Meli Cafe
20 min walk
from 311 S Wacker
6 min bike
via downtown streets
1601 m / 5253 ft
straight-line distance
71 places
within a 5-min walk
Meli Cafe is a restaurant at 540 North Wells Street, about 1601 m (20 min walk) from 311 South Wacker Drive. It is known for American fare. It's a convenient pick for lunch near the Willis Tower or dinner after work in the Chicago Loop.
Meli Cafe sits in River North. The nearest CTA 'L' stop is Merchandise Mart (Brown & Purple lines), about a 5-minute walk, and Union Station's Metra and Amtrak trains are 19 minutes away on foot — so reaching it without a car is easy.
Hearty American cooking fits the Loop's rhythm — quick lunches for the office crowd, comfort-food dinners before a show.
Map & Location
Dashed line shows the straight-line route to 311 South Wacker Drive (1601 m · ~20 min walk).
Getting to Meli Cafe
From 311 South Wacker Drive
Head north — it's about 1601 m on foot (20 min at a city pace). The dashed line on the map above shows the direction.
By 'L' Train
Ride to Merchandise Mart (Brown & Purple lines); from the platform exit it's roughly a 5-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 19 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 210 N Wells Self Park, about 8 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 Riverwalk | 600 m | 8 min walk |
| Chicago Theatre | 891 m | 11 min walk |
| Millennium Park (Cloud Gate) | 1358 m | 17 min walk |
| Willis Tower & Skydeck | 1436 m | 18 min walk |
| Union Station | 1535 m | 19 min walk |
| Chicago Board of Trade | 1549 m | 19 min walk |
| The Art Institute of Chicago | 1612 m | 20 min walk |
| Navy Pier | 2129 m | 27 min walk |
| Buckingham Fountain | 2186 m | 27 min walk |
Everyday Essentials Near Meli Cafe
| Nearest coffee | Starbucks | 5 min walk |
| Nearest pharmacy | CVS Pharmacy | 4 min walk |
| Nearest bank branch | Chase | 1 min walk |
| Nearest public garage | 210 N Wells Self Park | 8 min walk |
| Nearest print/ship shop | The UPS Store | 2 min walk |
| Nearest dry cleaner | Kinzie Cleaners | 12 min walk |
Within a 5-Minute Walk of Meli Cafe
Live counts from this directory — every link is a full detail page.
- 39 hotels: River North Private Deck With In and Out Parking, River North Rooftop With In and Out Parking 5, River North Rooftop With In and Out Parking 6, Moxy Chicago Downtown (+35 more)
- 2 cafes: Starbucks, Big Shoulders Coffee
- 8 bars: The Library, Enolo Wine Cafe, Gilt Bar, The Baton Show Lounge (+4 more)
- 1 attractions: Zolla/Libermann Gallery
- 2 entertainment: Sound Bar, Celeste
- 2 health & wellness: Thread Away, LaserAway
- 2 banks: Chase, Chase
- 3 pharmacies: CVS Pharmacy, CVS Pharmacy, Walgreens
- 1 print shops: The UPS Store
- 2 corporate services: Spaces, Fort Dearborn Post Office
The Neighborhood: River North
North of the Chicago River, River North mixes gallery-district polish with big-energy nightlife. Steakhouses, rooftop bars, design showrooms and the Merchandise Mart sit within a few minutes' walk of the Magnificent Mile's shopping.
Staying Overnight? Hotels Near Meli Cafe
The closest guest-rated hotels to this spot — live photos and ratings via Booking.com.
★ 10/10 · 1 reviews · 1 min walk from here
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★ 10/10 · 1 reviews · 1 min walk from here
Check Rates
★ 10/10 · 1 reviews · 1 min walk from here
Check RatesMake an Outing of It
A visit to Meli Cafe pairs naturally with the blocks around it. Then start with Zolla/Libermann Gallery (5 min away). Then continue with The Library (4 min away). Then continue with Starbucks (5 min away). All three have full detail pages in this directory with maps and walking times.
Good to Know: Local Tips
Lunch downtown peaks sharply from noon to 1pm on weekdays — arrive before 11:45am or after 1:15pm to skip the office rush. For dinner, remember that much of the Loop quiets after 8pm outside theatre nights, while the West Loop and River North stay lively later.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far is Meli Cafe from 311 South Wacker Drive? +
Meli Cafe is about 1601 meters from 311 South Wacker Drive — roughly a 20-minute walk through downtown Chicago.
What is the nearest CTA 'L' station to Meli Cafe? +
The closest 'L' stop is Merchandise Mart (Brown & Purple lines), about 362 m away — a 5-minute walk.
What else is within a short walk of Meli Cafe? +
Within about five minutes on foot you'll find 11 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 Restaurants Nearby
Lou Malnati's Pizzeria
439 North Wells Street
18 min from 311 S Wacker
Maggiano's Little Italy
516 North Clark Street
20 min from 311 S Wacker
McDonald's
600 North Clark Street
22 min from 311 S Wacker
Hooters
660 North Wells Street
23 min from 311 S Wacker
Portillo's
100 West Ontario Street
23 min from 311 S Wacker
Frontera Grill
445 North Clark Street
19 min from 311 S Wacker
Other Places Near Meli Cafe
Thread Away
500 North Wells Street
19 min from 311 S Wacker Health & Wellness
Chase
230 West Grand Avenue
20 min from 311 S Wacker Banks
River North Private Deck With In and Out Parking
153 West Ohio Street
21 min from 311 S Wacker Hotels
River North Rooftop With In and Out Parking 5
153 West Ohio Street
21 min from 311 S Wacker Hotels
River North Rooftop With In and Out Parking 6
153 West Ohio Street
21 min from 311 S Wacker Hotels
Moxy Chicago Downtown
530 North LaSalle Drive
20 min from 311 S Wacker Hotels