Exploring the LAPL menu collection is an ongoing project in which we'll take a close look at the menus owned by the Los Angeles Public Library. Read about the project here.

On Friday, Collectors Weekly published a long and fascinating article about Clifton's Cafeteria. The piece covers the history of Clifton's, as well as giving an update on the overhaul and restoration of Clifton's Brookdale Cafeteria by developer Andrew Meieran. Among other things, it tells the story of original owner Clifford Clifton's dedication to feeding people who couldn't afford to eat, the sprawling dramatic fantasy restaurant he built (with a stream running through it!), and his fight against corruption that resulted in his house being bombed.

The article also has a number of photos and renderings of the interior of Clifton's Brookdale during its heyday, complete a dining room populated by giant redwood trees. It got us wondering if there were many menus from Clifton's housed in the Los Angeles Public Library's menu collection.