Michigan import Eli Tea Bar is a sober-friendly nightlife alternative in Andersonville, with an LGBTQ-friendly atmosphere (including drag queen bingo), late hours, and an extensive menu of 100 loose-leaf teas and blends from all over the world. Owner Eli Majid studied botany and uses that background to mix drinks. There are also pastries from Spoke & Bird and samosas from Tasting India.

This cozy cafe in Uptown serves sweet and loose leaf teas in a storefront filled with plants and antique furniture. First Sip also hosts musical performances and community events, such as Lunar New Year celebrations.

Backlot Coffee, which now counts three locations (two in Evanston and one in Old Irving Park), serves brews mostly made from Rare Tea Cellar teas. And for those keen on unique tea-based beverages, pop in to try the lavender-imbued matcha, sweetened with a house-made lavender syrup. There’s also the chai option, made from a chai concentrate, chai spice-infused steamed milk, and — for an extra rush — make it “dirty” with a double shot of espresso.

Chiya is the place for chai fans. This modest Nepalese cafe in Logan Square serves more than 150 different combinations, with classic and creative flavors like masala and cardamom to “Salty Pink Himalayan” with almond butter. Order some momos (dumplings) to eat on the side. 

Hugo Tea in Bucktown offers loose leaf teas from China and Japan, all individually brewed by “teatenders” who are well-versed in traditional methods. Sign up for gongfu tea ceremonies or private tastings of limited edition and seasonal special teas.

Served in the heart of the hotel, the Lobby at the Peninsula offers afternoon tea daily from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and from 3:30 to 5 p.m. on Sunday ($85 per person, or $98 with a glass of Champagne). The house tea brand of choice is Le Palais des Thés, served alongside scones, tea sandwiches, and small desserts. 

Pavilion at the Langham offers daily afternoon tea service, with tea sandwiches and scones served beside jam and clotted cream served on Wedgewood china. Brews are not outsourced; instead the hotel commands its own proprietary brand with 25 unique blends. From time to time the property also offers specially-curated afternoon tea sessions, including a special for Valentine’s Day.

Though sleek micro roaster Metric might be best known for its excellent coffee, the tea program here is also one of the city’s best. The team carefully sources its teas from Spirit Tea, offering a mix of whites, blacks, greens, and matcha. Unsurprisingly, their matcha has been the biggest seller lately, available both as a steamed latte and as a shaken iced drink. 

It’s no surprise that Kumiko, Julia Momose’s Japanese cocktail den in the West Loop, is big into tea. Momose is sourcing all of her teas from a single, family-owned plantation in Hoshinomura, a village located in Fukuoka’s Yame District (an area famous for green tea production). Flavors include gyokuro, kukicha, oolong, hojicha, and kodemari matcha. The latter of which she’s also using in a warm dessert cocktail, the “Matcha Miruku,” with shochu, cashew nut milk, and honey. Those looking to go caffeine-free can choose from tisanes such as red chai and emperor’s chamomile.

With its fireplace and comfortable furniture, Drawing Room at the Chicago Athletic Association hotel is one of the city’s coziest places to sip tea during colder months. Here, the team worked with Rare Tea Cellar to draft a menu of unique and seasonal teas, and right now guests can choose from options like emperor’s house chai, magnolia blossom oolong, and royal chamomile mint. Meanwhile, rooftop bar Cindy’s also sources its teas via Rare Tea Cellar, and those brews flavor drinks both boozy and alcohol-free.

Find milk tea and other beverages at this East Asian tea parlor situated in Little Italy. Living Water Tea House sports a unique mission and even allows customers to book their own tea ceremonies, a unique way to sip tea and learn about Chinese traditions. Not only does the tea deliver, but ownership is very particularly about the vessels — tea is only as good as the equipment it’s made and served in — and the pots and cups at Living Water are something to behold.

Since it opened in 2020, this family-owned Auburn Gresham cafe has become a community hub with weekly open mics. It also serves both hot and iced tea, chai, and matcha, plus a variety of blended drink specials.