diff --git a/.github/workflows/theme-ci.yml b/.github/workflows/theme-ci.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..670bd29
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/theme-ci.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+name: Theme CI
+
+# The RAS public theme is plain PHP templates (no build step, no test DB), so CI
+# just lints them for syntax on the supported PHP versions.
+
+on:
+  push:
+    branches: [nimbus-rebuild, 'slice/**']
+    paths: ['theme/**', '.github/workflows/theme-ci.yml']
+  pull_request:
+    paths: ['theme/**', '.github/workflows/theme-ci.yml']
+
+jobs:
+  lint:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    strategy:
+      matrix:
+        php: ['8.2', '8.3']
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - uses: shivammathur/setup-php@v2
+        with:
+          php-version: ${{ matrix.php }}
+          coverage: none
+      - name: Lint templates
+        run: |
+          for f in theme/templates/*.php; do php -l "$f"; done
diff --git a/theme/assets/app.css b/theme/assets/app.css
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..67f00f2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/theme/assets/app.css
@@ -0,0 +1,107 @@
+/*
+ * RAS — the public face of the Restaurant Automation System.
+ * A single, committed dark restaurant look (uplifted from the original #222),
+ * with a warm gold accent and an elegant printed-menu feel.
+ */
+
+:root {
+  --ground: #1a1c20;
+  --surface: #23262c;
+  --text: #ecedee;
+  --muted: #9aa0a8;
+  --gold: #d4a017;
+  --gold-bright: #e7b62f;
+  --rule: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.09);
+  --serif: Georgia, "Iowan Old Style", "Times New Roman", serif;
+  --sans: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;
+}
+
+* { box-sizing: border-box; }
+
+html { -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; }
+
+body {
+  margin: 0;
+  background: var(--ground);
+  color: var(--text);
+  font-family: var(--sans);
+  line-height: 1.6;
+  font-size: 17px;
+}
+
+a { color: var(--gold); text-decoration: none; }
+a:hover { color: var(--gold-bright); }
+
+img { max-width: 100%; height: auto; }
+
+.wrap { width: 100%; max-width: 900px; margin: 0 auto; padding: 0 1.25rem; }
+.measure { max-width: 40rem; }
+
+.skip-link {
+  position: absolute; left: -999px; top: 0;
+  background: var(--gold); color: #1a1c20; padding: .6rem 1rem; border-radius: 6px;
+}
+.skip-link:focus { left: 1rem; top: 1rem; z-index: 10; }
+
+/* Header */
+.site-header {
+  position: sticky; top: 0; z-index: 5;
+  background: rgba(20, 22, 26, 0.92);
+  backdrop-filter: saturate(140%) blur(6px);
+  border-bottom: 1px solid var(--rule);
+}
+.header-inner { display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: space-between; min-height: 64px; gap: 1rem; }
+.brand { display: inline-flex; align-items: center; gap: .7rem; color: var(--text); }
+.brand:hover { color: var(--text); }
+.brand-mark {
+  font-weight: 800; letter-spacing: .12em; font-size: .82rem;
+  background: var(--gold); color: #1a1c20;
+  padding: .3rem .5rem; border-radius: 5px;
+}
+.brand-name { font-family: var(--serif); font-size: 1.15rem; letter-spacing: .01em; }
+.site-nav a { font-size: .95rem; letter-spacing: .04em; text-transform: uppercase; }
+
+/* Menu page */
+.menu-page { padding: 3rem 0 4rem; }
+.menu-head { text-align: center; margin-bottom: 2.75rem; }
+.eyebrow {
+  margin: 0 0 .6rem; font-size: .72rem; font-weight: 700;
+  letter-spacing: .22em; text-transform: uppercase; color: var(--gold);
+}
+.menu-head h1 { font-family: var(--serif); font-size: 2.6rem; font-weight: 400; margin: 0 0 .5rem; }
+.lede { color: var(--muted); margin: 0; }
+
+.menu-group { margin: 0 0 2.75rem; }
+.menu-group h2 {
+  font-family: var(--serif); font-weight: 400; font-size: 1.5rem;
+  margin: 0 0 1.1rem; padding-bottom: .5rem; border-bottom: 1px solid var(--rule);
+  color: var(--text);
+}
+.menu-list { list-style: none; margin: 0; padding: 0; }
+.menu-item { padding: .7rem 0; border-bottom: 1px dashed rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.05); }
+.menu-item:last-child { border-bottom: 0; }
+.menu-row { display: flex; align-items: baseline; gap: .35rem; }
+.menu-name { font-weight: 500; }
+.menu-leader { flex: 1; border-bottom: 1px dotted rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.28); transform: translateY(-.25rem); }
+.menu-price { font-variant-numeric: tabular-nums; color: var(--gold); font-weight: 600; white-space: nowrap; }
+.menu-desc { margin: .3rem 0 0; color: var(--muted); font-size: .92rem; max-width: 46ch; }
+.empty { color: var(--muted); text-align: center; padding: 2rem 0; }
+
+/* Generic page + 404 */
+.page { padding: 3rem 0 4rem; }
+.page h1 { font-family: var(--serif); font-weight: 400; font-size: 2.2rem; margin: 0 0 1rem; }
+.prose { color: var(--text); }
+.notfound { text-align: center; }
+
+/* Footer */
+.site-footer { border-top: 1px solid var(--rule); padding: 2.5rem 0; margin-top: 2rem; }
+.footer-inner { text-align: center; }
+.footer-name { font-family: var(--serif); font-size: 1.15rem; margin: 0 0 .3rem; }
+.footer-meta { color: var(--muted); margin: 0 0 .6rem; }
+.footer-fine { color: var(--muted); font-size: .8rem; margin: 0; opacity: .8; }
+
+@media (max-width: 40rem) {
+  .menu-head h1 { font-size: 2.1rem; }
+  .brand-name { display: none; }
+  body { font-size: 16px; }
+}
diff --git a/theme/templates/404.php b/theme/templates/404.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..23621d5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/theme/templates/404.php
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+<?php
+
+/**
+ * Themed not-found page.
