The Un-Tea Afternoon Apéro at Sofitel Chicago is a pleasant and relatively affordable alternative to some of the pricier afternoon tea options in the Gold Coast. There’s a lot to like about this French-inspired service, including friendly staff and the fact that $55 will get you a tower of treats, plus scones, macarons, and an individual pot of tea to sip on in a very laid-back setting. Eating in the restaurant right off the hotel check-in desk isn’t quite as opulent as other tea venues, and you’ll be pouring your tea yourself. But you can still cosplay as a dowager by leaning into the “un-tea” theme and opting for a champagne add-on to go with the assortment of excellent truffle cream choux puffs, buttery foie gras sandwiches, and fantastically rich earl grey chocolate cake.