Anneka Dave Parekh, the visionary behind House of Inara, a boutique branding agency specializing in crafting unforgettable identities, believes that for restaurants, branding extends far beyond aesthetics. It’s about curating a holistic experience that touches guests on an emotional and sensory level.

Take a semi-high-end restaurant in South Bombay, for instance – one that blends the relaxed charm of a café with the sultry allure of a lounge. For such a venue, Anneka asserts that branding must radiate sophistication, exclusivity, and warmth. A seamless brand identity should not only captivate visually but also narrate a story that lingers with the guest long after the last bite. The ambiance, the mood lighting, the service, the curated decor – all these elements play a role in shaping a complete sensory experience that guests feel drawn to.

Anneka and her team at House of Inara approach restaurant branding with precision, focusing on crafting a compelling story that encapsulates the essence of the dining experience, turning it into a narrative guests can connect with. The ambiance created through branding should be so distinct that it becomes instantly recognizable and memorable. A well-executed brand stays top-of-mind, not only bringing patrons back but also compelling them to share their experience with others.

As Anneka describes, branding for a restaurant is more than just making a place look good. It’s about designing an experience that transcends the food, turning each visit into a cherished ritual that guests crave again and again. In an exclusive interview with TheGlitz, Anneka Dave Parekh, the visionary founder of House of Inara, opens up about her journey in the world of branding and design.

Anneka’s Amazing Branding Blitzkrieg

How do you approach the branding process for a restaurant that needs to balance sophistication with a relaxed, lounge-like atmosphere? Are there specific design or service elements you focus on to create that balance?

Anneka: Balancing sophistication with a relaxed, lounge-like atmosphere requires a thoughtful approach where every touchpoint reflects a cohesive brand story. At House of Inara, we begin by deeply understanding the restaurant’s core values, target audience, and desired brand personality. This clarity informs every design and service decision.

From a design perspective, the key lies in harmonizing elements. For instance, we use a sophisticated color palette – think muted tones or luxurious accents like gold or deep green – layered with tactile materials such as plush fabrics, brass textures, or matte finishes. Typography plays a crucial role; elegant yet approachable fonts can convey a sense of refinement without being intimidating.

From a service perspective, the goal is to make the customer experience feel premium yet approachable. For example, training the staff to offer personalized yet unobtrusive service is essential. The menu design- both its visual appeal and its structure – should be intuitive, avoiding unnecessary complexity while highlighting premium offerings.

Lastly, we focus on creating moments of connection. This could mean strategically placing conversational art pieces, incorporating locally inspired design elements that resonate emotionally with patrons, or offering interactive experiences, such as live bartending or curated playlists.

Ultimately, a successful brand in this space is one where patrons feel they’re enjoying an elevated experience but in an environment that feels welcoming. It’s all about that delicate interplay between formality and friendliness.

 Anneka’s Take

What are the most important sensory experiences (besides the visual) you consider when branding a restaurant, and how do you ensure they align with the restaurant’s identity?

Anneka: Sensory experiences play a pivotal role in shaping the atmosphere and creating memorable connections with guests. Apart from the visual, we focus on a multisensory approach that complements the restaurant’s identity, ensuring every element aligns with the brand story.

Sound

The auditory experience is essential for setting the mood and reinforcing a restaurant’s personality. Relaxed lounge spaces benefit from curated playlists with chill or jazzy undertones, while vibrant venues thrive on upbeat, rhythmic sounds. We ensure the volume and tone strike the perfect balance—energizing the atmosphere without overwhelming conversations.

Scent

Smell, deeply connected to memory and emotion, is a powerful branding tool. Subtle ambient scents like fresh citrus for a breezy vibe, warm vanilla for a cozy lounge, or the aroma of fresh dough for a pizzeria enhance the restaurant’s identity. These can be introduced through candles, diffusers, or natural kitchen aromas. At House of Inara, we collaborate with scent designers to craft bespoke fragrances that align seamlessly with each brand’s essence.

Touch

We provide consultations on material selection for seating, tabletops, and even menus, tailoring choices to align with the brand’s identity. Whether it’s durable commercial furnishings or premium imported materials, every detail is thoughtfully curated to enhance the overall restaurant experience.The temperature of glassware or cutlery also contributes to this experience, ensuring it feels luxurious yet functional.

Taste

While this primarily falls under the chef’s domain, the branding can influence how taste is perceived. We ensure the menu design, plating, and storytelling around ingredients reflect the restaurant’s concept. For example, highlighting locally sourced or artisanal ingredients builds an authentic narrative around flavour.

To ensure these sensory experiences align, we create a cohesive branding strategy where the restaurant’s mission and values guide every sensory choice. Each element is designed to evoke emotions that mirror the brand’s essence, leaving guests with a lasting impression. It’s all about creating an environment that feels effortlessly intentional, immersing diners in a world where every detail resonates with the brand’s soul.

Given the competitive nature of Mumbai’s restaurant scene, what unique strategies or branding techniques do you use to help a restaurant stand out while maintaining its exclusivity?

