Editors’ Summary: In this interactive visualization, the project team considers how a curated archive of 5,000 historic menus from the New York Public Library’s Buttolph Collection (1880–1920) can reveal the early evolution of the modern restaurant. By demonstrating how visual data mapping allows users to pan, zoom, and explore individual artifacts like an 1897 menu from The Plaza, they highlight the stark contrasts in layout, item volume, and culinary language compared to contemporary dining.
