Dining out is ultimately about the experience, from the atmosphere, service and company, restaurants should aim to offer unique, immersive experiences. Menus play a big part in this experience. A visual guide to your cuisine, a well designed menu will help diners navigate between courses and choices. As an extension of brand identity, menus should both reflect and enhance the restaurant’s character.

Easier said than done, though. Successfully conveying character whilst retaining legibility, clarity and of course profitability is a difficult task. Excellent typography is the foundation for a great menu, but clever use of images, positioning and raw materials can produce results.

We’ve discovered 13 menus that have managed to achieve this tricky balance. From simple typography based layouts to heavy use of gravity-defying images to laser etched wooden blocks, these menus provide great inspiration.