Mambo Italiano
Matterello is a modern day taste of Italy, focused on pizza, pasta & ice cream, bringing a contemporary Italian dining experience to Manchester. Our brief was to create the brand identity and design a space to bring the concept of Matterello to life, a whole package from start to finish.
We began to unfold this story with the simple question- 'How do we launch a new restaurant that offers classic Italian cuisine but avoids all the well trodden cliches normally associated with Italian culture?’ Mama Mia!
From Amalfi to Trafford
The design is rooted in a clear colour palette which helped to drive the brand identity and interior design processes in tandem from an early stage. The palette puts a contemporary spin on the classic Italian influences capturing the fresh pastels of pistachio and lemon ice cream, the warm, rich tones of seasonal ingredients and the atmosphere of the Amalfi coast.
The space has a simple and flexible seating arrangement to help it cater for grab and go customers, casual lunchtime dining and evening events. The ice cream and salad counter is near the front entrance, accessible to passing trade while dining for larger groups sit deeper in the space. An open kitchen creates an inclusive atmosphere and sense of theatre.
Complimentary shapes and textures where brought out in the furniture and materials in the space with a mix of chunky stripes, food inspired shapes, playful, geometric light fittings, terrazzo surfaces and bespoke artwork. We collaborated with Illustrator Han Valentine and artist Mariel Osborn to produce unique window art textures and bespoke 3d wall art features to help tell the Matterello story.
