Lorraine B. Diehl

Having been enthralled by classic movies since childhood, I have long been fascinated by automats, which I had only ever seen in movies. This is a beautiful book, packed with evocative and stylish photographs which make me feel a wistful nostalgia for a time I never lived in.

I remember going to the Automat in New York as a very little girl. My mother would take me and let me feed the coins into the slot, and we would open the door and pull out the food--sandwiches or bowls of creamy mac and cheese or steaming creamed spinach or fluffy cake with thick frosting. While we ate she would tell me stories of going to eat there when she was little, with my grandmother and uncle, and how they would each have an allowance in coins with which to purchase their individual show more dinners.

The Automats are no more, but this book is filled with all the nostalgia of the concept and the famous chain. It brings back great memories, and I love having some of the recipes for those dishes I remember from childhood. A fun book for anyone who remembers those days fondly, or who is curious about old New York fixtures. show less

This is a nostalgic look at the Automat, which was a chain of automated serve-yourself restaurants predominantly located in the NYC metropolitan area. I really enjoyed reading about how the concept came to fruition and felt sad about its inevitable demise. The recipes for Automat and Horn & Hardart favorites are the icing on the cake.