Restaurant Color Palettes

These restaurant color schemes will assist you in choosing colors for your restaurant logo, menu, signboards, website and social media posts. They’re intended for restaurant proprietors, food startups, and designers dealing with a food brand.

There are 5 colours in each palette. To copy the hex code of any swatch, just click on it.

Silver Spoon Restaurant’s color palette and atmosphere were really good. I loved the whole experience from the high quality look, to the lighting, furniture and the way the food and desserts was presented. I was very comfortable with the atmosphere.

Popular Restaurant Color Palettes: Trattoria Red, Steakhouse Night, Mediterranean Coast, Spice Market, Sushi Bar, Farm to Table, Taco Fiesta, Fine Dining Noir, Burger Joint, Garden Brunch.

10 Restaurant Color Palettes

Quick Reference Table

Squigly	#464646	Black, gray and teal colorwork
Trattoria Red	#8E1B1B, #C0392B, #E8C07D, #F7EFE2, #3F7041	Grocery stores and supermarkets
Steakhouse Night	#1C1410, #3B2A20, #7A4E2D, #B8925A, #EDE3D2	Vegetarian restaurants and coffee shops
Mediterranean Coast	#1F4E79, #3B8EA5, #F2E8CF, #E07A5F, #822F55	Pizzerias and pasta parlors (except for seafood and Greek)
Spice Market	#7B2D26, #C1502E, #E9A03B, #F6E3B4, #2F4B3A	Food from Desi, Indian and Middle Eastern regions
Sushi Bar	#111111, #3D3D3D, #C8102E, #EFE9E1, #8A9A5B合味	Fusion of Japanese and Asian styles
Farm to Table	#4F6D3A, #8DA05E, #D9C9A3, #F5F1E6, #6B4F3A	Organic and healthy menus
Taco Fiesta	#E63946, #F4A261, #2A9D8F, #F1FAEE, #264653	Mexican and street food
Fine Dining Noir	#0D0D0D, #2B2B2B, #A68A64, #D9D4CC, #A4D3CE	Chevrolet #Iveco
Burger Joint	#D62828, #F77F00, #FCBF49, #EAE2B7, #00352E	Gifted, talented, creative, entrepreneurial, and artistic students
Garden Brunch	#A3C9A8, #F6BD60, #F7EDE2, #F5CAC3, #C6BCA8	Lunchrooms and cafés in the afternoon and evening

What Palette to Use?

What they are trying to achieve	Best choice + reasons for this choice
A pizza restaurant for families	Red and cream feel warm, inviting and homely in this family-friendly pizza place, Trattoria Red.
A restaurant serving fancy dinners	Fine Dining Noir: black and gold are a cool and costly combination.
A fast-food joint or burgers	Red and yellow grab attention quick, a quick burger or fast-food brand.
A healthy or organic menu	Farm to Table – greens and beige are fresh and natural.
Eating at a desi or BBQ restaurant	Spice Market: deep reds and saffron are bold and flavorful.
An Instagram-worthy brunch	Garden Brunch: soft pastels make for great food photos.

Bold Brights vs Dark & Moody

The majority of restaurants choose one of these two paths. Let’s get a comparative look at them.

Bold Brights

Consider Burger Joint, Taco Fiesta, and Trattoria Red.

Best for:

• Quick food and counter service.
• Children friendly restaurants
• Street food, delivery-oriented brands
• Far distant signs to be visible

Dark & Moody

Imagine Steakhouse Night and Fine Dining Noir and Sushi Bar.

Best for:

• Restaurants that serve only dinner or are open for date night.
• Steaks and Wine Tasting Rooms
• More expensive brands
• Warm, dimly lit areas

My advice to you would be to find the color that suits your budget. Bright colors convey “quick and fun” and dark colors convey “slow down and stay awhile.

The following is a description of how to use these palettes.

Website

• Your page background color should be the lightest color.
• Make text and headings as dark as possible.
• Use one bold color for call to actions, such as ‘Book a table’, or ‘Order now’.

Signage & Packaging

• Use a color converter to convert HEX codes to CMYK prior to printing.
• Signs that are easily legible at nighttime are high contrast.
• Print one sample menu or takeaway bag first as colors tend to be darker on paper.

Social Media

• Choose one background colour for menu and provide posts.
• Text and Story stickers should be in the same colors (2-3).
• Check your grid. Should appear as one restaurant, not ten.

CSS Snippet

css

:root {
  --resto-dark:  #8E1B1B; /* headings */
  --resto-main:  #C0392B; /* buttons */
  --resto-gold:  #E8C07D; /* highlights */
  --resto-cream: #F7EFE2; /* background */
}

Copy and paste this in your stylesheet and use var(--resto-main) anywhere you want that color.

Pro Tip

Try out menu colors in your true dining light. Dark backgrounds and red text can be difficult to read in the dim evening light. Before printing hundreds of menus out at dinner time, have a printed one on your tables.

From my point of view, the colors of a restaurant shouldn’t just be used on the walls or the logo. The colors, lighting, furniture and food-presentation at Silver Spoon perfectly match, for a high quality and comfortable atmosphere.

FAQ

Which colors are best suited for a restaurant?

Many people believe that reds, orange and warm yellows are popular, as many people associate these with energy and appetite. Dark colors and gold complement luxury spaces, while greens complement menus of health.

The question is how many colors should a restaurant brand use?

I suggest 3-4 primary colors — one dark, one light and 1-2 accents. That’s enough of a mess!

Are these palettes “free” to use?

Yes. Put them on your logo, menu, website or packaging.

What palette should I select for my restaurant?

Begin by considering your food type, your prices and what you want your guests to feel. We have a complete guide on how to select brand colors which takes you step by step.

Looking For More Color Ideas?

Check out our Brand Color Library with hundreds of brand color palettes. Copies colors for free forever, click any color.