Your guide to the food and drink at Time Out Market Chicago—and how to order

Sushi & Sashimi

The pristine seafood at Ty Fujimura's sushi palace is wrapped in warm, toothsome rice and crunchy, toasted nori—creating the perfect mélange of texture and temperature.

Signature dish: Zuke maguro kani

Contemporary Greek 

With four locations throughout Chicagoland, Avli has been serving some of the area's finest regional Greek cuisine—with a signature contemporary twist—for more than a decade. Here at Time Out Market, you can eat your way through a menu that captures Avli's broad approach to Greek dining, including the restaurant's favorite contemporary dishes, street food and Greek classics. Don't forget to wash down your chicken souvlaki or kataifi prawns with a Greek frappe, prepared with special Greek blenders just like they do it in Thessaloniki.  

Signature dish: Avli's Pork Gyros

Coastal Indian Cuisine 

When co-owners Manish and Rina Mallick first traveled to Goa, they were captivated by the region’s beautiful white sand beaches and Portuguese architecture. But the coastal Indian state’s delicious cuisine left an even bigger impression, with pristine seafood served alongside spicy curry and fluffy poi bread. The pair founded Bar Goa with the help of chef Sahil Sethi to share these delicacies with Chicagoans, serving a variety of dishes that just happen to pair nicely with a cold beer or a refreshing cocktail.

Signature dish: Pork Vindaloo Poi-wich

‘90s-inspired Sandwiches

You’ll never be bored at Big Kids, a sandwich joint in Logan Square where nostalgia and creativity reign supreme. Open since 2020, the restaurant’s vaguely retro sandwiches and sides are equal parts irreverent and delicious, incorporating everything from secret spice mix, potato chips and melted cheese to the signature Big Kids shiddy sauce—basically, the stuff of any stoner’s munchies-fueled dreams. Don’t hesitate to tack on an order of gooey Boom Boom tots if you’re feeling extra hungry.

Signature dish: Chicago-style Philly 

Eclectic Ramen

Steaming bowls of noodles have been a fixture of chef Bill Kim’s menus ever since he opened his first restaurant, and diners have always been eager to slurp his latest creations. Originally launched as a delivery-only concept, Bill Kim Ramen Shop specializes in broths that draw on Korean, Vietnamese and Mexican flavors, garnished with a creative array of toppings. Whether you’re looking for a conventional bowl or ramen or something a bit more adventurous, Kim has something you can enjoy by the spoonful.

Signature dish: Korean BBQ Mushroom Ramen

Coffee & Patisserie

Craving European-style baked goods? You’ve come to the right place. Bittersweet has been churning out croissants, scones, tarts, cakes, cookies and other sweet treats from its Lakeview café since 1992, becoming a part of countless Chicagoans’ daily routines. The bakery is perhaps best known for its ornate cakes, which have been ordered by local celebs like Oprah and Michael Jordan—but we’re equally enamored with its selection of savory quiches and sandwiches. Order a cup of coffee and don’t think twice about treating yourself to something flaky or frosted.

Signature dish: Almond Croissant

Fresh Lebanese

Named after his Teta (Lebanese Arabic for “grandma”) and inspired by the love that she put into her cooking, Mitchell AbouJarma founded Evette’s to share her delicious recipes with hungry Chicagoans. Serving dishes that channel bold Lebanese flavors, Evette’s specializes in spit-roasted shawarma, golden fries and fresh salads that use as many local ingredients as possible. After a few bites, you may feel the warmth that comes from eating a meal made with care.

Signature dish: Steak shawarma wrap

Fresh Pasta

In 2020—after years spent working in award-winning kitchens across the country—chef Tony Quartaro reached out to a few neighbors in Beverly to see whether they’d be interested in trying his homemade pasta sauce. Word spread fast, and pretty soon so many friends, family and coworkers were clamoring for a taste that Quartaro decided to open Gemma Foods, a West Town storefront offering fresh, hand-crafted pasta dishes for pickup and delivery. Start with an order of fan favorite canestri alla vodka—the elbow-shaped pasta’s ridges and hollow center are perfect for scooping up every last bit of creamy vodka sauce. 

Signature dish: Canestri alla vodka

Milkshakes & Other Treats

The classic diner gets a dose of ‘80s- and ‘90s-inspired nostalgia at JoJo’s Shake Bar, where visitors can sip decadent milkshakes beneath photos of Biggie Smalls, Bill Murray and other heroes from the era. You can opt for a customized flavor or try a milk bar (essentially a milkshake in popsicle form), but we also suggest one of the shop’s signature Biggie Shakes if you’re feeling adventurous: Topped with a cornucopia of cookies, candy and marshmallows, they’re a delightful sugar rush and a blast from the past all at once. 

