Getting the Most Produce From a Small Space?

I've been debating where to place this thread, so thought I'd start here. I couldn't find a similar topic in my searches, but maybe they already exist(?). If so, I'd be thankful if you would point me there.

I have a small lot in a relatively urban setting, but as I plan which seeds to start for next year, I'm contemplating going with mainly edibles in an effort to supplement our pantry as much as possible. A couple problems: my backyard gets mainly morning sun, with high dappled shade most of the afternoon; plus, I have a pretty destructive dog (I'm trying to train him to stay out of garden beds, etc.) ... My front yard has full sun, but has a relatively formal landscape design. That being said, I'm in an older neighborhood with no homeowners associations, etc. to worry about - just my neighbors, who are fairly laid back and open minded. I could plop vegetables in between existing flowers and shrubs ...

My goal is to determine how to get the most bang for my buck (buck = limited space & sun) out of the vegetables that I sow. I'm trying to identify which vegetables I could plant to reap the biggest rewards in the way of food stock and that's where I could use your help. I would try to employ as much 'vertical gardening' as I could, but I'm just not sure which plants to focus on. In other words, I probably won't grow those fruits and veg's that take up a lot of space without producing much in the way of fruit. Is anyone else doing this? I'd like to pull from others' experiences, whether they be lists that you use, books, threads, anything. I'm just looking for a jumping off point, so to speak.

As a side benefit, I hope to be able to show my neighbors that this sort of vegetable gardening can indeed be done without sacrificing neighborhood charm and aesthetics ... I hope to turn others toward growing more of their own foods here inside The Beltway. :)

Thanks
w