By Jeff Sherman OnMilwaukee.com Staff Writer Published Dec 10, 2013 at 7:28 AM

There are countless reasons to love Milwaukee.  But one that I consistently hear is that people love the blend of old and new.  I've called it modern nostalgia.  Old school in Milwaukee just works and endures.  It's awesome.

So, it's fitting to see Watts Tea Room, 761 N. Jefferson St, on Saide Stein's Food Matters list of "10 of the World's Greatest Old Dining Institutions" inside t magazine from the New York Times. 

Stein's column, "Under the Spell of Old Restaurants,"mused on the special magic of classic culinary establishments with white tablecloths and old-fashioned menus."  This list is inspired from this column. 

Here's what she had to say about the iconic East Town destination in Downtown Milwaukee. 

The Watts Tea Room
Milwaukee
Founded in 1922
The dainty ladies’ luncheons, gently-spiked "Russian coffee" and lofty Sunshine Cake at this tea salon may feel quaintly old-fashioned today, but the longtime owner George Watts was a noted progressive, an early proponent of equal-opportunity employment and an active participant in local civil rights issues. A Milwaukee institution, the business is now run by a fifth-generation Watts.

Others on the list?  Galatoire's in New Orleans, Tadich Grill in San Francisco, La Voltaire in Paris and Gay Hussar in London. 

Jeff Sherman OnMilwaukee.com Staff Writer

A life-long and passionate community leader and Milwaukeean, Jeff Sherman is a co-founder of OnMilwaukee.

He grew up in Wauwatosa and graduated from Marquette University, as a Warrior. He holds an MBA from Cardinal Stritch University, and is the founding president of Young Professionals of Milwaukee (YPM)/Fuel Milwaukee.

Early in his career, Sherman was one of youngest members of the Greater Milwaukee Committee, and currently is involved in numerous civic and community groups - including board positions at The Wisconsin Center District, Wisconsin Club and Marcus Center for the Performing Arts.  He's honored to have been named to The Business Journal's "30 under 30" and Milwaukee Magazine's "35 under 35" lists.  

He owns a condo in Downtown and lives in greater Milwaukee with his wife Stephanie, his son, Jake, and daughter Pierce. He's a political, music, sports and news junkie and thinks, for what it's worth, that all new movies should be released in theaters, on demand, online and on DVD simultaneously.

He also thinks you should read OnMilwaukee each and every day.