Anna Lyon Tea Shop

Culled from: Drury, John. Dining in Chicago, New York: The John Day Company, 1931, p. 214.

Note: The Newberry Library holds the personal papers of author John Drury.

Always an eating place for students at the nearby University of Chicago, the Anna Lyon Tea Shop has in recent months been the rendezvous of a south side literary crowd centering around John T. Frederick, editor of The Midland magazine and author of several novels, and Mrs. Frederick. They foregather at a "round table" in the rear of the establishment and, over many cups of coffee, discuss the present state of literature and other allied topics — all of which 'is quite in the Parisian tradition of cafe life. And not only writers, but artists and others interested in the seven arts are at the table. Of course, they do not all come together at any one time but there is always a crowd present and the discussions invariably are animated.

The poets seem to predominate — Mark Turbyfill author of "The Living Frieze"; George Dillon, who wrote "Boy in the Wind"; Jun Fujita, the Japanese poet who penned "Tanka"; and Gladys Campbell and Elder Olson, who contribute to Harriet Monroe's Poetry magazine. Other writers and intellectuals include J. Z. Jacobson, R. L. Sergei, Marion Neville, James T. Farrell, John Sullivan, Frank Malloy, H. D. Roberts, Ruth Jameson, Llewellyn Jones, Mary Hunter and Susan Wilbur. Among the artists are Charles Biesel, George Josimovich, Frances Strain, Fred Biesel, Emil Armin, and Vladimir Janowicz. A decorative feature of the restaurant is the oil paintings which adorn the walls, done by Clifford Lyon, son of the proprietoress. Dinners at the Anna Lyon Tea Shop are 50, 65 and 75 cents and the food is fresh and wholesome.