+ *
+ * @var callable $e
+ */
+?>
+<section class="page notfound">
+  <div class="wrap measure">
+    <p class="eyebrow">RAS</p>
+    <h1>Not on the menu</h1>
+    <p class="lede">That page isn&rsquo;t here. Have a look at <a href="/menu_items">the menu</a> instead.</p>
+  </div>
+</section>
diff --git a/theme/templates/collection-menu_items.php b/theme/templates/collection-menu_items.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..53d32e4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/theme/templates/collection-menu_items.php
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+<?php
+
+/**
+ * The guest menu (/menu_items) — live menu items grouped by their `category`
+ * relation, priced. The relation is expanded by EntryView, so each item's
+ * `fields.category` is a list of `{id,slug,title}`.
+ *
+ * @var array{handle:string,name:string} $collection
+ * @var list<array<string,mixed>>        $entries
+ * @var callable                         $e
+ */
+$groups = [];
+foreach ($entries as $item) {
+    $fields = is_array($item['fields'] ?? null) ? $item['fields'] : [];
+    $rel    = $fields['category'] ?? null;
+    $cat    = is_array($rel) && isset($rel[0]['title']) && (string) $rel[0]['title'] !== ''
+        ? (string) $rel[0]['title']
+        : 'More';
+    $groups[$cat][] = $item;
+}
+?>
+<section class="menu-page">
+  <div class="wrap">
+    <header class="menu-head">
+      <p class="eyebrow">RAS · Menu</p>
+      <h1>What&rsquo;s on</h1>
+      <p class="lede">Fresh every service. Prices include tax.</p>
+    </header>
+
+    <?php if ($entries === []): ?>
+      <p class="empty">The menu is being set. Please check back shortly.</p>
+    <?php endif; ?>
+
+    <?php foreach ($groups as $cat => $items): ?>
+      <section class="menu-group">
+        <h2><?= $e($cat) ?></h2>
+        <ul class="menu-list">
+          <?php foreach ($items as $item): ?>
+            <?php
+              $fields = is_array($item['fields'] ?? null) ? $item['fields'] : [];
+              $price  = $fields['price'] ?? null;
+              $desc   = trim((string) ($fields['body'] ?? ''));
+            ?>
+            <li class="menu-item">
+              <div class="menu-row">
+                <span class="menu-name"><?= $e((string) $item['title']) ?></span>
+                <span class="menu-leader" aria-hidden="true"></span>
+                <span class="menu-price"><?= $price !== null && $price !== '' ? '&pound;' . $e(number_format((float) $price, 2)) : '' ?></span>
+              </div>
+              <?php if ($desc !== ''): ?><p class="menu-desc"><?= $e($desc) ?></p><?php endif; ?>
+            </li>
+          <?php endforeach; ?>
+        </ul>
+      </section>
+    <?php endforeach; ?>
+  </div>
+</section>
diff --git a/theme/templates/entry.php b/theme/templates/entry.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..943588b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/theme/templates/entry.php
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+<?php
+
+/**
+ * A single info page (an `entry`), rendered simply inside the RAS shell.
