A culinary history of the Gateway City and the memorable restaurants that once made their home there. St. Louis is a food town, and there are many restaurants that have captured the heart of the city. Some of them are no longer around. Rossino’s low ceilings and even lower pipes didn’t stop the pizza-hungry residents from crowding in. Jefferson Avenue Boarding House served elegant “Granny Food” in plush surroundings. King Burgers and onion rings ruled at the Parkmoor. Dohack’s claimed it was the first to name the “jack salmon.” Author Ann Lemons Pollack details these and more restaurants lost to time in the Gateway City. “Few St. Louisans know the history of the St. Louis food scene like local food and travel writer Ann Lemons Pollack. . . . The book is a treasure trove for St. Louis history-lovers, beginning with an extensively researched look at the food served at the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition—better known as the 1904 World’s Fair—hosted in St. Louis. She debunks some myths—hot dogs were not “invented” at the fair, but perhaps found a wide audience there—and charts the various restaurants and cafes that fed eager fairgoers.”—Feast Magazine

St. Louis has an appetite for sure. The places that made it that way have fascinating tales of hard work and good flavor. From the white tablecloths of Tony's to the counter at Woofie's, the Gateway City came to culinary prominence. The glories of Union Station's Fred Harvey restaurant and simple spots like the Piccadilly highlight the variety. Mai Lee serves as the city's first Vietnamese restaurant, and Mammer Jammer was home of St. Louis's hottest sandwich. Recipes are included, like a favorite soup of Missouri's own Harry Truman. Ann Lemons Pollack, author of Lost Restaurants of St. Louis, found these stories and more, all to whet your appetite.

A Chicago author’s tribute to the historic eateries and storied local haunts that the Windy City has loved and lost. Many of Chicago’s greatest or most unusual restaurants are “no longer taking reservations.” But even if they’re gone, they're definitely not forgotten. From steakhouses to delis, these dining destinations attracted movie stars, fed the hungry, launched nationwide trends and launched a smorgasbord of culinary innovations. Stretching across almost two centuries of memorable service and adventurous menus, Lost Restaurants of Chicago revisits the institutions entrusted with the city's special occasions. Noted author Greg Borzo dishes out course after course of fondly remembered fare, from Maxim's to Charlie Trotter’s and Trader Vic's to the Blackhawk.

Dining in Walla Walla blossomed from an influx of mining transplants in the late 1800s. Within decades, a roadhouse called the Oasis boasted a seventy-two-ounce slab of beef, and the old Pastime Café opened at 5:30 a.m. with white toast and whiskey for breakfast. In the early 1950s, Ysidro Berrones opened one of the valley's first Mexican restaurants, the El Sombrero Tortilla Factory and Café. Owner of Denney's Hi-Spot for two decades, Joe Denney also satisfied locals with his morning crooning to piano on KTEL. Native and local wine writer Catie McIntyre Walker celebrates this rich heritage with decades of departed, beloved establishments and the people behind them.

Sample the hearty helpings at the Hungry Dutchman and the dainty morsels at the Denver Dry Goods Tearoom to get a taste of a tradition rich with innovation, hard work, and crazy ideas. Waitresses, chefs, owners, and suppliers bring back the restaurants of yesteryear by sharing success stories and signature recipes. Just don't be surprised by sudden cravings for savory cannolis from Carbones, rich Mija Pie from Baur's, egg rolls at the Lotus Room, or chile rellenos at Casa Mayan.

Asheville has been a restaurant town for two centuries, since stagecoaches arrived bringing the first tourists. Neighborhood cafés and busy lunch counters, raucous roadhouses and white-linen dining rooms provided the backdrop for much of Asheville's development as a world-class foodie destination. Some, like the Stockyard Cafe and Three Brothers Restaurant, have vanished without a trace, while others, including the Art Deco S&W Cafeteria and the Woolworth soda fountain, are easy to spot because they have barely changed. Longtime residents will recognize recipes for Rabbit's apple cinnamon pork chops and High Tea Café's Eggnog Colbert. Author Nan K. Chase reveals the hidden history of Asheville's restaurants, including the struggles of desegregation and the decades when downtown Asheville was almost dead.

Memphis is well known for its cuisine, and there is no end to the iconic restaurants that hold a place in the hearts of locals. Johnny Mills Barbecue was home to the "barbecue king of Beale Street." Gaston's Restaurant was owned by John Gaston, the "prince of Memphis restaurateurs." Leonard�s Pit Barbecue was operated by Leonard Heuberger, the man who invented the pulled pork sandwich. Gayhawk Drive-In was hugely popular with African Americans during segregation. Author G. Wayne Dowdy details the history of Memphis's most celebrated restaurants and the reasons they will live forever.