I've never met a meal that I didn't like!

NEXT® Hotel Brisbane is sending a clear & stylish message that it is doing things differently — the brand name itself signals this forward thinking approach.

Author: Simon Barrett

Their in-house restaurant, Lennons, is a creative and inclusive space with multiple facets – moving seamlessly from breakfast to lunch, on-the-go to chill out lounge and at night, it becomes Brisbane’s newest dinner destination.

Self-labelled as ‘Thoughtful Dining’, no shortage of consideration by The National Grid went into the environmental graphic design of this confident restaurant.

Despite targeting the modern business traveller, NEXT® Hotel Brisbane has none of the staleness or sterility of other corporate stays. Both suits and artists alike will enjoy its series of positive, quirky typographic sayings found around the building.

Screen printed on artwork, hand tailored leather menu holders and customised clipboards, they celebrate life’s mavericks with nods to William S. Burroughs and Yoko Ono, to name a few.

Your hand-sanded wood or hand-stitched leather menu might be inscribed with Miss Piggy’s wonderfully candid confession, ‘I’ve never met a meal that I didn’t like’, Jack Kerouac’s poetic rhetoric ‘Everything starts now’ or perhaps some snappy oratory from Haris Naeem Dhoraji, ‘Coffee Black, Water Tap, Whiskey Neat’.

Carefully selected by The National Grid, the abstract nature of this language offers a refreshing and fun contrast to the copious saccharine philosophical quotes found at nearly every other bar, café and bus stop.

The words were deliberately chosen to tell tales and start conversations. They add an element of interest and intrigue, engaging the diner into the spirit of the brand.

“Mandalay where the flyin’ fishes play’….is that Kipling?”

This feature is just one of many quirky touches to an intuitive and innovative aesthetic.

The National Grid’s crafty ‘dawn to dusk’ concept hits the sweet spot between form and function. Lennons’ colour system, messaging and mood all change from the morning through to evening settings. As the tables are set for different meal servings, so too are two big artworks on the wall – a transition that is subtle but distinguishable.

NEXT is acutely aware of its audience’s tastes and needs. Recognising that the professional customer’s most precious asset is time, they make things simple and pragmatic while also intelligent and inspiring.

Lennons’ vibrant area consists of a variety of different seating arrangements. It is a communal space that individuals and groups can share whether for drinking, dining or sealing a deal.

Together, NEXT and The National Grid have created an ambience where professionals and travellers alike can mingle and network naturally while experiencing top class artisanal hospitality.

The food, environment and overall service are all aimed to enhance the customer’s lifestyle. The National Grid has integrated this value in every table accessory right through to food packaging, having designed the label, carry bags, coffee cups and in all the small details that make a great impact.

Thanks to these, Lennons has a tangible and very likeable personality whose charm lies in its charisma, valour, artistry and honesty. Its new look and feel ensures you leave energised, having enjoyed a productive gourmet retreat. Not just another Brisbane eatery, Lennons has secured its spot as a go-to hub for the urban epicurean.

MASSIVE props to the amazing Shannon McKinnon (Aisle6ix industries), Ryan (Kent Customs) Spence-one-two-time (APWR-black) and the mighty Brent ZAICEK for their unbelievable talent and help with this project.