Fairgrounds Coffee and Tea
14 min walk
from 311 S Wacker
4 min bike
via downtown streets
1088 m / 3570 ft
straight-line distance
71 places
within a 5-min walk
Fairgrounds Coffee and Tea is a cafe / coffee shop at 12 South Michigan Avenue, about 1088 m (14 min walk) from 311 South Wacker Drive — a handy stop for espresso, coffee meetings, or a quiet break near the Willis Tower and the Loop's office towers.
Fairgrounds Coffee and Tea sits in the Chicago Loop. The nearest CTA 'L' stop is Monroe (Red) (Red line), about a 3-minute walk, and Union Station's Metra and Amtrak trains are 17 minutes away on foot — so reaching it without a car is easy.
Map & Location
Dashed line shows the straight-line route to 311 South Wacker Drive (1088 m · ~14 min walk).
Getting to Fairgrounds Coffee and Tea
From 311 South Wacker Drive
Head northeast — it's about 1088 m on foot (14 min at a city pace). The dashed line on the map above shows the direction.
By 'L' Train
Ride to Monroe (Red) (Red line); from the platform exit it's roughly a 3-minute walk. A Ventra card or contactless bank card works on all CTA trains and buses.
From Union Station (Metra / Amtrak)
Exit toward Jackson Boulevard and walk 17 minutes; taxis and rideshare pickups are on Canal Street.
From the Airports
O'Hare: CTA Blue line to the Loop (~45 min) or 30–60 min by car. Midway: CTA Orange line to the Loop (~25 min) or about 20–30 min by car.
If You're Driving
The nearest public garage in this directory is Grant Park North Garage, about 2 min away on foot — reserve ahead through a parking app for the best rate, or see the 311 S Wacker parking guide.
Walking Times to Chicago Landmarks
| Millennium Park (Cloud Gate) | 155 m | 2 min walk |
| The Art Institute of Chicago | 253 m | 3 min walk |
| Chicago Theatre | 484 m | 6 min walk |
| Chicago Riverwalk | 768 m | 10 min walk |
| Chicago Board of Trade | 771 m | 10 min walk |
| Buckingham Fountain | 818 m | 10 min walk |
| Willis Tower & Skydeck | 984 m | 12 min walk |
| Union Station | 1339 m | 17 min walk |
| Navy Pier | 1732 m | 22 min walk |
Everyday Essentials Near Fairgrounds Coffee and Tea
| Nearest pharmacy | Walgreens | 2 min walk |
| Nearest bank branch | U.S. Bank | 3 min walk |
| Nearest public garage | Grant Park North Garage | 2 min walk |
| Nearest print/ship shop | The UPS Store | 3 min walk |
| Nearest dry cleaner | Plymouth Court Cleaners | 10 min walk |
Within a 5-Minute Walk of Fairgrounds Coffee and Tea
Live counts from this directory — every link is a full detail page.
- 15 hotels: Chicago Athletic Association Hotel, University Club of Chicago, LIVN Millennium Park Downtown Chicago Superior 1BR, LIVN Millennium Park Downtown Chicago Studio (+11 more)
- 13 restaurants: The Gage, Naf Naf Grill, Garrett Popcorn Shops, Russian Tea Time (+9 more)
- 3 bars: The Row Tavern, Lobby Bar at Palmer House, 2Twenty2 Tavern
- 12 attractions: Pritzker Military Museum & Library, Large Interior Form, Cloud Gate, Cubi VII (+8 more)
- 6 entertainment: Chicago Cultural Center, Jay Pritzker Pavilion, Symphony Center, Joan W. and Irving B. Harris Theater for Music and Dance (+2 more)
- 2 health & wellness: Strobel Dentistry, Kraff Eye Institute
- 4 parking: Grant Park North Garage, Millennium Garage, Adams-Wabash Self Park, Wabash-Randolph Parking Garage
- 4 banks: U.S. Bank, Chase, Bank of America, Bank of America
- 4 pharmacies: Walgreens, CVS Pharmacy, Walgreens, CVS Pharmacy
- 1 print shops: The UPS Store
The Neighborhood: The Chicago Loop
The Loop is Chicago's beating heart — the elevated trains that give the district its name rattle overhead past century-old skyscrapers, LaSalle Street's canyon of banks, State Street's flagship stores and the Theatre District's glowing marquees. By day it hums with office workers; by evening the riverfront, Millennium Park and dozens of restaurants keep it alive.
Staying Overnight? Hotels Near Fairgrounds Coffee and Tea
The closest guest-rated hotels to this spot — live photos and ratings via Booking.com.
★ 8.2/10 · 221 reviews · 1 min walk from here
Check Rates
★ 9.4/10 · 17 reviews · 1 min walk from here
Check Rates
★ 8.5/10 · 44 reviews · 1 min walk from here
Check RatesMake an Outing of It
A visit to Fairgrounds Coffee and Tea pairs naturally with the blocks around it. Then start with Pritzker Military Museum & Library (2 min away). Then continue with The Row Tavern (2 min away). All three have full detail pages in this directory with maps and walking times.
Good to Know: Local Tips
Loop coffee culture runs on office hours: expect the longest lines 8–9:30am on weekdays and easy seating after 2pm. Many downtown cafes close by late afternoon and keep shorter weekend hours, so check before making a special trip.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far is Fairgrounds Coffee and Tea from 311 South Wacker Drive? +
Fairgrounds Coffee and Tea is about 1088 meters from 311 South Wacker Drive — roughly a 14-minute walk through downtown Chicago.
What is the nearest CTA 'L' station to Fairgrounds Coffee and Tea? +
The closest 'L' stop is Monroe (Red) (Red line), about 277 m away — a 3-minute walk.
What else is within a short walk of Fairgrounds Coffee and Tea? +
Within about five minutes on foot you'll find 20 other places to eat or grab coffee, plus more bars, shops and attractions — see the "within a 5-minute walk" section on this page.
More Cafes & Coffee Shops Nearby
Starbucks
200 South Michigan Avenue
13 min from 311 S Wacker
Starbucks
17 East Monroe Street
10 min from 311 S Wacker
Intelligentsia Coffee
53 East Randolph Street
15 min from 311 S Wacker
Stan's Donuts & Coffee
15 West Washington Street
11 min from 311 S Wacker
Starbucks
108 North State Street
12 min from 311 S Wacker
Stan's Donuts & Coffee
181 North Michigan Avenue
17 min from 311 S Wacker
Other Places Near Fairgrounds Coffee and Tea
Chicago Athletic Association Hotel
12 South Michigan Avenue
13 min from 311 S Wacker Hotels
The Gage
24 South Michigan Avenue
13 min from 311 S Wacker Restaurants
University Club of Chicago
76 East Monroe Street
13 min from 311 S Wacker Hotels
LIVN Millennium Park Downtown Chicago Superior 1BR
19 South Wabash Avenue
12 min from 311 S Wacker Hotels
LIVN Millennium Park Downtown Chicago Studio
19 South Wabash Avenue
12 min from 311 S Wacker Hotels
LIVN Millennium Park Downtown Chicago 1 BR
19 South Wabash Avenue
12 min from 311 S Wacker Hotels