30/07/2026
TONY is a modern Italian restaurant in the spirit of the Italian mafia, built on client references to The Godfather and The Sopranos. We decided to build a whole mythology around the brand.
From those references, we drew two elements: the image of a single powerful figure around whom the narrative revolves, and the tension between family loyalty and the mafia’s selective ethics — stay close to «family» and you’re untouchable, fall out of favor and the consequences are permanent. That tension runs through everything: lavish interiors set against a backdrop of quiet unease, white napkins included.
At the center of the concept is Tony — founder and head chef of the restaurant. A mysterious figure, both respected and feared. His presence is felt through details: a business card bearing only a phone number and the words «Call Tony,» white lace napkins, deer scattering in fright printed on the paper inside pizza boxes, illustrations drawn in soot, as if sketched by Tony himself.
During our research, we came across a real mafia organization called «The Black Hand,» with its own distinctive symbol — which became the basis for the restaurant’s logo. A second variant is a signet ring bearing the letter T, a seal of quality from Tony. We also drew inspiration from actual threatening letters written by Italian mafia members — their childlike, naive style paired with anything-but-innocent messages found its way into Tony’s running club merch and into the menu, typed on a typewriter and marked with corrections.
