It's easy enough to point out rookie design mistakes on a menu, such as using the cringe-inducing Papyrus (Stop It!) or excessive dingbats and drop shadows. But how often do we ignore our rumbling tummies long enough to note good menu design?

Art of the Menu recognizes this seemingly utilitarian object as a true art form and celebrates the root of a well-designed menu: expertly executed typography. "It has to be clear, legible (sometimes just under candle light), and representative of the cuisine. Menus are a light version of data visualization and information design: Helping the diner navigate between courses, options, and prices," the folks at AotM declare. "At a restaurant, the menu is the ultimate ambassador for the establishment’s identity: Logo front and center on the cover. A good menu adds to the overall brand experience."

If you're looking for a good place to start browsing the collection, take a gander at the Best of 2011, which we feature a sampling of below.

The Blue Pig Tavern—Cape May, NJ

The Alembic—San Francisco, CA

Betlem—Barcelona, Spain

Kay Bros Barbeque—Gainesville, FL

A division of UnderConsideration, the Art of the Menu highlights menu design from all over the world and provides a great source of design inspiration; you can search by location or cuisine at the site.

Some other hand-picked posts you might enjoy on our Design Blog:

Frank: Hot Dogs, Cold Beer, Tasty Design
Identity and Web Design for Table No. 1
The Hot Dang Packaging Design by Make & Matter