Metro St James (MSJ) is a bistro located near the entrance to the St James Railway Station in Hyde Park, Sydney. Since opening in 2013, it has been serving food and refreshments in a heritage sandstone building overlooking the park with a stylish interior and charming outdoor terrace. Their menu celebrates fresh food and produce, offering modern Australian cuisine with a distinctly French accent.

Approaching the visual identity of the MSJ brand, we were aware of the need to develop a strong, modern identity that was also compatible with the site’s heritage and its attachment to the historic St James station.

Working in collaboration with the client, The Distillery produced a new visual identity that reflects Sydney’s industrial heritage and the warmth of French cuisine. The custom logo type we developed references the historical typography and signage of the St James area, combined with the iconic Paris Metro ‘M’.

We developed an interchangeable logo system that is inflected a sense of playfulness. The identity was extended across all aspects of the restaurant via stationery, business cards, custom hand painted signage, menus and packaging.