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.

1 of 27

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

2 of 27

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

3 of 27

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

4 of 27

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

5 of 27

Tortola, San Francisco, 1937.New York Public Library

6 of 27

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

7 of 27

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

8 of 27

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

9 of 27

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

10 of 27

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

11 of 27

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

12 of 27

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

13 of 27

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

14 of 27

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

15 of 27

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

16 of 27

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

17 of 27

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

18 of 27

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

19 of 27

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

20 of 27

Fred Harvey, Cleveland, 1945.New York Public Library

21 of 27

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

22 of 27

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

23 of 27

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

24 of 27

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

25 of 27

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

26 of 27

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

27 of 27

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 15, 2025.