During the COVID-19 pandemic, Mediterranean restaurant Soluna Cafe & Lounge closed after more than a dozen years in business. The owner decided to develop a new Latin Caribbean concept based on the recipes he grew up with in his Cuban-Colombian family. Opening initially as delivery only due to local health regulations, Carbonate helped the owner bring to life his vision, supporting the brand development, providing creative direction for the website and developing visual assets and custom patterns. Our team also developed the opening messaging and communications plan to help introduce not only a new restaurant, but a less familiar cuisine to the market.

Carbonate supported the opening with a PR announcement and influencer outreach to spread the word, securing notable media placements in Eater, the San Francisco Chronicle and San Francisco magazine to name a few. Our team also managed the transition on social media and created a new email marketing program, to promote the new restaurant to fans of the owner’s prior endeavor. Carbonate provided art direction for a new website, working with Bento Box, to ensure that the site reflected the new brand concept and supported marketing efforts and necessary digital integrations. Despite opening in early December, the new restaurant was able to sell out (twice) for New Year’s Eve delivery orders. During a full opening the following summer, Chao Pescao was able to quickly establish itself as a vibrant destination for affordable Cuban and Caribbean comfort foods, landing on the hottest new restaurant lists for Eater and The Infatuation, and being interviewed in TIME magazine and on national television.