Graham and I went on a day date over the weekend for Valentine’s Day and my birthday. I have wanted to check out the Starbucks Reserve Roastery Chicago on Michigan Avenue since it opened in 2019, and it finally seemed like the perfect opportunity.
We parked in the Interpark garage at 50 E. Ohio Street, for which Starbucks will validate your parking. The rate is $12 for up to four hours of parking. From the garage it’s a short walk to the roastery. When you walk into the roastery you immediately see the large clacker board and roaster. A 56-foot cask stands as the centerpiece of the roastery.
The Starbucks Reserve Roastery was busy on a Sunday morning. Every table in the four-story building was taken and each coffee/cocktail bar had a line. There was also a private event happening on one of the floors. The process to order was still quick on the first floor, where we purchased pastries to go with our coffee. By the way, coffees come in different cups than you would get at a normal Starbucks, and the pastries are packaged in nice white-and-black paper bags. Mine also came in a box.
Retail areas are located throughout the building where you can buy things like coffee mugs, coffee beans, and other gifts. The second floor contains an Italian bakery created by Rocco Princi. The third floor is where you can visit the experiential coffee bar. According to Starbucks, “through exploratory brew methods and origin-driven storytelling, the Experiential Coffee Bar offers an engaging moment for those looking to deepen their coffee knowledge.”
The fourth floor is where you can grab cocktails at an impressive bar and order “spirit-free barrel-aged coffee creations.” The fifth floor is a roof terrace with city views.
