Shaver Hall brings the automat back to Fifth Avenue, with brie, martinis, and Midtown glamour (opens in new tab)

At its height in midcentury New York, the automat was less a restaurant than a small miracle of urban design. Made famous by Horn & Hardart, with its gleaming walls of glass-fronted compartments, it allowed New Yorkers to slip coins into a slot, open a little door, and retrieve coffee, pie, sandwiches, or a warm...