Vintage Menus: Some Gorgeous, Some Offensive, All Surprising

By Erin Kelly | Edited By John Kuroski

Published September 26, 2016

Updated February 10, 2023

Viewed today, these vintage menus are about more than just food — they offer us insight on the times in which they existed.

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S.S. Pennland, 1931.New York Public Library

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Cavanagh's, New York City, 1959.New York Public Library

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Cafe Zanzibar, New York City, 1943.New York Public Library

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R.M.S Queen Elizabeth, 1957.New York Public Library

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Tortola, San Francisco, 1937.New York Public Library

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Waldorf Astoria, New York City, 1933.New York Public Library

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S.S. President Johnson, 1932.New York Public Library

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Horn-Hardart cafeterias, New York, 1958.New York Public Library

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Hotel San Jose, Mexico, 1958.New York Public Library

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Hotel Astor, New York City, 1930.New York Public Library

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Green Mountain Pine Room, Arlington, VT, 1959.New York Public Library

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Latin Quarter, New York City, 1958.New York Public Library

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Frisco Lines, St. Louis/San Francisco, 1943.New York Public Library

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Ferris Restaurant, South Carolina, 1948.New York Public Library

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The Cotton Club, New York City, 1938.New York Public Library

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Von's, Seattle, 1957.New York Public Library

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DiMaggio's Restaurant and Cocktail Lounge, San Fransisco, 1956.New York Public Library

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The Regent Cafe, Jackson, Michigan, 1956.New York Public Library

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Billy the Oyster Man, New York City, 1941.New York Public Library

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Fred Harvey, Cleveland, 1945.New York Public Library

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Lakos, Muskegon, Michigan, 1957.New York Public Library

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Mike Lyman's Grill, Hollywood, 1946.New York Public Library

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The Golden Nugget, Las Vegas, 1956.New York Public Library

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LaGuardia Airport coffee shop, New York City, 1961.New York Public Library

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The Hotel Commodore Coffee Shop, New York City, 1955.New York Public Library

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Arthur Wilde's Restaurant, Miami, 1954.New York Public Library

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Gazing at a restaurant menu may seem like a rather humdrum affair, but it's one of the first -- and most immediate -- ways to understand an eatery's overall aesthetic and values.

Of course, aesthetics and values change over time and across place. This means that when we look at old menus, we're not just looking at descriptions of food, but taking a peek at how different places, different socioeconomic groups, and so on approached the meal.

The vintage menus above (appear in chronological order from 1931-1961) reveal just that.

After seeing these vintage menus, check out these bizarre (and sexist) vintage ads.

author

An All That's Interesting writer since 2013, Erin Kelly focuses on historic places, natural wonders, environmental issues, and the world of science. Her work has also been featured in Smithsonian and she's designed several book covers as a graphic artist.

editor

Based in Brooklyn, New York, John Kuroski is the editorial director of All That's Interesting. He graduated from New York University with a degree in history, earning a place in the Phi Alpha Theta honor society for history students. An editor at All That's Interesting since 2015, his areas of expertise include modern American history and the ancient Near East. In an editing career spanning 17 years, he previously served as managing editor of Elmore Magazine in New York City for seven years.

Citation copied

COPY

Kelly, Erin. "From The Gorgeous To The Offensive, 26 Surprising Vintage Restaurant Menus." AllThatsInteresting.com, September 26, 2016, https://allthatsinteresting.com/vintage-menus. Accessed September 2, 2025.