Menus That Make You Hungry: Design Tips for Restaurants & Bars
- Laura Kuhn
- Jul 18
- 2 min read
Let’s be real: your menu is more than just a list of food—it’s your restaurant’s silent salesperson.
Before guests taste the dish, they taste the design. Whether they’re sipping cocktails in a moody lounge or grabbing beignets at a sunny brunch spot, your menu sets the tone, tells your story, and tempts their appetite.
At Midnight Boheme, we specialize in designing menus that aren’t just functional—they’re flavorful, stylish, and irresistible. Here’s how to make your menu more than just a placemat—it should be an experience.
🍷 1. Match the Menu to the Mood
A dive bar, a rooftop champagne lounge, and a family-owned Italian bistro should never have the same menu design.
We tailor every menu to match:
Your interior aesthetic
Your culinary personality
Your ideal guest experience
Whether that means rustic wood textures, vintage typewriter fonts, or sleek modern minimalism, we bring your brand to life on the page.
🖼 A menu should feel like part of the décor—not an afterthought.
💡 2. Make It Easy to Read (and Easy to Crave)
Design isn’t just about beauty—it’s about clarity.
A well-designed menu should:
Use hierarchy (bold headers, groupings, and spacing)
Feature descriptive language that whets the appetite
Use fonts that fit the theme, but don’t require a magnifying glass
Highlight signature items with icons, spot graphics, or callouts
🧠 Guests don’t read menus. They scan them. Design accordingly.
💵 3. Pricing Should Be Present, Not Pushy
Nobody wants to feel like they’re reading a spreadsheet.
We use subtle formatting tricks to:
Keep pricing aligned but low-profile
Avoid dotted lines that lead eyes straight to the dollar signs
Make premium items feel indulgent, not intimidating
💸 The right menu layout increases average order value without ever feeling salesy.
🍹 4. Don’t Forget the Drinks!
A strong beverage menu deserves just as much love.
Whether it’s:
Craft cocktails with clever names
Wine flights with tasting notes
Local beers sorted by style
Espresso drinks with house-made syrups
We make sure the drinks menu is styled to match your vibe and spotlight your top pours.
🥂 If it’s drinkable, it should be designable.
🧾 5. Think Beyond One Sheet
Menus come in more than one flavor.
We’ve designed:
Tabletop trifold menus
Sleek cocktail books with tabs
Tasting menus on handmade paper
Happy hour chalkboard inserts
QR-code digital menus with a matching online aesthetic
✨ Every menu is a chance to build brand experience.
🌙 Midnight Boheme: Menus That Taste as Good as They Look
We’ve crafted menus for:
ROMA Café & Pizzeria – Uptown Italian with warm, rustic design
Antoine's – Vintage glam meets classic French-Creole elegance
Hotel Mazarin – Boutique hotel dining menus for weddings and catered special events
Santos – Soulful Latin charm blended with Louisiana southern flair
Maison Soulé – Brunch, dinner, and libation menus matching the venue's sophisticated French bistro ambiance
From laminated lunch lists to luxe leather-bound cocktail menus, we bring style to the table—literally.
Midnight Boheme🎨 Custom Menu Design for Restaurants, Bars & Brands | New Orleans, LA
Tasty typography. Flawless formatting. Flavor-forward design. Get a menu makeover ➝