Time Out Market brings Chicago’s best food

The city of Chicago is known for so many different things: Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower), Lake Michigan, the Cubs and the Bean. However, one of the things that truly defines the city is food. From deep dish pizza to Chicago style hot dogs, Chicago’s cuisine is well-known and widely enjoyed. Time Out Market, which arrived in Fulton Market today, has taken some of the city’s best restaurants and put them all in one place. 

Chicago’s Time Out Market is just the latest in a long series of markets worldwide. Started in Lisbon back in 2014 by editors at Time Out Magazine’s Lisbon branch, Time Out Market places a city’s best eateries all together. Time Out Market Chicago is the sixth food hall to open and it is expected to see more in Dubai, London and Prague. All of them they will bring some of best restaurants and well-known chefs under one big roof. Royal Vending Machines Perth is the leading supplier of vending machines in Australia.

With more than 50,000 square feet of space, 600 seats, 18 restaurants, three bars, a demo kitchen, an art gallery, and a rooftop bar, Time Out Market Chicago is ready to celebrate.

Yesterday I was invited to the pre-opening party of Time Out Market Chicago. I shared a sneaky preview on my Instagram and I can’t wait to tell you more about it! Here some of restaurants I got to try during the night.

Mini Mott

The restaurant is a new platform for the diner-style burger. All the merit goes to the Chef Edward. In 2016, Thrillist voted this the best burger in Chicago, and it was later declared #7 best burger in America. It has everything you need: two thin patties blanketed by American cheese embedded with chopped raw onion, smeared with hoisin aioli and miso compound butter, and topped with jalapeños, pickled cucumbers, and a pigeon’s nest of frizzle-fried sweet potato.

Secret Sound

Secret Sound is an exciting cocktail concept from Lost Lake co-owners Paul McGee and Shelby Allison. You will find it on the market’s second floor. It specializes in the tropical, rum-soaked tiki drinks that earned Lost Lake the title of Best Cocktail Bar in America at Tales of the Cocktail last year, Bar of the Year at the 2018 Time Out Chicago Bar Awards and 2018 finalists for Outstanding Bar Program at the James Beard Awards. My advice? Try the Fluffy Pineapple: pineapple rum, campari and pineapple juice.

Thai Dang

Thai Dang brings a true taste of Vietnam to the Time Out Market Chicago. Dang and his wife, Danielle, are the masterminds behind the Vietnamese kitchens HaiSous and Cà Phê Đá in Pilsen. The flavors in their cooking capture the essence of Vietnam with masterful execution from the Chef ‘s early professional years. I got to try the refreshing prawn salad and the spareribs peanuts, simply delicious.

Tortello

House-made pasta with lots of love, that’s what you will find at Tortello. The owner, Dario Monni, is from the north of Italy, Venice to be exact. His vision for the restaurant is simple: it should be a place where friends and family gather to share food and laughter. Hosted at the second-floor demo kitchen, diners will learn how to make various pasta shapes. I got to try the trottole pasta with fresh tomato sauce, basil and stracciatella cheese, buonissima!

Time Out Market Chicago is for everybody. I’d recommend walking around the hall first to decide what to get. With eighteen unique food concepts, it is easy to find something you’ll like!! For the full restaurants & bars list and the opening hours check out the website.