Kobo Restaurant Identity
Fall 2025
A fresh take on traditional Japanese upscale dining. Sleek, refined, yet cozy, Kobo Izakaya draws inspiration from American radio houses and jazz clubs to give a new meaning to the post-work small plates experience.
Project Overview
When presented with the challenge of finding a way to reimagine the Japanese fine dining experience for a new restaurant in San Francisco, I turned to a somewhat unconventional space for inspiration: the speakeasy. The name draws from the Japanese word for an artisan workshop, which is reflected visually in the use of hand-drawn iconography, material goods (paper, hardwood, concrete), and general sense of warmth created in the space itself.
