Madrid has no shortage of celebrated dining destinations, but culinary entrepreneurs Madeleine Martin and Emerik Minost nevertheless noticed the city was lacking one critical form of establishment: a first-rate modern sandwich shop — the type of place where you can enjoy a messy-but-delicious meatball sub or lobster roll. It wasn’t long before they had channeled their cravings into Grab, a lunch spot that successfully captures the charm of old-school deli counters, albeit in a crisp, contemporary interior.

Local firm Plutarco proved to be the perfect hire to bring the destination to life, since the office tackles both architecture and branding projects in equal measure. By developing Grab’s visual and spatial identities simultaneously, Plutarco created a wordmark that feels like a harmonious extension of the restaurant’s physical storefront. Sure enough, the bright orange of Grab’s logo can be found all throughout the project — outside on the exterior awning and the bench seating below it, but also inside on the painted columns and beam that frame the central counter.

Simultaneously retro and au courant, that bold colour sets the tone for a project that embraces fun juxtapositions at every turn. Wood paneling may harken back to time-honoured Spanish taverns, but slick stainless-steel dining tables and stools (not to mention the matching kitchen) bring in some contrasting industrial edge. Similarly, while the back butcher’s kitchen is tucked behind traditional PVC plastic strip curtains, here they are unexpectedly splashed in an avant-garde acid yellow.

The project’s wholehearted embrace of graphic tile is another example of how it playfully toes the line between past and present design sensibilities. Checkerboard flooring stays true to typical sandwich shop style, but the bold backsplash behind the meat slicer and espresso machine instead opts for glazed ceramic Palet tiles featuring a fantastically psychedelic pattern. For another layer of visual punch, the risers on the side staircase (leading up to a second-floor office zone) each feature a different marble.

Meanwhile, the restaurant’s back shelves (also in bright orange) serve as an extra opportunity to highlight the tight cohesion between Plutarco’s interior design and branding work. Here, stacks of sandwich boxes echo the geometric patterning of Grab’s elaborately tiled interior — meaning even takeout diners get to enjoy a bit of the restaurant’s look and feel. Far from feeling like a mixed bag of anachronisms, Grab proves that, when it comes to sandwich assembly, you don’t always need to stick to the classic recipe. Experiment a little — throw some pickled sweet peppers on it! Everything benefits from a burst of orange.