Ah, who doesn’t want a bit of the Old South in mid-century Seattle?
I have a few questions. What does England have to do with this seafood, and is Southern Barbecued Crab really a thing?
I’ll have the Seafood Plate with pie and iced tea , please 🍽️

The Broiler
Seattle 1950s
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The (Canadian) Board of Trade was the precursor to the Chamber of Commerce, and this luncheon is a great example of how Canadians have been proudly eating locally for nearly 100 years.
That’s a lot of ham. And mystery meat.
I like my butter with provenance

Edmonton, Alberta 1928
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The Highland Hotel (1902-1961) was known for its society gatherings and good food, where they promised “Every Meal a Special Memory.”
I’ve got two menus for you, so choose your own adventure.
I’m having the New England Boiled Dinner from 1927

Highland Hotel
Springfield MA 1927 & 1952
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Taco Tuesday is so passé. Let’s do Tamale Tuesday!
This joint is quintessential San Francisco, a little hole in the wall in the Mission District in a converted Victorian.
I’ll start with two enchiladas and two tamales with rice and beans
🍽️
Johnson’s Tamale Grotto
San Francisco WW2
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First opened in 1855, the hotel suffered a fire in 1909 and was rebuilt in the manner of grand hotels of the day, rooms costing between $1 and $14.
I’m guessing they had a French chef, so I’ll try the Cassolette of Crab Meat Commodore 🍽️

Fort William Henry Hotel
Lake George NY 1915
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It didn’t take much to get stuck in an insane asylum back in the day. PMS? Sorry, Agnes, we’re gonna need to lock you up.
Here are menus for the NY State
Custodial Asylum for Feeble Minded Women (1910) and the Dane County (WI) Insane Asylum (1883)
The Wisconsin one has pie 🥧

Asylums
#VintageMenus

This menu cover reminds me of a Pee-Chee folder from school with all of the little people on it. Whoever was in charge of fonts went a little giddy with power I think.
I’ll have the Fruit Plate, Chocolate Pudding and an iced tea please 🍽️

Boxman’s
Bloomington IN 1930s
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This menu has a lot going for it. The graphics are really nice and the layout of the menu items is unique in that they’re spread out over a fishing net. Points for creativity.
I’ll have the Lobster Thermidor, huckleberry pie and iced tea please 🍽️

Sea Fare
Greenwich Village 1950
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I did not know that many suffrage groups ran lunch rooms, often in their headquarters, to raise funds for the cause. The sunflower was a national symbol of the movement.
I’ll have the corn fritters, cantaloupe and tea please 🍽️

Sunflower Lunch Room
Boston 1916
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Who wants to check out a short order joint that’s open all night? I know I do!
The Liberty Cafe was a mom and pop shop that opened in 1932 and served up classic fare for decades.
I’ll have an Olympia Oyster Sandwich with fries and iced tea 🍽️

Liberty Cafe
Olympia WA 1940s
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Sharon’s was your destination if you were craving a hearty duck dinner. Or duck salad. Or duck soup. Or duck pie. Or duck pate.
This joint is ducky!
I’ve only had duck a few times and am not a fan, so I’ll have a Waldorf salad, pie and iced tea 🍽️

Sharon’s Duck Inn
Wrentham MA 1940s
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For a place that offers dining and dancing this joint has a lot of rules. No cover charge but there’s a “minimum charge per person” which is a clever workaround.
I’ll have the Italian Spaghetti Dinner for $1 🍽️

Boulevard Farms
Alexandria VA 1930s
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Hopefully y’all can read old timey cursive or you’re out of luck with today’s specials.
Everything is à la carte and there’s a good selection of vegetables, so I’m having the Sirloin Steak with American Oyster Bay Asparagus and banana fritters 🍽️

Hotel Studio
Maryland? 1920s
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I triple checked the date for this menu and somehow 1938 is correct. How on earth did they stay in business with these prices?
I’ll have a liverwurst sandwich and a bottle of Western beer 🍺

Bradley’s 5¢ and 10¢
San Diego 1938
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Located on the New Tacoma Highway (now 99) The 7 Gables Inn was one of many road houses frequented by locals and travelers between Seattle and Tacoma who were embracing the freedom of automobile vacations.
I’ll have the $1 De Luxe T-Bone dinner

7 Gables Inn
Near Kent WA 1930s
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The best thing about this menu for me is the cover art. It really takes you on a journey from naked mermaids to a Lilliputian chef wrangling a lobster 🦞
We’ve got an hour before boarding the 20th Century so let’s eat 🍽️

Gateway Restaurant
LaSalle St. Station
Chicago 1930s
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McDonald’s Party House was a popular country music honky tonk in *checks notes* Compton, CA, that opened just after the end of Prohibition. Compton was a sundown town until after WW2. Huh.
I’ll just have a burger and fries with a Coke 🍴

McDonald’s Party House
Compton CA 1934
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This menu caught my attention for a few reasons: It’s expensive for 1962, that cover art looks like Cary Grant, and the food listings start out super racist then they ran out of stereotypes and just name things normally
I’ll have the fruit plate

Indian Head Steak House
Chicago 1962
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Designed to highlight the efficiency of gas appliances, The Flame restaurant provided visitors to the Gas Exhibits Building a pleasant spot to rest and fuel up during a busy day of fair going.
I’m having the French Meat Loaf with iced tea and cherry pie

The Flame
World’s Fair NY 1940
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Nothing says classy Hawaiian cuisine like a come-hither naked lady propping up a palm tree, right? This joint is pure tiki tackiness, serving up “tropical” fare from 1947-2006.
I’m going for the bbq Spare Ribs Ala Moana with ice tea and sherbet 🍽️

Royal Hawaiian
Laguna Beach CA 1950s
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