Cartesian Brewing Brand & Menu System
Client
Cartesian Brewing
Industry
Food & Beverage
Cartesian Brewing is a Philadelphia-based brewery with a loyal following and a growing tap list. They needed a refreshed menu and visual system, but with a twist: they had to be able to update it themselves, and print it in-house. Oh, and they aren’t designers.
Using Figma, I designed a flexible, self-serve menu system they could easily manage. I also created custom icons, social templates, and step-by-step documentation, giving them everything they needed to run with it. Almost three years later, they’re still using it!
Problem
The team at Cartesian needed a light brand refresh and updated menu that felt more intentional and elevated.
Because they don't have a designer on staff, their menu had to:
Be easy to update as beers rotated frequently
Be self-serve, without relying on platforms or workflows outside their comfort zone
Print cleanly in-house without complicated formatting
Feel more on-brand, with a modern but not overly polished look
Extend to social content
Include custom iconography
Groundwork
Discovery
Met with the Cartesian team to understand their needs, brand, workflow, and audience
Identified challenges with their existing menu workflow, mainly formatting issues and inconsistent branding
Setup
Created a shared Notion workspace to streamline file delivery, share updates, and gather client feedback
Developed a clear, phased plan for deliverables to keep the project moving efficiently and collaboratively
Exploration
Developed two moodboards to align on tone and visual direction:
Timeless Vintage: Utilitarian, texture-rich design inspired by timeworn signage and classic print work. The client chose this direction.
Retro Refresh: A playful take on vintage aesthetics, with brighter colors and more experimental typography
Both directions were grounded in reference material the client shared, with an emphasis on vintage style. These moodboards helped establish the visual tone to guide the rest of the design process.
Iconography & Style Guide
After aligning on direction with moodboards, I developed a mini style guide to bring consistency across all materials, from the printed menu to social posts.
Icons
Explored different illustration styles for a set of custom icons before landing on a minimalist icon set that felt clean but playful.
Beyond visual cohesion, the icons served as quick-read indicators for customers, helping them scan for relevant info at a glance.
Style Guide
A focused color palette with accessible pairings and legibility testing
Typography pairings with usage guidelines
Custom-designed icon set and logo usage guidance
Do’s and don’ts for brand consistency and legibility
This laid the foundation for the menu, specials card, and Instagram templates that followed.
Design & Documentation
Menu & Specials Card
Built a modular menu system in Figma using Auto Layout:
Main Menu Page with beers on tap
Supplemental Menu for snacks, wine, NA drinks, and cider
Daily Specials Card for seasonal pours and pop-ups. Since this one is updated less often, it could be printed at a print shop and have a full-bleed design
Designed to be edited by non-designers without breaking the layout
Hid/labeled all components to reduce visual clutter and avoid confusion and edits of primary components
Social Templates
Created Instagram templates in Figma for:
Weekly Schedule
Event promos
Generic Announcements
Documentation
Documented and walked the client through thorough instructions. Check them out below!
Outcome & Reflection
Cartesian has used this menu system for over 2 years, fully self-managed
Team can now update, print, and post menus without needing any external support
Brand presence is more cohesive, from taproom to Instagram
Menu stays up to date with rotating beers and events, with little friction
This project blended clean design with UX thinking: it wasn’t just about aesthetics, but about making something that worked for the people actually using it and empowering them to use it. Designing with Figma as a self-serve platform gave the client autonomy, and their updating branding, menu, and social templates ensured brand consistency.
