We recently designed two Afternoon Tea menus for Vintry and Mercer, each with a different brief but the same aim: to support the concept of the experience.

The Magic of Afternoon Tea menu is wizard-themed. On first look it has the feel of a traditional book, but the pages include hidden glow-in-the-dark elements that are revealed using UV torches given to diners. It adds an extra layer of interaction at the table.

The menu covers, with gold foil design:

…and an animation of the inside of the menus, illustrating the effect of viewing the pages with a UV torch:

The Circus Afternoon Tea menu is more illustrative in tone. For this, we commissioned artwork from internationally renowned illustrator Brian Grimwood, whose work is instantly recognisable and widely respected. His distinctive style gave the menu cover its visual identity and energy. We created a gatefold cover with an overlapping front flap, echoing the entrance of a circus tent:

and we used vintage Circus typography for the menu pages:

Both menus were designed to feel special but practical, and to sit comfortably within the wider Vintry and Mercer brand. Two very different themes, handled with the same focus on clarity, craft, and experience.

Tagged with hotel · menu design · Vintry + Mercer