Supper Clubs & Brandy Old Fashioneds
In the Midwest, supper clubs are quite common.
For those of you not from the Midwest, you may ask yourself, “What IS a supper club?”
Supper clubs, most common in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Michigan, and Ohio, can be a bit difficult to define. Back when they first opened (in the 1930s), supper clubs used to be evening entertainment destinations. You and your date would arrive and enjoy cocktails, frivolity, a nice meal, dessert, and perhaps some entertainment before calling it an evening and heading home. Nowadays, they are more or less restaurants with a higher-end image found on the outskirts of town.
According to my in-laws, supper clubs place crackers on the table instead of bread and hard alcohol is ordered at the table, not just the bar. My husband, a Wisconsin native, says “You know when you’re in a supper club when Mom can order a Golden Cadillac, and the bartender knows how to make a good Brandy Old Fashioned.”
I’m a big fan of supper clubs. Anyone who knows me can confirm that there are few things I enjoy more on a Friday or Saturday evening than getting dressed up with a fun destination in mind. There’s an old-world glamour about it all that I really enjoy.
Regardless of where you are in the States, you may be able to find a supper club near you. My advice? Try them out, find one that you like, and become a Friday night regular.
Image credit: Chuckman Chicago Nostalgia
