engravings and etchings makes for an unforgettable impact.
