Print and Hang! Menus from the New York Public Library

published Mar 19, 2010

Page URL

We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.

The New York Public Library has a breathtakingly vast digital archive. You can browse botanicals, photographs, historic apartment floorplans, and (our favorite) old menus. It’s addictive! And here’s the best part: You can order prints, framed or unframed, or print them out yourself for free. We can so see a row of these whimsical menus in a kitchen.

Most of the menus are from hotels and cruise lines and date back to the early-to-mid 1900s. Some have delicate illustrations and embellishments along the top; others are from special occasions, like a fraternity dinner or Valentine’s Day.

We love looking at the food. There were a lot of consommes going on back then. One menu offers stewed terrapin (!); many list apple pie and prime rib.

If you choose to order a print from the NYPL, they start at $30 for a 10-inch print. You can get several sizes and can also order them framed.

• Visit the New York Public Library Digital Gallery. Search “menu” or look for the Buttolph collection of menus.

TOP ROW

• 1. Restaurant Longchamps in New York (You can also buy the inside view.)

• 2. Menu Du Dejeuner from the Baltimore Hotel

• 3. Ristorante Valiani in Siena, Italy

• 4. Hotel Du Musee in Waterloo, Belgium

• 5. Daily Menu aboard the R.M.S. Etruria from the Cunard Line

BOTTOM ROW

• 6. Ebbitt House in Washington, D.C.

• 7. Menu from the Hoffman House

• 8. Phi Delta Phi Fraternity dinner at the Marlborough Hotel