Portland's first Filipino restaurant — introducing a new flavour to the Old Port.
Industry
Food & Beverage
Services
Branding
UI/UX design
WordPress
The challenge
Barkada is the creation of chefs Nicole and Ben Bowers — Institute of Culinary Education graduates who trained in Michelin-starred kitchens — and business partners Margaret and Luka Dow. After a successful food truck season in Portland, they were preparing to open what would be the city’s first Filipino restaurant at 425 Fore Street in the Old Port in spring 2026.
They needed a brand identity and web presence that captured the warmth and community spirit of Filipino food culture, built anticipation ahead of opening, and gave the food truck a strong digital home in the meantime.
Our approach
Autumn Lane AI created a complete brand and WordPress launch package for Barkada. The identity draws on the meaning of ‘barkada’ — a Filipino term for a close group of friends — with a visual language that’s vibrant, welcoming, and rooted in the communal spirit of Filipino dining.
The site was structured to support both the food truck operation and the restaurant launch, with SEO targeting ‘Filipino food Portland Maine’ and related searches to help build organic awareness in the months before opening.
The Result
Barkada launched with a brand that matched the authenticity and energy of its food. The site has driven strong pre-opening awareness in the Portland community
and gives the team a professional platform to grow from as the restaurant opens and the brand expands.