Tea Rooms in Illinois
8 verified tea rooms and tea houses across 4 cities — from formal afternoon tea to traditional gongfu service.
8 tea rooms
Madame Zuzu's
$$Highland Park
Established in 2012 in Highland Park, Madame Zuzu's is a tea house, café, and vinyl record shop with a live performance stage — 'where music meets ritual.' The shop serves and sells hand-selected premium teas, including aged pu-erhs, ceremonial-grade matcha, and house blends curated by owners Billy Corgan and Chloé Mendel.
Palm Court at The Drake Hotel
$$$$Gold Coast · Chicago
Afternoon tea has been served in the Drake's Palm Court for nearly a century, making it Chicago's quintessential Magnificent Mile tea experience. Tea arrives in individual pots alongside a traditional three-tiered tray of artisanal finger sandwiches, from-scratch scones with house-made preserves and Devon cream, and petit fours. A live harpist plays on weekends.
Pavilion at The Langham, Chicago
$$$$Chicago
The Langham's signature afternoon tea — a tradition that debuted at The Langham, London in 1865 — is served Friday through Sunday in the Pavilion, under a soaring ceiling with river and city views. Guests choose from proprietary Langham tea blends served with sweet and savory bites, and live classical music accompanies weekend service.
Russian Tea Time
$$$The Loop · Chicago
A Loop landmark across from the Art Institute, Russian Tea Time has been a beloved Chicago culinary destination for over thirty years, founded in 1993 by a family of immigrants from Uzbekistan. The restaurant serves dishes from the diverse regions of Eastern Europe and Central Asia and offers a daily afternoon tea service from 11 AM to 4:30 PM.
Saint's Alp Teahouse and Gourmet
$$Chinatown · Chicago
A sit-down Taiwanese teahouse in Chinatown Square specializing in authentic tea alongside Taiwanese and Chinese cuisine. The menu pairs a broad tea and bubble tea list with hot pot, dumplings, and pan-Asian comfort dishes, open daily until 9 PM.
TeaLula
$$Park Ridge
A Park Ridge loose leaf tea shop and tea room operating since 2008, stocking white, green, oolong, black, puer, herbal, and matcha teas alongside teaware. Afternoon tea is served by reservation Friday through Sunday from 11:30 AM to 2 PM, and the shop runs a tea tasting club for regulars.
The Lobby at The Peninsula Chicago
$$$$Magnificent Mile · Chicago
The Peninsula Chicago serves a seasonal afternoon tea in The Lobby, its grand ground-floor restaurant, with themed seatings offered Friday through Sunday. The menu changes seasonally and features traditional scones, tea sandwiches, and desserts, with live music accompanying service. Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, and children's afternoon teas are available.
Todd & Holland Tea Merchants
$$Forest Park
A longstanding west-suburban tea merchant on Madison Street in Forest Park with an extensive selection of black, green, oolong, white, and herbal teas plus matcha and iced tea blends. The shop also carries teapots, infusers, mugs, and tea gift sets.