Menus from Munich restaurants in the 19th and 20th centuries

The collection includes menus from Munich restaurants from 1888 to 1983. The objects are part of the large Munich breweries Löwenbräu and Paulanerbräu's (including Pschorrbräu and Hackerbräu) archive holdings kept at the Bayerisches Wirtschaftsarchiv.

The breweries in Munich had a large number of their own restaurants, which they leased to landlords and supplied with their beer, as early as the end of the 19th century. As a rule, the breweries also influenced the design of the menus, which have therefore been preserved in large numbers in the brewery archives.

Menus fulfil the remit of informing the guest about the food on offer and the prices. They therefore provide a clear overview of the dishes that are common at different times and their price development. The text and layout of the menu also reflect the kitchen's aims and the landlord's overall concept and give a living impression of the variety of design options. The range extends from a mere handwritten note from a simple Munich “Boazn” (pub) to sometimes lavish menu series printed over several pages from bourgeois traditional restaurants or Munich beer cellars and multilingual culinary guides from restaurant establishments preferred by tourists.

• To the Menus from Munich restaurants in the 19th and 20th centuries available on bavarikon

>> This collection is part of the holdings of the Bayerisches Wirtschaftsarchiv (Bavarian Business Archive).