Rumeli’s launch turns north Toronto into a new fine-dining destination

Rumeli Restaurant entered the market as a completely new concept: a Yorkville-level fine-dining experience brought to the north end of the city. Starting from a blank slate, no logo, no website, no social presence. Houze Media built the brand, warmed up the market for seven months, and helped Rumeli open its doors to a full house and record-breaking sales.

year

2025

Client

Rumeli Restaurant

timeline

16 months

year

2025

Client

Rumeli Restaurant

timeline

16 months

year

2025

Client

Rumeli Restaurant

timeline

16 months

The Challenges

New Fine-Dining Concept in a Suburban Market

Rumeli wanted to compete with Yorkville’s top fine-dining restaurants while opening in a more residential, north-end neighborhood, where this level of cuisine and experience didn’t exist yet.

Zero Brand Foundation

At the start, there was no logo, website, menu design, or social media presence. The restaurant was still under construction, yet the owners needed the brand to feel established and premium from day one.

High Stakes for Opening & Investment Payback

With a significant investment in build-out, design, and operations, Rumeli needed a powerful launch: strong awareness, fully booked evenings, and a path to recoup their investment quickly.

The Challenges

New Fine-Dining Concept in a Suburban Market

Rumeli wanted to compete with Yorkville’s top fine-dining restaurants while opening in a more residential, north-end neighborhood, where this level of cuisine and experience didn’t exist yet.

Zero Brand Foundation

High Stakes for Opening & Investment Payback

With a significant investment in build-out, design, and operations, Rumeli needed a powerful launch: strong awareness, fully booked evenings, and a path to recoup their investment quickly.

The Challenges

New Fine-Dining Concept in a Suburban Market

Rumeli wanted to compete with Yorkville’s top fine-dining restaurants while opening in a more residential, north-end neighborhood, where this level of cuisine and experience didn’t exist yet.

Zero Brand Foundation

High Stakes for Opening & Investment Payback

With a significant investment in build-out, design, and operations, Rumeli needed a powerful launch: strong awareness, fully booked evenings, and a path to recoup their investment quickly.

The Solutions

Houze Media led Rumeli’s go-to-market from concept to grand opening, building a luxury brand that could stand beside downtown Toronto’s finest while owning its own territory in the north.

Crafted a Luxury Brand from Scratch
Designed the logo, visual identity, menu, website, and signage to match a high-end, modern Anatolian-inspired dining experience—with special attention to cocktails and premium details.

Built a Digital Audience Before Opening
Launched Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Google profiles, then ran a seven-month “Opening Soon” campaign with teaser content, construction updates, and menu reveals. Before Rumeli served a single guest, the brand had already reached 12,000 followers and tens of thousands of website visits.

Positioned Rumeli as a Destination Restaurant
Developed storytelling that framed Rumeli as the first true fine-dining experience in its area. Bringing a Toronto downtown grade restaurant to the north. Our content emphasized elevated dishes, signature cocktails, and the exclusivity of being “first” in the area.