Jump to Content

Collection Guide
Collection Title:
Collection Number:
Get Items:
California Menu Collection MENU COL
MENU COL  
View entire collection guide What's This?
Search this collection
Collection Details
 
Table of contents What's This?
  • Access
  • Publication Rights
  • Preferred Citation
  • Related Collection(s)
  • Accruals
  • Processing Information
  • System of Arrangement
  • Scope and Contents
  • Indexing Terms

  • Title: California menu collection
    Date (inclusive): 1889-1996
    Date (bulk): 1943-1944
    Collection Identifier: MENU COL
    Physical Description: 5.4 Linear feet (8 boxes and 1 oversize box)
    Repository: California Historical Society
    678 Mission Street
    San Francisco, CA 94105
    415-357-1848
    reference@calhist.org
    URL:http://www.californiahistoricalsociety.org
    Location of Materials: Collection is stored onsite.
    Language of Materials: Collection materials are in English.
    Abstract: Consists of menus and wine and spirits lists from California restaurants. Materials are primarily from restaurants located in San Francisco and the Bay Area, but the collection also includes menus from other California cities; bulk of the materials are from 1943-1944.

    Access

    CHS is not taking appointments for research at this time. Please check the Library's website updates: https://californiahistoricalsociety.org/collections/north-baker-research-library/ 

    Publication Rights

    All requests to reproduce, publish, quote from or otherwise use collection materials must be submitted in writing to the Director of the Library and Archives, North Baker Research Library, California Historical Society, 678 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94105. Consent is given on behalf of the California Historical Society as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission from the copyright owner. Such permission must be obtained from the copyright owner.
    Restrictions also apply to digital representations of the original materials. Use of digital files is restricted to research and educational purposes.

    Preferred Citation

    [Identification of item], [File name], California Menu Collection, California Historical Society.

    Related Collection(s)

    Accruals

    Additions to collections are ongoing.

    Processing Information

    Processed by intern Nora Coyne under the supervision of Jaime Henderson in 2013.

    System of Arrangement

    The collection is arranged in two series: Series 1: San Francisco menus and Series 2: Other California cities menus. Within each series menus are arranged alphabetically by name of the restaurant or by name of the hotel the restaurant resides or resided in.

    Scope and Contents

    Collection consists of menus, and some wine and spirits lists, of California restaurants. The materials are primarily from San Francisco and the Bay Area although other California cities, such as Los Angeles, are represented. The collection includes menus from restaurants located in hotels such as the Tonga Room in the Fairmont Hotel and Victor's, located in the Hotel Sir Francis Drake. Other restaurants represented include the Cliff House, Tadich Grill and Trader Vic's. The collection dates from 1889 to 1996 with the bulk of materials created 1944. Most menus from 1944 include printed or handwritten notices of compliance with the Office of Price Administration's (OPA) price controls established during World War II.

    Indexing Terms

    The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog:
    Bars (Drinking establishments)--California.
    California Ephemera Project.
    Menus.
    Restaurants--California.
    Wine lists.