The best food halls in Chicago

Loop workers are spoiled by this lineup of hip restaurants and culinary concepts, including Bianca's Burgers, Smoque BBQ and Table, Donkey & Stick offshoot Danke. Revival has also become a launch pad for ghost kitchen concepts, debuting physical storefronts for upstarts like Minahasa and Boonie Foods. If you just need a drink, swing by the Revival Café-Bar for coffee in the morning and cocktails in the evening.

A food hall before term became super-trendy, what this West Loop dining institution lacks in atmosphere it makes up for in vendor variety, with a whopping 24 stalls offering everything from sushi and bahn mi to empanadas and macarons. You can even get dim sum and Aussie pies. Best of all, the French Market's proximity to Union Station and Ogilvie makes it a top choice for those catching trains in and out of the city.

The first Chicago outpost of New York-based Urbanspace arrived in 2021. Centrally located in the Loop, the food hall feeds hungry workers a bevy of local favorites alongside exciting upstarts. You can look forward to The Happy Lobster’s luscious lobster sandwiches, The Budlong’s Nashville hot chicken, fresh maki and nigiri from Sushi Dokku and much more.

The latest food hall concept in Chicago comes to us from 16” on Center, the hospitality group behind popular spots like Longman & Eagle and Dusek’s Tavern. Housed inside the historic Old Post Office building, From Here On provides tasty fare morning, day or night. Visitors may be familiar with the space’s most prominent tenant, Tempesta Market, but there are plenty of other satisfying options. We’re big fans of the crispy quesabirria from Flo’s Kitchen, as well as Hot Chi Chicken’s spicy sandwiches. For those who need a drink after work, post up at Snorkelbox for a menu of thoughtful cocktails, draft beers and wines by the bottle or glass.

Head west of Chinatown to discover this enormous Asian grocery store loaded with delicious delights. On the second floor, guests will encounter an expansive food court that offers all sorts of bites. Sushi lovers can indulge in fatty tuna, creamy uni and seared wagyu at 312 Fish Market, while carnivores would do well to snag a roast duck or barbecue pork at BBQ King 88. And don’t forget to pick up one of Bao Bae Bakery’s egg tarts or char siu baos for the road.

You could easily spend an entire day wandering around this two-story Italian superstore, but we recommend planning your trip around lunch or dinner to get the full experience. Grazers can snack on charcuterie and cheese, coffee fans can get a cup at Caffè Lavazza and leisurely diners can book a table at Vino &..., a full-service restaurant that showcases the market's freshest produce and Italian ingredients. On your way out, grab a bottle of Italian wine and a cannoli to go.

Brendan Sodikoff—the guy behind Chicago institutions Au Cheval and Bavette's—offers his take on the food hall with this stunner that spans two floors of Mag Mile mall 900 North Michigan Shops. The kitchens here are all operated by Sodikoff's restaurant group, Hogsalt Hospitality, so don't expect to find any old-school Chicago gems. Even so, there's plenty to ponder, with eats that range from Small Cheval cheeseburgers and al pastor tacos to ramen and cacio e pepe. Guests order from sleek touch screens before making their way to the corresponding "vault" (or kitchen) to pick up their grub.

Feast on chicken biryani, tacos, pizza and more at this food hall located at the redeveloped Cook County Hospital building in the Illinois Medical District. A venture of chef Akhtar Nawab—most notably behind the Mexican restaurants Alta Calidad in New York and Otra Vez in New Orleans—Dr. Murphy's Food Hall is named for John B. Murphy, a leading surgeon who worked and taught in the former hospital. The hall's 10,000-square-foot digs complement the Beaux Arts-style building and include an outdoor patio and bar area in addition to its mix of food stalls, which house concepts like Dimo's Pizza, Maharani Indian Cuisine, Brekkie & Bake Shop and Taqueria Jarabe.

Tucked away in the basement of Chinatown’s Richland Center is a wonderland of Asian flavors. This no-frills food court is home to various mom-and-pop stalls and we recommend bringing companions along so you can try a little bit of everything. Some of our favorites include the okonomiyaki (Japanese savory pancake) from Ky Lin Teppanyaki and Shaan Shaan Taste’s liangpi—housemade cold skin noodles from the Shaanxi province. But the can’t-miss is the namesake dish at 3 Sauces Hainam Chicken Rice, which features poached chicken thighs served with jus-flavored rice and a trio of dipping sauces.

Somewhere between a speciality grocery store and a food hall, Dom's Kitchen & Market pairs an array of produce, meat, dairy, dry goods and alcohol with kitchens creating made-to-order meals. Grab a salad from Plant Butcher, Stan's Donuts from the bakery or a slice on Bonci pizza from the Hearth. There's even a dedicated coffee bar that brews Metropolis and La Colombe during the day before transitioning to wine and cocktails in the evening. Everything is available for takeout, but seating areas throughout the store (and on its patio) provide convenient spots to take a break and enjoy your meal.

Taking over the former home of Wells Street Market in the Loop, Kitchen United Mix location makes it easy to order dishes from multiple vendors—and offers indoor and outdoor seating where you can enjoy your meal. The majority of this food hall's lineup is made up of ghost kitchen concepts, including Bad-Ass Breakfast Burritos, Nashville hot chicken purveyor Bad Mutha Clucka and Hawaiian Bros. Use the Kitchen United Mix website to order from multiple concepts in a single order, whether you're taking your food to go or sticking around to eat it.