The Tally-Ho, nee White Peacock, a Classic Washington Tearoom
In the 19th century, restaurants were a male bastion, places established by and for men where they could socialize among themselves—eat, drink, and smoke—without having to worry about behaving properly in mixed company. Women were largely shut out, except for designated rooms separate from the main dining areas where they could eat only if accompanied by a husband or other male chaperon. By the beginning of the 20th century, a radical transformation occurred, leading to a much more casual and welcoming environment. Much of this transformation can be attributed to the aesthetic and social choices of pioneering women who opened tearooms in the 1910s and 1920s, eateries that influenced both the cuisine and the décor of restaurants for decades to come. Tearooms were informal, bohemian places, often designed and operated independently by women and set in old farmhouses, mills, or stables. The tearoom concept emphasized light, alcohol-free, casual eating and socializing in a cozy, home-like
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