The Allis | Soho House Chicago

It was Valentine’s day and Blake and I had just finished walking through the Museum of Contemporary Photography. Outside the snow showed no signs of stopping; it had already been snowing for most of the morning and at this point at least two inches were on the ground. We didn’t let it stop us though. We were playing our day by ear and at that moment we decided it would be perfect to continue girl talk over some afternoon tea. I called every place on our list to check availability; everywhere was booked. It seems everyone and their Valentine were much more proactive than me and mine. We were just about to give up when I decided to call the last on our list, The Allis. They were also fully booked but had communal tables at first come first serve and currently there was no wait. Before I was even off the phone, Blake ordered an Uber and we were on our way to the West Loop.

I didn’t have any expectations of The Allis. So far every where I’ve ever gone for afternoon tea the champagne, tea and sandwiches have never disappointed me. I’ve filed afternoon tea as one of those places you can’t mess up such as brushing your teeth (I was going to say making toast but I’ve burnt that on several occasions so that would not be the best example).

Is it best to experience something with no expectations that way you’re more likely to be pleasantly surprised or am I a complete pessimist? (I like to think the former of myself). I found myself pleasantly surprised at how much I loved The Allis. From the big windows that helped draw in so much natural light to the unique sets of furniture and the floral tableware, this place was the perfect blend of traditional and modern in an industrial space.

We happily spent hours enjoying ourselves here as the snow continued to fall outside.

 -------------------- The Interior -------------------- 

--------------------  Afternoon Tea --------------------