Politan Row is a growing group of local food halls that bring together a curated selection of exciting restaurants, celebrated chefs and great food and beverages, all under one roof. Currently operating in New Orleans and Miami, the company is set to open new locations in Chicago and Houston. Pentagram has designed a brand identity for Politan Row that uses custom typography to express the communal spirit of the halls and the diversity of their offerings.

The identity introduces Politan Row as a new name for the halls, which were previously known as St. Roch Market, a reference to the original location in New Orleans. The company needed something less site specific that would work in any city. “Politan” means “of the people,” capturing the sense of community and hospitality. Unlike the warren-like arrangement of many food markets, the interiors of each Politan Row are uniquely designed as one large, open space centered around Bar Politan, a craft cocktail bar, creating a fun, convivial atmosphere that connects diners and chefs.

The identity sets the name in six different custom typefaces in a variety of combinations, evoking the mix of cuisine. The approach suggests a newspaper masthead, giving the identity a local, community feel. The flexible logo utilizes multiple styles and weights, ranging from compressed and condensed to heavy. The visually rich typography appears on everything from menus, packaging and swag to signage and the website.