Did you know that the New York Public Library has a collection of 45,000 menus dating from the 1840s to the present? First collected by Miss Frank E. Buttolph, they offer a unique way to preserve and study culinary and restaurant history and so much more. The collection is housed in the Rare Books Division, but thousands of them have been digitized for anyone to view. 

In addition to everyday menus, there are hundreds of holiday menus—St. Patrick's Day, New Year's, Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, and Mother's Day. Looking at old menus is like boarding a time machine to get a glimpse into a world that no longer exists. Below are a few to peruse and these are just a taste. Explore many more menus in our Digital Collections.

Time machine destination: Hotel Gramercy Park, Sunday May 8, 1955

What's on the menu (highlights): Stuffed Half Alligator Pear: Chicken Salad, Mayonnaise, Sliced Tomato [what is alligator pear you may wonder? Turns out, it's an avocado.] Stuffed Eggs Russe [which is another name for Russian Eggs which you may know as deviled eggs], and Stewed Prunes.

Time machine destination: the Italian Line at Park Lane Hotel, Tapestry Room, May 14, 1961

What's on the menu (highlights): Smoked Beef Tongue, Roast Long Island Duckling, and Mother's Pink Marshmallow Cake

Time machine destination: Gramercy Park Hotel, May 13, 1984

What's on the menu (highlights): Chopped Chicken Liver, Roast Fresh Capon Gramercy with Apple Dressing, Apple Pie Tortoni, Sanka, and Spumoni.

Time machine destination: Park Lane, May 5, 1959

What's on the menu (highlights): Buckwheat or Wheat Cakes with Deerfoot Sausages, Crisp Bacon and Maple Syrup, Diced Chicken in Cream, Waffles and Peas, and Mints!