Meli Cafe
11 min walk
from 311 S Wacker
4 min bike
via downtown streets
884 m / 2900 ft
straight-line distance
33 places
within a 5-min walk
Meli Cafe is a restaurant at 301 South Halsted Street, about 884 m (11 min walk) from 311 South Wacker Drive. It is known for Greek cuisine, juices and smoothies, brunch. It's a convenient pick for lunch near the Willis Tower or dinner after work in the Chicago Loop.
Meli Cafe sits in Greektown / West Loop. The nearest CTA 'L' stop is UIC-Halsted (Blue line), about a 4-minute walk, and Union Station's Metra and Amtrak trains are 7 minutes away on foot — so reaching it without a car is easy.
Chicago's Greek food tradition centers on nearby Greektown, where flaming saganaki was famously popularized — opa!
Map & Location
Dashed line shows the straight-line route to 311 South Wacker Drive (884 m · ~11 min walk).
Getting to Meli Cafe
From 311 South Wacker Drive
Head west — it's about 884 m on foot (11 min at a city pace). The dashed line on the map above shows the direction.
By 'L' Train
Ride to UIC-Halsted (Blue line); from the platform exit it's roughly a 4-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 7 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 Presidential Towers Garage, about 6 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
| Union Station | 573 m | 7 min walk |
| Willis Tower & Skydeck | 937 m | 12 min walk |
| Chicago Board of Trade | 1219 m | 15 min walk |
| Chicago Riverwalk | 1776 m | 22 min walk |
| Chicago Theatre | 1850 m | 23 min walk |
| The Art Institute of Chicago | 1950 m | 24 min walk |
| Millennium Park (Cloud Gate) | 2047 m | 26 min walk |
| Buckingham Fountain | 2348 m | 29 min walk |
| Navy Pier | 3547 m | 44 min walk |
Everyday Essentials Near Meli Cafe
| Nearest coffee | Artopolis | 1 min walk |
| Nearest pharmacy | Walgreens | 3 min walk |
| Nearest bank branch | Chase | 6 min walk |
| Nearest public garage | Presidential Towers Garage | 6 min walk |
| Nearest print/ship shop | The UPS Store | 3 min walk |
| Nearest dry cleaner | Clean As A Whistle Cleaners | 3 min walk |
Within a 5-Minute Walk of Meli Cafe
Live counts from this directory — every link is a full detail page.
- 14 hotels: Chicago Parthenon Hostel, Sonder Greektown, W Loop 2BR w Gym Pool in heart of Greektown CHI-561, W Loop 1BR w Gym Pool in heart of Greektown CHI-530 (+10 more)
- 2 cafes: Artopolis, Stan's Donuts & Coffee
- 1 attractions: National Hellenic Museum
- 1 health & wellness: Midwest Express Clinic
- 1 pharmacies: Walgreens
- 3 dry cleaners: Clean As A Whistle Cleaners, Capitol Cleaners, Monroe Cleaners
- 2 print shops: The UPS Store, The UPS Store
The Neighborhood: Greektown / West Loop
Greektown's stretch of Halsted Street has served saganaki and souvlaki since the 1960s, and the surrounding West Loop blocks add modern restaurants, bakeries and the National Hellenic Museum. It's a flavorful, walkable pocket just west of the expressway from downtown.
Staying Overnight? Hotels Near Meli Cafe
The closest guest-rated hotels to this spot — live photos and ratings via Booking.com.
★ 5.5/10 · 2 reviews · 2 min walk from here
Check Rates
★ 10/10 · 2 reviews · 2 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 National Hellenic Museum (1 min away). Then continue with Stelios Bottles & Bites (7 min away). Then continue with Artopolis (1 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 884 meters from 311 South Wacker Drive — roughly a 11-minute walk through downtown Chicago.
What is the nearest CTA 'L' station to Meli Cafe? +
The closest 'L' stop is UIC-Halsted (Blue line), about 325 m away — a 4-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
Xi'an Cuisine
769 West Jackson Boulevard
11 min from 311 S Wacker
9 Muses Bar & Grill
315 South Halsted Street
11 min from 311 S Wacker
Athena Greek Restaurant
212 South Halsted Street
12 min from 311 S Wacker
Greek Islands
200 South Halsted Street
12 min from 311 S Wacker
Giordano's Pizzeria
815 West Van Buren Street
12 min from 311 S Wacker
So Gong Dong Tofu & Korean BBQ
711 West Jackson Boulevard
8 min from 311 S Wacker
Other Places Near Meli Cafe
Artopolis
306 South Halsted Street
11 min from 311 S Wacker Cafes
Chicago Parthenon Hostel
310 South Halsted Street
11 min from 311 S Wacker Hotels
Sonder Greektown
314 South Halsted Street
11 min from 311 S Wacker Hotels
National Hellenic Museum
333 South Halsted Street
11 min from 311 S Wacker Attractions
W Loop 2BR W Gym Pool in Heart of Greektown CHI-561
808 W Van Buren St
12 min from 311 S Wacker Hotels
W Loop 1BR W Gym Pool in Heart of Greektown CHI-530
808 W Van Buren St
12 min from 311 S Wacker Hotels