+ *
+ * @var array<string,mixed> $entry
+ * @var callable            $e
+ */
+$fields = is_array($entry['fields'] ?? null) ? $entry['fields'] : [];
+$body   = trim((string) ($fields['body'] ?? ''));
+?>
+<article class="page">
+  <div class="wrap measure">
+    <h1><?= $e((string) ($entry['title'] ?? '')) ?></h1>
+    <?php if ($body !== ''): ?><div class="prose"><?= nl2br($e($body)) ?></div><?php endif; ?>
+  </div>
+</article>
diff --git a/theme/templates/footer.php b/theme/templates/footer.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f313681
--- /dev/null
+++ b/theme/templates/footer.php
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+<?php
+
+/**
+ * The public footer.
+ *
+ * @var string   $appName the site name
+ * @var callable $e       escape a value for output
+ */
+$year = date('Y');
+?>
+<footer class="site-footer">
+  <div class="wrap footer-inner">
+    <p class="footer-name"><?= $e($appName) ?></p>
+    <p class="footer-meta">Open daily · Lunch &amp; dinner</p>
+    <p class="footer-fine">Powered by the Restaurant Automation System on NimbusCMS · <?= $e((string) $year) ?></p>
+  </div>
+</footer>
diff --git a/theme/templates/header.php b/theme/templates/header.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0c33a1b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/theme/templates/header.php
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+<?php
+
+/**
+ * The public header — the RAS wordmark and the menu link.
+ *
+ * @var string   $appName the site name
+ * @var callable $e       escape a value for output
+ */
+?>
+<header class="site-header">
+  <div class="wrap header-inner">
+    <a class="brand" href="/">
+      <span class="brand-mark">RAS</span>
+      <span class="brand-name"><?= $e($appName) ?></span>
+    </a>
+    <nav class="site-nav" aria-label="Primary">
+      <a href="/menu_items">Menu</a>
+    </nav>
+  </div>
+</header>
diff --git a/theme/templates/layout.php b/theme/templates/layout.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3bcae66
--- /dev/null
+++ b/theme/templates/layout.php
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+<?php
+
+/**
+ * The HTML shell for the public RAS site.
+ *
+ * @var string   $appName   the site name
+ * @var string   $__content the rendered page
+ * @var string   $title     the page title (optional)
+ * @var callable $partial   include another theme template
+ * @var callable $e         escape a value for output
+ * @var array<string,mixed> $meta
+ * @var string   $head      extra <head> HTML contributed by plugins (already-rendered, trusted)
+ */
+$pageTitle = isset($title) && $title !== '' ? $title . ' · ' . $appName : $appName;
+$meta      = $meta ?? [];
+$cssVer    = substr((string) @hash_file('crc32b', __DIR__ . '/../assets/app.css'), 0, 8);
+?>
+<!doctype html>
+<html lang="en">
+<head>
+    <meta charset="utf-8">
+    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
+    <title><?= $e($pageTitle) ?></title>
+    <?php if (!empty($meta['description'])): ?>
+        <meta name="description" content="<?= $e($meta['description']) ?>">
+    <?php endif; ?>
+    <?php if (!empty($meta['canonical'])): ?>
+        <link rel="canonical" href="<?= $e($meta['canonical']) ?>">
+    <?php endif; ?>
+    <meta property="og:site_name" content="<?= $e($appName) ?>">
+    <meta property="og:title" content="<?= $e($pageTitle) ?>">
+    <meta property="og:type" content="<?= $e($meta['og_type'] ?? 'website') ?>">
+    <?= $head ?? '' ?>
+    <link rel="stylesheet" href="/theme/assets/app.css?v=<?= $e($cssVer) ?>">
+</head>
+<body>
+<a class="skip-link" href="#main">Skip to content</a>
+<?= $partial('header') ?>
+<main id="main">
+    <?= $__content ?>
+</main>
+<?= $partial('footer') ?>
+</body>
+</html>
diff --git a/theme/theme.json b/theme/theme.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d754a80
--- /dev/null
+++ b/theme/theme.json
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+{
+    "name": "RAS",
+    "version": "0.1.0",
+    "description": "The public face of the Restaurant Automation System — a dark, elegant guest menu carrying the RAS identity. Plain PHP templates, one stylesheet, no build step.",
+    "nav": ["menu_items"],
+    "templates": {
+        "layout": "HTML shell; includes header and footer.",
+        "header": "Site header with the RAS wordmark and the menu link.",
+        "footer": "Footer with hours and contact.",
+        "collection-menu_items": "The guest menu (the `menu_items` collection), grouped by category with prices.",
+        "entry": "A single info page.",
+        "404": "Themed not-found page."
+    },
+    "specialization": "collection-menu_items renders the `menu_items` collection provisioned by the restaurant app — each item has a `price` number and a `category` relation (expanded). Grouped by category name, priced, with dotted leaders.",
+    "assets": "Files under assets/ are served at /theme/assets/<path> (e.g. assets/app.css -> /theme/assets/app.css)."
+}