Butcher Block
This heavy block is not only functional, it's also decorative. It is made of walnut and maple, held together with a strong FDA-approved glue, and treated with butcher block conditioner.
An end-grain cutting board has the benefits of being both attractive and easy on your knives. An end-grain board also has a very fibrous cutting surface, so the knife's edge goes between the wood fibers while you are cutting. It also gives the board a self-healing property as cuts and marks will naturally close up and appear to heal over time. Tests show that most woods used in cutting boards apparently absorb bacteria in such a way that the surface is kept surprisingly free of pathogens.
Cost is dependent upon size and pattern density. Smaller "bricks" means more pieces, which means more time. All of my end grain boards are reversible, and the joints are fortified with biscuits, which are wooden splines hidden from view (but viewable in the third pic), to ensure that every one of my projects will last for generations.