Best of
Best coffee shops in the West Loop, Chicago.
The West Loop has a solid spread of independent coffee shops — espresso bars tucked into office buildings, roasters with full counter service, and café-bar hybrids that pour through the evening. Below is a curated short list with every pick linking to its full business listing. Bakeries and donut shops have their own pages.
Explore by format
Independent coffee shops
Café-focused spaces with full espresso programs.
- Meddle Coffee Bar Coffee bar on West Randolph with a full espresso program.601 W Jackson Blvd 1 a, Chicago, IL, 60661
- Groundswell Coffee Roasters Independent coffee roaster with a West Loop café.1168 W Madison St 1st 2, Chicago, IL, 60607
- Ground up Cafe Cafe on West Van Buren — espresso, light food.900 W Van Buren St 1, Chicago, IL, 60607
- Orbiter Coffee Independent coffee shop in the West Loop.128 S Laflin St 308, Chicago, IL, 60607
Café-bars and all-day spots
Coffee in the morning, wine or beer later in the day.
Office-building and food-hall coffee
Counter-service espresso inside office lobbies and food halls.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the best coffee shop in the West Loop, Chicago?
- There is no single answer — for an independent roaster experience, Groundswell Coffee Roasters. For an all-day café-bar that becomes a wine bar in the evening, After. For a French café with viennoiserie, Bisous. For a no-frills espresso bar, Meddle Coffee Bar.
- Where can I work from a coffee shop in the West Loop?
- Ground Up Cafe, Meddle Coffee Bar, and Groundswell are the most-cited work-friendly cafés in the neighborhood. Many of the office-building lobby cafés also offer wifi and seating during the workday.
- Are there independent coffee shops in the West Loop?
- Yes — Meddle Coffee Bar, Groundswell Coffee Roasters, Orbiter Coffee, After, Ground Up Cafe, and Bisous are all independent. The neighborhood also has chain coffee (Starbucks, Peet's) for travelers used to those brands.
- What time do West Loop coffee shops open?
- Independent cafés open between 6 and 8 AM. Office-building lobby cafés tend to open at 6 or 7 AM on weekdays. Weekend hours typically start an hour later.
- Where can I get a really good pour-over in the West Loop?
- Groundswell Coffee Roasters specializes in single-origin pour-overs, given they're a roaster. Most of the independent shops on this list will pour you a manual brew if you ask.