The classic lounge-style cocktail menu reminds me of places my grandparents would visit

The Commodore in Williamsburg is one of the few places for a light-night meal. I ordered the classic hot breast.

The table setting at 456 Shanghai

We stopped in at 456 Shanghai in Chinatown for soup dumplings and more.

Montano’s in North Truro on Cape Cod combines a classic red sauce menu with abundant seafood.

Fried cheese drizzled with honey

We had a big dinner of little plates at Au Za’atar in the East Village.

Few restaurant chains are memorable enough to have their legacy outlast their operations. Howard Johnson’s is the rare exception, in part because their unique buildings remained identifiable icons long after a location closed. Anthony Mitchell Sammarco looks into this rich history in A History of Howard Johnson’s: How a Massachusetts Soda Fountain Became an American Icon.