{{Use American English|date=July 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}} {{Infobox NRHP | name = Lincoln Park, South Pond Refectory | nrhp_type = | designated_other1 = Chicago Landmark | designated_other1_date = February 5, 2003 | image = Cafe Brauer in Chicago.jpg | caption = | location = 2021 N. Stockton Dr., Chicago, Illinois | coordinates = {{coord|41|55|9|N|87|38|2|W|display=inline,title}} | locmapin = Chicago#Illinois#USA | area = | built = 1908 | architect = Perkins & Hamilton | architecture = Prairie School | added = November 20, 1986 | refnum = 86003154<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|2008a}}</ref> }} '''Café Brauer''' (also known as the '''South Pond Refectory''') is a restaurant building and official landmark located in Lincoln Park in Chicago, Illinois, at the edge of the Lincoln Park Zoo. It was designed by Dwight H. Perkins and completed in 1908.
The building, known for its green roof, red bricks, second floor ballroom, and lagoon-side setting, has been called "an outstanding example of the Prairie School of architecture" and "perhaps the finest expression of Perkins' design philosophy". It was financed by the Brauer family of Chicago, who worked in the restaurant business, and was one of the most popular restaurants in Chicago during the early twentieth century.<ref name=A>Mark Rosenthal, Carol Tauber, and Edward Uhlir. ''The Ark in the Park''. University of Illinois Press, 2003. 156-157.</ref> Caspar Brauer, who died at age 68 on April 29, 1940, was the longtime proprietor of Café Brauer.<ref>"Caspar Brauer, Proprietor of Park Cafe, Dies at 68". ''Chicago Daily Tribune''. April 30, 1940. 18.</ref>
The original restaurant closed in the 1940s.<ref name=A/> In 1947, Café Brauer's second floor ballroom was opened to the public as an indoor recreation room featuring ballroom dancing for children, square dancing, and waltzing. At the time, it was announced that the facility would be renamed the Lincoln Fieldhouse.<ref>"Open Lincoln Park Building Tuesday for recreation use". ''Chicago Daily Tribune''. January 12, 1947. N1.</ref> By the 1960s, the structure was largely used for storage. Part of the second floor was used as a theater, and there was a small cafeteria on the first floor.<ref>Carol Adams. "Seek special liquor license: Lincoln Park Cafe gets widespread support". ''Chicago Tribune''. March 27, 1969. N7.</ref> A nine-member committee was chosen on October 10, 1967 by Chicago Park Board Vice-President Daniel Shannon to look into restoring the structure as a restaurant-ballroom and adding an outdoor dance pavilion.<ref>"Group to plan Cafe Brauer improvement". ''Chicago Tribune''. October 11, 1967. C8.</ref> Their project never moved forward because of restrictions on the sale of alcohol in park district facilities.<ref>Sam Smith. "Posh park cafe in trouble". ''Chicago Tribune''. September 17, 1981. NA1.</ref>
In 1987, the Lincoln Park Zoo Society began a $4.2 million restoration project.<ref name=A/> The second floor ballroom was renovated so that it could be used for private events, and the first floor was remodeled as a small family restaurant and ice cream parlor.<ref name=A/>
Café Brauer was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986,<ref name="nris"/> and it received Chicago Landmark status on February 5, 2003.<ref>[http://egov.cityofchicago.org/Landmarks/S/SouthPond.html South Pond Refectory] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100302141246/http://egov.cityofchicago.org/Landmarks/S/SouthPond.html# |date=2010-03-02 }}. City of Chicago Department of Planning and Development, Landmarks Division (2003). Retrieved on 11 December 2007.</ref>
The building is located on the site of the South Pond Refectory, a wood-frame boathouse and restaurant designed by William Le Baron Jenney which was open from 1882 until 1908.<ref name=A/> Café Brauer is sometimes called the South Pond Refectory, the primary name for the site used in its National Register nomination.
==Gallery== <gallery> File:Lincoln Park Cafe Brauer circa 1908 aka South Pond Refactory.tif|Café Brauer in 1908 file:Cafe Brauer Closeup.jpg|view from the exterior sidewalk of the atrium File:Cafe Brauer.JPG|Café Brauer from Stockton Drive File:Café Brauer with Paddle Boats.jpg|Before 2010 restoration of South Pond into a nature reserve, paddle boats could be rented File:Cafe Brauer in Chicago.jpg| South Pond and Café Brauer in 2013 File:Café Brauer at Lincoln Park Zoo Nature Boardwalk (15198501900).jpg|close-up of a porch </gallery>
==References==
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{{commons category|Café Brauer}}
{{NRHP in Chicago, Illinois}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cafe Brauer}} Category:Chicago Landmarks Category:Commercial buildings completed in 1908 Category:Commercial buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Chicago Category:1908 establishments in Illinois