Intelligentsia Coffee
Photo: User:TonyTheTiger · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via Wikimedia Commons — see photo credits
15 min walk
from 311 S Wacker
5 min bike
via downtown streets
1167 m / 3829 ft
straight-line distance
95 places
within a 5-min walk
Intelligentsia Coffee is a cafe / coffee shop at 53 East Randolph Street, about 1167 m (15 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.
Intelligentsia Coffee sits in the Chicago Loop. The nearest CTA 'L' stop is State/Lake (Brown, Green, Orange, Purple & Pink lines), 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.
Chicago's coffee culture punches above its weight, with hometown roasters pulling shots alongside the national chains.
Map & Location
Dashed line shows the straight-line route to 311 South Wacker Drive (1167 m · ~15 min walk).
Getting to Intelligentsia Coffee
From 311 South Wacker Drive
Head northeast — it's about 1167 m on foot (15 min at a city pace). The dashed line on the map above shows the direction.
By 'L' Train
Ride to State/Lake (Brown, Green, Orange, Purple & Pink lines); 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 Wabash-Randolph Parking Garage, about 1 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
| Chicago Theatre | 188 m | 2 min walk |
| Millennium Park (Cloud Gate) | 281 m | 4 min walk |
| Chicago Riverwalk | 482 m | 6 min walk |
| The Art Institute of Chicago | 559 m | 7 min walk |
| Chicago Board of Trade | 900 m | 11 min walk |
| Willis Tower & Skydeck | 1030 m | 13 min walk |
| Buckingham Fountain | 1114 m | 14 min walk |
| Union Station | 1352 m | 17 min walk |
| Navy Pier | 1648 m | 21 min walk |
Everyday Essentials Near Intelligentsia Coffee
| Nearest pharmacy | Walgreens | 2 min walk |
| Nearest bank branch | Chase | 1 min walk |
| Nearest public garage | Wabash-Randolph Parking Garage | 1 min walk |
| Nearest print/ship shop | The UPS Store | 6 min walk |
| Nearest dry cleaner | Plymouth Court Cleaners | 13 min walk |
Within a 5-Minute Walk of Intelligentsia Coffee
Live counts from this directory — every link is a full detail page.
- 38 hotels: Premier Penthouses and Apartment with Captivating Views of Millennium Park, Arlo Chicago, Manilow Suites at Millennium Park Plaza, Blueground The Loop pool gym nr park CHI-1187 (+34 more)
- 9 restaurants: Giordano's Pizzeria, Atwood, Wildberry Pancakes and Cafe, Morton's The Steakhouse (+5 more)
- 3 bars: Elephant & Castle, The Row Tavern, City Winery at the Chicago Riverwalk
- 8 attractions: We Will Chicago, Cow, American Writers Museum, Museum of Illusions (+4 more)
- 10 entertainment: Chicago Cultural Center, Chicago Theatre, Gene Siskel Film Center, AMC Dine-In Block 37 (+6 more)
- 3 health & wellness: Strobel Dentistry, Kraff Eye Institute, First Ascent Block 37
- 7 parking: Wabash-Randolph Parking Garage, 60 East Lake Self Park, Hotel Parking, Grant Park North Garage (+3 more)
- 4 banks: Chase, U.S. Bank, Bank of America, Chase
- 5 pharmacies: Walgreens, Walgreens, CVS Pharmacy, Walgreens (+1 more)
- 1 corporate services: DHL
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 Intelligentsia Coffee
The closest guest-rated hotels to this spot — live photos and ratings via Booking.com.
★ 9.2/10 · 10 reviews · 1 min walk from here
Check Rates
Make an Outing of It
A visit to Intelligentsia Coffee pairs naturally with the blocks around it. Then start with We Will Chicago (1 min away). Then continue with Elephant & Castle (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 Intelligentsia Coffee from 311 South Wacker Drive? +
Intelligentsia Coffee is about 1167 meters from 311 South Wacker Drive — roughly a 15-minute walk through downtown Chicago.
What is the nearest CTA 'L' station to Intelligentsia Coffee? +
The closest 'L' stop is State/Lake (Brown, Green, Orange, Purple & Pink lines), about 220 m away — a 3-minute walk.
What else is within a short walk of Intelligentsia Coffee? +
Within about five minutes on foot you'll find 16 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
Stan's Donuts & Coffee
181 North Michigan Avenue
17 min from 311 S Wacker
Starbucks
108 North State Street
12 min from 311 S Wacker
Stan's Donuts & Coffee
15 West Washington Street
11 min from 311 S Wacker
Fairgrounds Coffee and Tea
12 South Michigan Avenue
14 min from 311 S Wacker
Do-Rite Donuts & Coffee
50 West Randolph Street
12 min from 311 S Wacker
Corner Bakery
56 West Randolph Street
12 min from 311 S Wacker
Other Places Near Intelligentsia Coffee
Premier Penthouses and Apartment with Captivating Views of Millennium Park
60 East Randolph Street
15 min from 311 S Wacker Hotels
We Will Chicago
Downtown Chicago
15 min from 311 S Wacker Attractions
Chase
Downtown Chicago
16 min from 311 S Wacker Banks
Chicago Cultural Center
78 East Washington Street
15 min from 311 S Wacker Entertainment
Wabash-Randolph Parking Garage
20-32 East Randolph Street
14 min from 311 S Wacker Parking
Arlo Chicago
168 North Michigan Avenue
16 min from 311 S Wacker Hotels