Itinerary

12 hours in the West Loop

A full-day walking itinerary built for first-time visitors with one open day. Breakfast at a 1923 diner, lunch at the Bonci pizza counter, an afternoon at WNDR Museum, dinner on Randolph Restaurant Row, and a nightcap on Soho House's public ground floor.

For: Visitor with a full day to fill, alone or with a partner.
Length: About 12 hours, walked. · about 49 minutes of walking total

Stops

1. 1 Breakfast at Lou Mitchell's

   Greek-American diner on Jackson, open since 1923 — donut holes at the door, pancakes, omelets.

   565 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL, 60661

2. ↓ 9-minute walk

   2 Wander Chicago French Market

   European-style food hall under Ogilvie — 30+ vendors, samples, coffee for the road.

   131 N Clinton St 1, Chicago, IL, 60661

3. ↓ 10-minute walk

   3 Lunch at Bonci Roman-style pizza

   Pizza al taglio counter on Randolph — point at what you want, sold by weight.

   161 N Sangamon St 1st, Chicago, IL, 60607

4. ↓ 8-minute walk

   4 Afternoon at WNDR Museum

   Interactive light, sound, and digital-art installations — plan ~90 minutes.

   1130 W Monroe St 1 and 2, Chicago, IL, 60607

5. ↓ 9-minute walk

   5 Coffee break at Sawada

   Specialty coffee bar tucked inside Green Street Smoked Meats — quick reset before evening.

   112 N Green St, Chicago, IL, 60607

6. ↓ 7-minute walk

   6 Distillery tour at CH

   Working distillery on Fulton Market — public tour with tasting, about 45 minutes.

   564 W Randolph St 1st&bsmt, Chicago, IL, 60661

7. ↓ 1-minute walk

   7 Dinner at Avec

   Mediterranean small plates on Randolph from One Off Hospitality — bar walk-ins easier than the dining room.

   615 W Randolph St Ll-3rd FL, Chicago, IL, 60661

8. ↓ 5-minute walk

   8 Nightcap at Soho House public bar

   Ground-floor restaurant + bar at Chicken & Farm Shop is open to non-members.

   113-125 N Green St Bsmt - 6th, Chicago, IL, 60607

Frequently asked questions

What if Avec is fully booked?

The bar at Avec takes walk-ins; otherwise El Che Steakhouse, Bar Tutto, or Alla Vita on Randolph all take same-day reservations more often than the marquee tasting rooms.

Can I shorten this to a half-day?

Yes — skip the morning (Lou Mitchell's + French Market) and start at Bonci for lunch. Or skip the evening (distillery + dinner + nightcap) and end with WNDR. Either half is about 5 hours.

Is the walking manageable?

The whole loop stays within roughly a 0.7-mile radius. Total walking is about 2 miles spread across the day — comfortable for most fitness levels.

Itinerary stops link through to each business's full page; walking times are computed at build time from coordinates. The /itineraries hub lists all available themed sequences.