Signature dish: Girl Scout Biggie Shake

Latin Street Food and Tacos

Chef Rodolfo Cuadros refers to himself as a “nomad” after a decade spent working alongside Latin American cooks in Miami, London and France. When he opened Wicker Park restaurant Amaru in 2019, Cuadros set out to serve pan-Latin cuisine and share parts of the various cultures that inspire his recipes. Lil Amaru is a continuation of Cuadro’s mission to explore the soul of Latin American cooking, focusing on delicious dishes that are commonly sold by street vendors in countries like Mexico, Cuba and Colombia.

Signaure dish: Pacific rockfish taco

Fresh Poke & Smoothies

Inspired by childhood experiences visiting family in Oahu, Ty Fujimura’s Lono Poke pays tribute to the authentic Hawaiian poke you find at markets in the beachside town of Haleiwa. Forget basic build-your-own bowls popularized during the fast-casual poke craze a few years back: Lono Poke’s dishes combine glistening cubes of fresh fish and premium white rice with flavorful toppings like crisped shallots, snappy seaweed and signature “Ono” sauce for a genuinely delicious taste of Hawaiian culture and the true Aloha spirit.

Signature dish: Ichiban poke bowl

Fried Chicken

What type of cuisine makes you most nostalgic? For chef Darnell Reed, it’s southern food—like fluffy biscuits and extra-juicy fried chicken whipped up by his great-grandmother, Luella, who came to Chicago in the ’40s by way of Morgan City, Mississippi. Reed’s Lincoln Square restaurant honors Luella with a menu inspired by her expert home cooking, pairing succulent, double-brined fried chicken alongside buttermilk waffles and a decadent drizzle of syrup. Take a bite and you’ll wish you’d grown up eating Luella’s meals, too.

Signature dish: Chicken and biscuit

Polish & Colombian Fusion

A chance meeting at a dinner party (and an Instagram DM) brought Phillipe Sobon and Cynthia Orobio together in 2019, eventually resulting in a restaurant concept that combines their respective Polish and Colombian heritages. Mashing up empanadas and pierogi into "emparogi" and topping a Polish sausage with pickles and a pineapple glaze, Polombia’s menu takes the contrasts and commonalities of the two cuisines in stride, offering dishes that take your taste buds on a globe-trotting adventure.

Signature dish: Emparogi

Tropical Cocktails

You’ll need something to wash down all the eats at Time Out Market Chicago, and we found just the folks to help: Lost Lake co-owners Shelby Allison and Paul McGee are the mix masters behind Secret Sound, a hidden speakeasy that specializes in tropical, rum-soaked cocktails that will transport you to a faraway island. After your first sip, you’ll understand exactly how McGee and Allison won the title of Best Cocktail Bar in America from the discerning Tales of the Cocktail as well as Bar of the Year at Time Out Chicago’s 2018 Bar Awards—and we’re even tougher critics.

Artisan Barbecue

When fine-dining vets D’Andre Carter and Heather Bublick struck out on their own, they founded a catering business to feed the masses. But in 2020, the husband-and-wife team pivoted to takeout—and then a roving food truck—to bring their raved-about barbecue from Evanston to Chicago. Now, it’s easier than ever to get a bite (or an entire platter) of their tender brisket, smokey ribs and succulent pulled pork. Whatever you do, just don’t forget about the mac and cheese.

Signature dish: Smoked Beef Brisket

Asian Fusion Fare

Born in Seoul and raised in Chicago, chef Bill Kim's earliest food memory is standing at his mother's side, grinding sesame seeds with a mortar and pestle. Back when his career first started, Kim immersed himself in French cuisine, with guidance from industry heavyweights like Jean Banchet and Charlie Trotter. These days, he's developed a signature style all his own, dispensing a hit list of border-blending, Asian-inflected treats.

Signature dish: Caramelized Dumplings 

Named for Time Out founder Tony Elliott, Tony’s is the crown jewel of Time Out Market Chicago. The cozy all-season rooftop bar is decorated in vintage Time Out London covers, twinkling lights and handsome wood beams that stretch the length of the room.

Chicago, we know you're thirsty, which is why we put a bar on every floor of the Market in addition to our secret speakeasy from Lost Lake's co-owners. The editorially curated beverage program features inspired libations created by leading mixologists throughout the city.