Collection Guide
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California Chinese restaurant menu collection
M2776
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Table of contents
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
Department of Special Collections and University Archives
Title: California Chinese restaurant menu collection
Identifier/Call Number: M2776
Physical Description:
1 Linear Feet
(1 flat box)
Date (inclusive): circa 1924- 2010
Abstract: Collection of menus from California restaurants and nightclubs serving Chinese food.
Collection of approximately 60 menus from California restaurants and nightclubs serving Chinese food, dating from about the
1930s to the 2000s. Also includes some matchbooks and a nightclub program.
Many restaurants specialized in Chinese and American dishes, and one even Chinese, American and Spanish cuisine, however about
half also contain menu items in Chinese. Some are annotated either by the restaurant or by patrons. Most menus are from San
Francisco and Los Angeles Chinatowns.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Purchase; 2019. Accession 2019-433; 2021. Accession 2022-049. Majority of menus acquired as groups from dealers, and some
were donated or transferred from other collections; many came as part of the Philip Choy papers (M2521: https://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/13311530)
[identification of item], California Chinese restaurant menu collection (M2776). Dept. of Special Collections and University
Archives, Stanford Libraries, Stanford, California.
See also the following:
M2543 Bay Area Asian restaurant menus (https://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/13491214)
M2125 California menu collection, 1866-1980s (https://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/11408128)
MISC 2723 Carleton Watkins - Smoking Divan Chinese Restaurant : Boudoir Card B3760 (https://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/13840823)
MISC 2737 I.W. Taber - Chinese Grand Restaurant, S.F. California : photograph (https://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/13869993)
Open for research. Note that material must be requested at least 36 hours in advance of intended use.
While Special Collections is the owner of the physical and digital items, permission to examine collection materials is not
an authorization to publish. These materials are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study. Any transmission
or reproduction beyond that allowed by fair use requires permission from the owners of rights, heir(s) or assigns.