This Website Makes Custom Drawings of Your Favorite Restaurant — And It’s My Go-To Gift This Year

This feature is part of The Kitchn’s Gift Edit, our editor-curated collection of gift ideas. Need more inspiration? Check out all our guides here.

I’ve always strived to be a good gift-giver. But ever since I moved to New York City, I’ve felt the need to gift my loved ones items that I can exclusively find here (or at least items that somehow embody the creativity and originality of the city). Perhaps I put that expectation on myself, but giving someone a basic tech gadget or mass-produced decorative object no longer feels like enough. At the same time, I’ve struggled to find NYC-themed gifts that are truly cool or one-of-a-kind. Even when I visit local makers’ markets and boutiques, I’m often disappointed by their offerings. Things often look tacky or cheaply made, and I’ve come to avoid such shopping outlets altogether. 

Recently, though, I learned about a website called All the Restaurants. Launched by former New Yorker editor and artist John Donohue, the site sells his signed, limited-edition prints of iconic restaurants from major cities, like Balthazar in New York. As far as gifting goes, the concept is pretty ingenious (although I also wouldn’t mind acquiring a print to decorate my own living space!).

Donohue began drawing iconic New York City restaurants years ago before launching his website to sell the prints. The site now also offers prints of restaurants in Paris, Chicago, London, and other popular destinations. Each artwork is limited-edition, with only 365 copies available for purchase. The prints are also made on museum-quality paper using archival inks, and 10% of yearly profits from the site are donated to charity. When you order from All the Restaurants, your print will take a few weeks to be made, signed, and shipped, but if you’re looking for a quicker option, you’ll be happy to learn that each order comes with a link for a custom gift sheet. This includes a copy of the drawing and information about the series, which you can download and print until the actual artwork arrives. Most prints come in two to three sizes (the smallest is 5 inches by 7 inches, and the largest is 18 inches by 24 inches).

Many people have either lived in or visited a major city like New York or Paris, so these prints will have sentimental value for pretty much anyone who receives them. As a New Yorker myself, I had fun scrolling through my city’s prints and seeing some of the most iconic restaurants, like Katz’s Deli and Carbone. But what excited me even more was seeing that there are prints for every neighborhood in the different boroughs, including mine in Brooklyn. Clicking on Prospect Heights from the drop-down menu, I was delighted to see a print of my favorite local ice cream place, Ample Hills Creamery. If I had to gift an artwork, I would get my mom a print of Cheryl’s Global Soul, which is where we dined together before I signed the lease on my first NYC apartment. I get nostalgic just thinking about it!

If you live in one of the cities featured on All the Restaurants and you’ve had loved ones visit you, I’m certain they would appreciate receiving such an artwork. The fact that the prints are limited-edition yet mostly under $100 makes them even more special. Plus, the simple style in which each one is illustrated will match any interior decor scheme. And, at the end of the day, who doesn’t love to receive art — especially when it’s as meaningful as these prints?

Buy: Balthazar Print, 5” x 7”, $75