Translated from German, “hinterhof” means courtyard or backyard—an urban outdoor space where friends and neighbors spend leisure time. It’s also the perfect name for the modern German beer garden and vegan eatery that partners Mattias Brandt and Eric Funk opened in Los Angeles in mid-2019.
I was introduced to the duo when the concept was in its early stages and I worked closely with them to define their vision for a neighborhood staple that merged their love of traditional German hospitality with contemporary American culture. The location came with its own history, too: a funky free-standing sign from the 1950s that they were set on preserving. The form of the sign became inspiration for the identity system, acting as a badge housing the logotype on menus and print material. I had a blast designing the custom blackletter logotype and devising a playful system for the restaurant’s six different menus—each one distinguishable by its unique height and an X marking each meal in the upper corner.