Smyth and The Loyalist is the home of Chef John Shields and Pastry Chef Karen Urie Shields located in the heart of West Loop in Chicago, Illinois. The ivy covered bi-level New American restaurant features a kitchen and bar with craft cocktails and casual dining downstairs and tasting menus upstairs. Design Womb partnered with the team to brand the restaurant for it's highly anticipated 2016 opening.

We delivered graphic elements that are whimsical and sophisticated. The restaurant branding, signage, website, and logo design are simple, and welcoming which reflects the restaurant's dining concept as well as the physical interior space.

There are subtle personal ties in all of the visuals that tell the couple's culinary and personal  journey. The handmade ink artwork is inspired by the story about how John met Karen with messy squid ink in the kitchen of Alinea and it references the nature and creativity that inspires John's cooking.

A few months after opening Smyth was awarded one Michelin star and was recently named a James Beard award nominee for 2017.