Rustic menu design for Craft & Cleaver

A rustic, bespoke menu system for a smokehouse restaurant – designed to feel handcrafted, read fast, and stay easy to update.

Client: Craft & Cleaver

Completed: August 2025

Sector: Hospitality – BBQ restaurant and bar

Deliverables: Menu design, print-ready artwork, typographic hierarchy, updateable menu templates

Outcome: A menu that looks the part and makes ordering quicker – without losing the brand’s character

Craft & Cleaver main menu layout showing starters, build your combo, BBQ trays and mains
Craft & Cleaver logo over a black and white photo of a BBQ smoker and stacked logs
Craft & Cleaver beer and cocktails menu on a rustic wooden tabletop
Craft & Cleaver ‘Combos & cocktails’ promotion graphic with all day Tuesday offer
Close-up of smoked BBQ meat sliced on a wooden board
Craft & Cleaver dessert menu cover and drinks menu photographed on a concrete surface

The brief

Craft & Cleaver wanted their main menu to feel rustic and bespoke – something that matched the atmosphere and the food. The challenge was balancing personality with practicality: the menu needed to handle lots of sections, add-ons, dietary markers and combo options, while staying easy to scan during busy service.

They also needed a design the team could return to as dishes, pricing and promos change – keeping the same look and structure without rebuilding the menu every time.

Close up of raw rump steak on rustic wooden board

The action

We built a menu design system that leans into Craft & Cleaver’s smokehouse identity – bold type, a textured backdrop and a layout that guides the eye.

What we focused on:

  • A handcrafted look, without the clutter – rustic styling, but with clean spacing so the content stays legible.
  • Stronger hierarchy – clear section headings and consistent formatting so guests can find what they want quickly.
  • Simple ordering logic – combo and “build your tray” choices laid out as steps, so the menu feels intuitive.
  • Clear dietary and add-on styling – markers like (gf) and (vg), plus upgrades and sauces, treated consistently so nothing gets missed.
  • Print-ready artwork and a repeatable framework – designed to scale across additional menu formats and seasonal updates.

The results

Craft & Cleaver now has a menu that feels authentically theirs – rustic, bold and bespoke – while working hard at the table. The layout reduces friction, helps guests compare options quickly, and makes the bigger BBQ choices feel straightforward.

Behind the scenes, the structured system makes updates simpler too – so the menu can evolve without the design drifting.

Get in touch

If your menu needs a refresh, we can help you bring the brand to life while making ordering easier. From single-sheet menus to full multi-format systems, we design hospitality print that looks right and performs.

Written by Jane Comar + Reviewed by James Hofton

Last updated: February 18, 2026

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