Colorful poke bowl with fresh fish, mango, edamame, and toppings, displayed with chopsticks.

Pacific Counter

  • Web design
  • Merch design
  • Menu design
  • Photography
  • Collateral

As Fresh As It Gets

With over two years of thriving business in Downtown St. Pete, Florida poke bowl and sushi burrito concept, Pacific Counter, came to Top Hat on the verge of opening their second location across the pond in Lakewood Ranch. They had much to be proud of, including a vibrant brand aesthetic and a strong following. But along with this meaningful step of growth, they were in dire need of new website build — one that did their core brand justice, provided a simple online ordering system, and portrayed their beautiful food at the forefront.

Fresh poke bowl with ahi tuna, avocado, edamame, and sesame seeds next to sushi rolls wrapped in vibrant paper. Colorful assortment of fresh sushi ingredients including vegetables, seafood, and grains arranged on a dark background

Shoot it in raw

The key to nailing the perfect website for a chef-driven restaurant is beautiful food photography. For PC, that meant photographing every ingredient and recipe on the menu from bowl toppings and mix-ins, to sushi burritos and tsunami bowls. We tapped local photographer Stephanie Agudelo to capture the full menu. If Pacific Counter has it, we shot it. Then we ate it. Waste not, want not.

tsunami bowl
Spam musubi featuring rice, seaweed, and fried spam on a black background Vibrant yellow frozen dessert served in a cup, showcasing smooth and creamy texture. Bowl of pickled vegetables with seaweed, sesame seeds, and vibrant colors. Taco wedge topped with fresh salsa, vegetables, and sesame seeds on a crispy shell. Bowl of miso soup garnished with chopped green onions and seaweed on a white background. Bowl of salted edamame pods served as a healthy snack option in a restaurant setting Bowl of seasoned edamame pods ready for a healthy snack option. Fresh seaweed salad topped with sesame seeds in a white bowl, showcasing vibrant green hues. Spicy seaweed salad served in a white bowl garnished with sesame seeds. Spicy edamame seasoned with spices served in a white bowl.
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Surf’s Up, Dude

With a huge bank of photos, we were able to expand on PC’s colorful brand aesthetic and create an inviting, unique, and playful website that jumped off the screen with fun animations. A core focus of the site was an educational menu that housed every piece of information about each ingredient and recipe. We made sure to leave no stone unturned, marking each bowl and roll with an in-depth, photo-driven listing of what’s inside.

pacific counter website screen 1
pacific counter website screen 2
We invite you to craft
your own cuisine in an
environment that inspires
healthy eating, drinking,
thinking, and being.

Order Takeout. Everybody’s Doing It.

In the wake of last year’s changes in the restaurant industry, the high-level goal of the site was to drive viewers to order online. We accomplished this with clear calls to action from the homepage, encouraging people to choose to “bowl it or roll it”. We also developed a delivery map to help PC customers know their nearest location no matter how many restaurants there are in the future.

Pacific Counter Delivery Map Page Design + Functionality
Colorful text overlay promoting a coastal-inspired menu featuring sides and sweets.
Colorful poke bowl featuring sushi rice, fresh vegetables, and assorted protein options displayed on an interactive menu.

More Mahalo

While we were heads-down on website development, PC’s owners tapped us to create a new batch of merch that could highlight the restaurant as both a local hotspot and a lifestyle brand. We also were tasked with capturing our city’s immense support of diversity and inclusion by creating a suite of pride designs that played off the brand’s color palette.

Promotional t-shirt featuring colorful PRIDE ALL DAY ERRDAY text design for LGBTQ+ advocacy. Green holiday t-shirt featuring Mele Kalikimaka with festive graphics and tropic elements. Pink T-shirt featuring repeated text design that reads Good Vibes Only in various opacity levels. Yellow t-shirt featuring circular logo design with Catch Some Vibes at Pacific Counter. Coral t-shirt design featuring Aloha from Pacific Counter and branding elements. Light blue t-shirt featuring Rays Up Fresh Catch logo with wings, ideal for branding merchandise. Vibrant blue t-shirt featuring a colorful pocket design with tropical elements and text. Green t-shirt featuring a colorful graphic design with the phrase FIND YOUR PRIDE and chopsticks. Cream t-shirt featuring repeating Good Vibes text design with a yellow round sticker. Orange t-shirt featuring a graphic design with the phrase More Mahalo Plz in a circular layout. Light blue t-shirt featuring a graphic design of a baseball glove and the text Fresh Catch. Vibrant blue t-shirt featuring bold SPAM FAM graphic design and round badge detail. Yellow t-shirt featuring the word MAHALO and a circular graphic design element Green t-shirt featuring a colorful pocket design with floral and tropical motifs. Teal t-shirt featuring a graphic design of sushi and the text PC prominently displayed.
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sticker bomb
cups
Trucker hat featuring Pacific Counter branding and a colorful logo design. Brown cap featuring a circular More Mahalo patch with a shaka hand sign. Teal baseball cap featuring a minimalist embroidered logo design. Stylish blue cap featuring a circular logo with a shaka hand gesture and More Mahalo text.
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Branded cap featuring the logo of Pacific Counter with a colorful design. Custom branded cap featuring Pacific Counter logo and colorful design elements.

Expanding the System

After merch was shipped out, we shifted our attention to PC’s in-store collateral and marketing efforts. We created a suite of 8 poster designs that captured the many facets of the restaurant — delivery, deals, specific menu items, merchandise, and more. We also tackled their event banners and direct mail pieces to give PC the same vibe outside the restaurant as it has inside its walls.

Catering menu design for Pacific Counter featuring vibrant graphics and service details. Colorful takeout and delivery sign featuring bold graphics and branding elements for Pacific Counter restaurant. Colorful poster highlighting dietary labels for Dole Whip, featuring tropical design elements. Colorful juice and tea poster featuring a striped cup and bold typography for a beverage business. Colorful hiring poster showcasing benefits like flexible schedules and competitive pay for Pacific Counter. Merchandise poster featuring themed shirts, hats, and stickers for Pacific Counter brand. Colorful promotional graphic for Pacific Counter showcasing combo meal options including a drink and dessert. Colorful promotional poster for a rewards program with bold text and branding elements.
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I SEA WEINERS in your future.

With a launched website, fresh merch line, and a new suite of print materials, we rounded out our efforts with a revamp to PC’s menu system. Their menu designs were sound as they were, but needed to include their new menu offerings, hot dogs and bubble tea. We also needed to tweak the flow of their menu-boards to include callouts for their new items and their catering program.

Bubble tea menu showcasing flavors, mix-ins, and contact information for Pacific Counter. Menu showcasing customizable build-your-own bowl options with various proteins, toppings, and sauces.
Customizable sushi bowl menu showcasing base and protein options with pricing details. Menu graphic listing various chef-inspired sauces with flavor descriptions and pricing details. Menu design featuring gourmet hot dogs and side items with vibrant typography and colorful layout. Bubble tea menu design showcasing drink styles flavors mix-ins and sweetness options with vibrant typography. Catering menu showcasing bowl and roll party options with prices for each platter type
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