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What’s for Dinner?

Let every attendee choose their meal at Chicago’s diverse and delectable food halls

By Todd R. Berger

Packed house at food hall Time Out Market Chicago
Packed house at Time Out Market Chicago || Photo by Sandy Noto

Most likely, if you went out to dinner with a group of friends in your spare time, you would not limit everyone in your party to choosing only one or two dishes from the menu. But giving attendees the same freedom at just about any corporate or association gathering is a challenging task due to the volume of food required.

An excellent solution to this problem does exist, however, for meeting planners in Chicago: the city’s many food halls. These venues serve widely varying cuisines, are set up for groups, and can warm up the team building with cocktail-making classes and trivia contests, among other engaging activities.

If you are hankering for a banh mi sandwich while your colleague salivates over an Australian meat pie, arrange an event meal at a Chicago food hall.

From Here On, a food hall that opened in 2022 in Chicago’s Old Post Office on West Van Buren Street along the Chicago River, has diverse vendors serving everything from traditional barbecue to Indian delicacies. The space is open seven days a week, is available every day for semiprivate and private events, accommodates 350, and has river views.

Chicago food hall Aster Hall
Aster Hall Chicago luxury || Courtesy of Aster Hall

“Vendors are all local entrepreneurs and chefs we have watched grow in a tight-knit Chicago community,” notes Tim Wickes, director of operations at From Here On. Meeting planners, Wickes says, “can choose from interactive food stations, themed buffets, or curated menus that suit your group’s preferences. We also provide flexible bar packages and interactive cocktail-making classes. Let us know what you have in mind, and we will make it happen.”

When pressed to name a tasty dish from the market, Wickes shares, “I’m really into Babygold Barbecue’s ‘What’s Up Turkey?’ bowl with smoked turkey, red beans and rice, braised greens, slaw, red onion, and a sprinkle of ‘magic dust.’” The latter is a piquant seasoning infused with paprika, cumin, mustard powder, and cayenne pepper. 

Nearby in the Fulton Market District, Time Out Market Chicago can host up to 800 for a full market buyout, and a private event space on the third floor—Tony’s Rooftop Bar—seats 125. Time Out Market Chicago offers several options for groups, such as “Taste of the Market,” which includes a signature dish from each of the 13 vendors, as well as a preloaded event card choice with which attendees can select a meal from any of the vendors.

Chicken sandwich from food hall From Here On
Chicken sandwich from From Here On || Photo by Jaclyn Rivas

“Time Out Market Chicago offers a carefully curated mix of top chefs and restauranteurs, and of culinary and cultural experiences—all housed in a unique building,” says Tiffany Pruitt-Melvin, national event sales manager for Time Out Market, the Chicago outlet’s parent company. She also notes the bright, dynamic colors of the space, and adds, “Art and culture are integral to the Time Out Market ethos, with local artists’ work prominently displayed throughout the space. A striking two-story mural dedicated to Virgil Abloh [an influential Chicago designer of luxury streetwear] stands as a testament to Chicago’s rich artistic heritage.”

Chicago French Market on North Clinton Street in the 1911 Ogilvie Transportation Center celebrates the heritage of traditional French markets in Europe. In fact, the food hall is run by the Bensidoun family—the largest operator of indoor and outdoor markets in Paris, France, which has been managing such markets for generations. General Manager Leslie Cahill notes, “It is very much a casual, European-themed market. It’s a very earthy, organic place to come that is always changing.”

The food hall has seating for 300, although larger events can expand onto the transportation center’s commuter concourse. Chicago French Market, with 20 vendors, has the largest number and variety of cuisines of any food hall in the city—it offers Filipino food, sushi, Montreal-style pastrami, and Cajun dishes, among others. Cahill also notes, “It is food from around the block and around the world. Chicago is a city of neighborhoods, and all the neighborhoods have their own ethnic components; we really try to honor and support those businesses in the neighborhoods.”

Cozy dining room at From Here On || Photo by Jaclyn Rivas

For example, the market’s Jian is the first jianbing house in Chicago. Jianbing is China’s most popular street food. Cahill says, “It is a Chinese crepe that is very savory, and it is really delicious.”

Meanwhile, at Aster Hall Chicago—which is connected to the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago and the luxury retailers of the 900 North Michigan Shops—attendees will find a two-level food hall with the Bar and Study event space and a Topgolf Swing Suite on the upper level.

Annie Flores, Aster Hall’s associate director of sales, sees advantages for planners in the two-story food hall with a capacity of 750. She says, “We can definitely do a multilevel event. Groups can buy out the entire food hall, and we would basically tailor the experience based on their needs and vision.”

Aster Hall is owned by Hogsalt, the hospitality company known for Chicago eateries like Small Cheval; many of Hogsalt’s restaurants have a presence in the food hall. Flores says, “There is literally something for everybody—anything from sushi to tacos to Mediterranean to pastas. I think it is really special to go somewhere and have something that is appealing to all palates. Plus, Aster Hall has stunning views of the sparkling city lights along Michigan Avenue and an exceptional hospitality team.”

asterhallchicago.com
frenchmarketchicago.com
fromhereonchicago.com
timeoutmarket.com

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