Buho Menu
Project
Buho Menu
Design and concept
Angie Umaña
Date
08/12/2025
CONCEPT
El Búho restaurant approached me with the goal of refreshing the visual concept of their menus, seeking a design that more clearly reflected their essence: a plant-based, conscious cuisine deeply connected to nature.
The request focused on giving new life to the menu, transforming it from a purely functional piece into a visual extension of the restaurant's philosophy and atmosphere. From this starting point, a graphic concept was developed to translate the brand's values into a clean, calm, and contemporary visual language.
The result is a minimalist, editorial-inspired system that communicates clarity, balance, and sophistication, while maintaining warmth and approachability.
LINEAL ICONOGRAPHY
The visual system incorporates linear illustrations inspired by vegetables and natural ingredients, used in a subtle and refined way. This approach reinforces the restaurant's vegetarian identity without overwhelming the layout or relying on literal imagery.
The linear style adds a modern, cohesive aesthetic, helping the menu feel current, elegant, and accessible.
LOOK AND FEEL
The menu was designed in two complementary visual versions, allowing flexibility across different lighting conditions and environments.
1. Light background with earthy and deep green tones
This version conveys a clean, bright, and natural aesthetic. The light background evokes freshness and openness, allowing plant-inspired colors—such as leafy greens and terracotta tones—to stand out organically and guide the reader through the content.
It is particularly well-suited for well-lit spaces, offering high readability and a light visual experience.
Circular graphic elements were incorporated as a unifying device, connecting the menu to the visual language already established in the restaurant's sticker system. This creates a cohesive dialogue between brand touchpoints and reinforces consistency across the customer experience.
2. Dark background with light typopgraphy
The dark version offers a more refined and elegant atmosphere while remaining accessible. Deep green tones reference soil, foliage, and nature, while light typography ensures strong contrast and excellent legibility.
This option works especially well in evening settings or spaces with ambient, low lighting.
HIERARCHY & READABILITY
The menu was structured to allow customers to easily scan sections and quickly identify dishes. Hierarchy was established through variations in font weight, size, and spacing, helping guide the reader naturally through the content.
TYPOGRAPHY
A typeface in the Avenir style was selected for its clarity, geometric structure, and contemporary elegance. It conveys a professional yet approachable tone that aligns with the restaurant's values and supports the clean, editorial nature of the design.
Typography plays a key role in organizing the menu's information. A clear typographic system was developed to differentiate categories, dish names, and descriptions, using variations in size, weight, and spacing to guide the reader naturally through the content while maintaining strong readability.
LAYOUT DESIGN
The layout follows editorial design principles, using balanced spacing and clear alignment to organize information effectively. Negative space plays an important role in improving readability and preventing visual clutter.
DESIGN INTENT
The goal of this redesign was to create a menu that feels modern, clear, and visually aligned with the restaurant's vegetarian philosophy. The design approach focuses on simplicity and structure, allowing the culinary offering to remain the central focus.
Decorative elements were intentionally minimized to avoid visual noise and to support a clean, editorial aesthetic. Careful attention was given to typography, spacing, and layout to ensure the menu is easy to navigate while maintaining a refined and contemporary visual language.
The result is a menu that balances personality with clarity, creating an experience that feels both inviting and thoughtfully designed.