Anneka: Staying relevant in Mumbai’s restaurant scene requires a blend of innovation, cultural relevance, and authenticity. At House of Inara, we craft strategies that create a compelling and immersive brand identity, ensuring every touchpoint feels distinctive and memorable. 

Experiential Branding

We go beyond traditional branding by designing unique customer experiences that are Instagram-worthy yet intimate. This could mean interactive mixology sessions, chef’s table experiences, or exclusive dining events that create a buzz while maintaining a sense of privilege.

Signature Elements

Every restaurant needs a hallmark—a standout feature that sets it apart. It could be a unique dish, a bespoke cocktail menu, or even a striking design element like a mural or installation. These signature touches become talking points that enhance recall and desirability.

Thoughtful Partnerships

We help restaurants collaborate with artists, designers, or even wellness experts to create limited-edition offerings or events. These partnerships not only draw attention but also elevate the restaurant’s perceived value.

Strategic Placement

To tailor exclusivity or inclusivity to the nature of the space, we recommend strategies like curated reservation systems or members-only perks. For high-end venues, this creates a coveted, premium experience, while for local eateries, it ensures seamless service for quick eat-and-go crowds.

Ultimately, it’s about blending creativity with strategy to deliver a brand experience that’s as refined as it is unforgettable. In a city like Mumbai, the key is to remain authentic while crafting a space where people feel both inspired and valued.

How does your experience with interior brands like Purple Backyard & PB Home influence your approach to restaurant branding? Are there transferable elements from these brands that work in the food and hospitality sector?

Anneka: My experience with Purple Backyard has reinforced the importance of collaboration between interiors and branding to create a seamless experience. While interiors focus on tangible aspects like materials and spatial layouts, branding complements this by adding layers of storytelling, mood creation, and sensory engagement. Together, these elements create environments that are both functional and emotionally resonant.

When working on projects like Mastermind Bicycle Café in Mulund, my team emphasized crafting a cohesive identity that tied together all touchpoints. From designing impactful murals to curating minimal yet striking materials, our goal was to bring the brand’s story to life in a way that extended beyond just visual appeal. This approach ensured that the café resonated with its audience as a welcoming and authentic community space.

Our strength lies in blending experiential branding with design integrity, ensuring that every project feels thoughtfully curated and aligned with the brand’s essence. By prioritizing high-quality craftsmanship and customer-centric design, we create environments that are not only visually engaging but also deeply meaningful and memorable.

Can you share a branding challenge you faced with a restaurant and how you overcame it to craft an identity that truly resonates with a target audience?
Anneka: Working with Mastermind Bicycles on the extension of their brand – a community café, posed an interesting challenge. While Mastermind Bicycles is known for its premium, niche offerings, the café needed to be more approachable and welcoming to a wider audience without alienating the brand’s established identity. The café was inspired by the European cycling fest – Tour de France, but the challenge was to localize the concept and make it feel accessible, ensuring it didn’t carry the perception of being overly luxurious or exclusive.

To achieve this, we focused on creating a sense of familiarity and warmth through every touchpoint. For example, we designed newspaper-style menus that featured cycling facts and crosswords, evoking nostalgic memories of activities like solving puzzles at home—a detail that resonated with a broader audience. The pricing was intentionally kept approachable, while the menu varied from local favourites to experimental dishes – ensuring it appealed to both loyal customers and new visitors.

We also incorporated elements like a black-and-white mural that blended cycling imagery with food and signature brand elements, striking a balance between relatability and creativity. The overall branding strategy employed a multi-sensory approach, from thoughtful packaging to collaborative interior design, emphasizing comfort and community. This blend of international inspiration with relatable local elements ensured the café resonated with its audience while maintaining the integrity of the Mastermind brand.

Can you name three milestones in your career?

Anneka: One of the most significant milestones in my career was working with my very first client, who continues to collaborate with me even after six years. This partnership is incredibly special because it marked the beginning of my professional journey and showed me the trust and responsibility that come with shaping a brand’s identity. Watching their growth over the years and knowing that I’ve contributed to their success has been deeply fulfilling. It has also reinforced the importance of building long-term relationships and maintaining the highest standards of work, not just for the client but for the trust my team and I uphold.

Another pivotal moment was the recognition we received for designing the packaging for Active Topicals, an active ingredient body care company. This project stood out because it required us to strike a delicate balance between clinical and youthful aesthetics. The goal was to create packaging that communicated the brand’s scientific foundation while still appealing to a younger audience seeking visually striking and appealing products. The public’s overwhelmingly positive response to the design validated our strategic and creative efforts, making it a proud milestone that demonstrated our ability to merge functionality with aesthetics for consumer-facing brands.

Finally, publishing our in-house book was a dream realized and a celebration of our creativity and vision. This book was designed to balance education with inspiration, offering both our clients and the media a glimpse into our approach, philosophy, and future direction. It wasn’t just a project; it was a tangible representation of who we are as a team. Launching it successfully has been a defining moment in my career, symbolizing the culmination of years of work and our commitment to continually pushing boundaries. It has also set the stage for an annual tradition of celebrating our growth and achievements through creative and meaningful projects