MAKING
The Menu Project epitomizes print you hold on to — mementos from dinners long since eaten but not forgotten, thanks to these tangible takeaways. For over five years, we designed custom menus for Sunday Dinner Club, creating a new one for each themed dinner series that ran over multiple nights.
As with most menus, the starting point was paper — but we always aimed to go above and beyond the expected white rectangle. By using texture, dimension, custom die cuts, translucency, weaving, burning, and other tactile techniques, we designed for playful, hands-on engagement.
“The menus are always incredibly inventive, reflecting the food itself in form and design.” – Lauren, SDC guest
Often, the menus were embedded into thematic centerpieces that invited touch and interaction — from Thai lanterns to a pick-your-own veggie patch to buckets of paper ice cubes.
More than simply a list of dishes, they became an extra course that guests could take home as a visual reminder of the experience.
“I don’t remember restaurant menus, but I remember every one of these. That’s a remarkable thing.” – Mike, SDC guest
To celebrate the project, we created a hand-crafted, limited-edition book featuring 40 of our favorite menus, with five bespoke embellishments lovingly added by hand in our Chicago studio. It’s a beautifully made object — part art piece, part archive. It’s a book you keep coming back to.
📕 Buy The Menu Project book »
Makeist newsletter subscribers received a discount code in their email. Subscribe and DM me for $25 off The Menu Project book.
Go behind the scenes
I first shared the making of The Menu Project in a keynote at the PaperSpecs Live design conference. I’ve re-recorded that talk so you can go behind the scenes anytime.
P.S. Sunday Dinner Club — the beloved dinner series that inspired The Menu Project — is back. After a two-year hiatus, they relaunched in 2024 with new events, pop-ups, and more. The menus in the book capture just one of many chapters in their story, and it’s exciting to see that story continue.
LOVING
If you happen to be in the Chicagoland area next week, we’d love for you to stop by and say hi!
You can find us at Chicago Zine Fest on Saturday, July 19, from 11AM to 4PM. It’s our first time tabling – and a great one to check out if you’ve never been before either. Details here »
THINKING
Social Media isn’t connecting.
Social Media is broadcasting.
Meet for coffee.
Mail a card.
Facetime a friend.
