Karravaan – Polygraph

Karravaan
Brand

Charting a contemporary course along the ancient Silk Route, Karravaan is an original restaurant concept in DC’s Union Market neighborhood. Chef Sanjay Mandhaiya translates cross-cultural culinary traditions into a high-end dining experience, crafting contemporary takes on dishes hailing from India, Georgia, northern Africa, Nepal and beyond. To capture the borderless spirit and reflect the restaurant’s trackside location, we designed a brand identity rooted in the romance and ruggedness of railway travel—the vibrant hues and visual style of passenger cars, signals and freight lettering. We elevated these industrial touchpoints by weaving in classic patterns and framing, Didone typography and a hand-illustrated “caravan” of water buffalo. Across the restaurant’s signage, interiors, menus, and serveware, the brand acts as a passport, connecting the rich heritage of the menu’s Silk Route flavors with the rumble of the trains passing outside. Photos by Birch Thomas.