A fiery local cuisine, reimagined for a modern, family-friendly experience.
Rassa Savji is a new-age Savji restaurant in Nagpur built around the flavours that define Vidarbha — bold spices, dark gravies, and the unmistakable heat of authentic Savji masalas. The owners wanted to bring this beloved, traditionally rustic cuisine to a wider audience: families, younger diners, and anyone curious about the city’s food culture.
As someone who grew up around Savji food myself, I understood the essence they wanted to preserve — intensity, warmth, and heritage — while giving it a contemporary face from day one. The identity had to feel spicy, approachable, and unmistakably local, without losing the core of what makes Savji cuisine unforgettable.
- Location
- Nagpur, Maharashtra
- Industry
- Restaurant
- Scope
- Logo, Visual Identity, Mark, Menu Design, Signage, Collaterals, Staff Wear
- Role
- Brand Identity Designer
- Type
- Freelance - Commissioned
- Tools
- Illustrator, Photoshop
Context
Savji cuisine is a defining part of Nagpur’s food culture — known for its fiery heat, bold spices, and deeply comforting gravies. Traditionally, Savji restaurants are raw, no-frills, and largely male-dominated spaces.
Rassa Savji set out to change that. The owners wanted to bring the same authentic flavour to a modern, family-friendly setting while keeping the heart of Savji cooking intact.
With no existing identity apart from the name “Rassa” and its Marathi tagline रस्सा रस्सा वाढ ग…, the brand had the opportunity to present itself thoughtfully from day one — bold, inviting, and rooted in Vidarbha’s culinary heritage.
Essence of Savji Cuisine
Problem
The challenge was to translate a traditionally intense and rustic cuisine into a visual identity that still felt warm, modern, and approachable. Savji restaurants typically communicate their food through loud boards and harsh colors, often appearing unwelcoming to diverse audiences.
Rassa needed the opposite of that.
It needed to look premium without losing its spice.
It needed to feel traditional without feeling dated.
And above all, the brand had to make its presence known from the roadside — the signboard would be the first impression for most customers.
A strong, scalable, and culturally resonant identity was essential, especially with the owners’ plans to open multiple outlets in the future.
Industry Reference
Approach
The design direction focused on capturing the essence of heat, spice, and movement, while giving it a modern structure.
The Latin logotype “Rassa” was customized from a brush-style base, refining its form into smoother, fuller strokes that feel like the flow of thick Savji gravy. The extended curve of the ‘R’ naturally evolved into the standalone mark — a circular identity element inspired by the swirl of curry in a ladle.
A Devanagari version of the logo was also created to maintain cultural authenticity, especially for local customers and the tagline.
Warm culinary colors — chili-orange, spice-brown, and a soft cream base — created a palette that felt unmistakably Savji yet modern enough for a premium dining space.
Illustrative ingredients around the board reinforced the cuisine’s depth: chilies, cloves, cinnamon, fish, and Vidarbha spices — turning the signage into a storytelling piece instead of a generic restaurant board.
Initial Concepts
Color & Typography
Final Approach
Board Ideation
Board Concept
Solution
Logo & Mark System
The identity consists of two primary logotypes — Latin and Devanagari — each paired with a tagline that speaks directly to the culture of Savji food.
The circular “R” mark acts as a flexible asset for smaller spaces, packaging, and digital usage. Its swirl-like motion expresses both the richness of the cuisine and the energy of the brand.
Mark - R Symbol
Logo Variants
Mark Variants
Monochrome Variants
Structure
Visual Language
A warm, spice-inspired palette leads the identity:
Fiery orange for heat and visibility
Spice-brown for depth
Cream neutrals to keep the system modern and premium
Typography is clean and bold, balancing the expressive logotype with functional clarity. Illustrations of spices and ingredients add character to menus and boards.
Color Palette
Typography
Ingredient Illustrations
Applications
The identity extends across:
- Main restaurant board (English + Marathi)
- Menus in both languages
- Staff T-shirts
- Food wrapping
- Simple brand assets for future expansion
The board became the central storytelling element — instantly recognisable, vibrant, and rooted in the feeling of authentic Savji heat.
Board Design
Menu
Other Applications
Outcome
Rassa launched with a distinctive brand identity that sets it apart from typical Savji restaurants. The warm, fiery visuals helped position it as a modern, family-friendly space while keeping the authenticity of Vidarbha’s cuisine intact.
The owners received a complete system they could confidently scale as their business expanded.
For me, the project was a reminder of how local cuisines hold emotional depth — and how design can elevate them without diluting their soul.
Client Images
