Starbucks Chicago Roastery Tour
DETAILS:
Location: 646 N Michigan Ave. Chicago, IL 60611
Hours of Operation:
Tours run Monday through Friday on the hour from 8AM to 6PM . Tours can be purchased via their website provided below under “resources”.
Overall hours of operation: Daily 7:30AM to 9PM (open until 10PM on Friday, Saturday & Sunday)
Parking: Multiple paid parking lots available nearby.
Up to 4 hours for $13 with validated ticket at InterPark: 50 East Ohio St
Cost:
Roastery tour for 2: $140
Roastery tour for groups of 4-12 people: $40 per adult / $15 children under 12.
Master tasting add-on: $5 (Led by a Starbucks Coffee Master, you’ll learn about brewing and beverage craft as you immerse yourself in the four tasting steps that unlock the sensory experience of select Starbucks Reserve coffee.)
Master tasting & truffle pairing add-on: $10 (The master tasting is paired with two distinctive and delicious chocolate truffles from local chocolatier: Chocolat Uzma.)
Time Commitment: The tour was approximately 1hr with the master tasing & truffle pairing add-on.
Chicago never does anything small. Built in 2019 on the grounds of the former Crate & Barrel flagship location on Chicago’s famed Magnificent Mile, The Starbucks Chicago Roastery is the largest Starbucks in the World! Self-anointed as a multi-sensory “coffee theater”, this five story - 35,000 sq ft behemoth is certainly a sight to behold, highlighted by the ornate (and functional) 56-foot steel cask that rises through the Roastery like a grand piece of art.
Before going on any further, it might be worth mentioning the differences between Starbucks’ various coffee shop designations since this was a little confusing for me at first. You obviously have your “regular” Starbucks locations that populate every fourth block in this country. Then you have Starbucks “Reserve” locations (typically annotated with an “R” in the logo) which are basically high-end versions of the shops offering more exclusive items on their menu. Then you have the “Reserve Roastery” which means they literally roast, package, and serve Starbucks Reserve Coffee on-site (in addition to being even more posh then the previous two designations). As of this post, there are only six Starbucks Roasteries in the world.
It might sound silly to take a tour of a “coffee shop”, but any fan of coffee, architecture, or just interesting things off the beaten path will surely enjoy this unique jaunt. “The tour for 2” is lead by a Starbuck’s Coffee Master (which is the equivalent of a brew master or sommelier) who will guide you through the Roastery, providing obligatory facts and figures as you navigate your way through all five stories of the shop. That in itself is pretty helpful since the Roastery can be pretty overwhelming upon first visit. As you walk around you’ll learn about…
1st Floor: This floor acts as a traditional Starbucks coffee shop, but is also where the roasting occurs for everyone to watch up-close. Roast Masters are on-hand to answer any questions.
2nd Floor: This floor is dedicated to an Italian bakery curated by Rocco Princi, and serves as the Roastery’s principle “eating” floor.
3rd Floor: This is where the higher-end coffee experiences occur (such as the master tasting & truffle pairing add-on we had). IMO, if you’re taking the tour, go the extra mile and get this add-on! Your Coffee Master will prepare a wine-like tasting of selected coffees, guiding you through the growing and brewing process of that particular bean.
4th Floor: This floor is home to the Arriviamo Cocktail Bar. As the name would suggest, the bar features coffee and tea-forward cocktails, including exclusive cocktails designed by local Chicago mixologists.
5th Floor: This is the location of the rooftop terrace. Typically only open via reservation, the tour grants you access to the amazing views of the skyline on Michigan Avenue.
The tour ends with a complimentary gift bag including items like a small bottle of Prosecco and a small bag of Reserve coffee beans. All in all, I’m glad we took the tour and would have no problem recommending it to anyone who was curious about the tour’s value. Either way, you should definitely visit the Chicago Roastery if you’re in the area.
RESOURCES:
Starbucks Reserve Chicago Roastery website.
