Food halls seem to be popping up in Chicago like potholes in Springtime, and another unique option has appeared along the far western edge of Fulton Market, where just five mini dining options await — each with a unique approach to its cuisine.

It takes both skill and an understanding of the local food scene to assemble a food hall’s lineup, with 13 tenants at Revival and about 11 at Politan Row.

But the new Fulton Galley has just five restaurants, plus a bar. Each was chosen for its unique specialty, from deli to Thai, tacos and rotisserie chicken. Each one is a worthy destination all on its own.

Lunch or dinner can be found inside the brand new Fulton Galley – a wide, sun-drenched space on the western edge of Fulton Market amidst a lot of construction. Just five businesses vie for your attention, with just one of them an actual brick-and-mortar elsewhere.

“Steingold’s actually has one other location, but all of the other restaurants are completely new; the chefs have worked at different restaurants in the area and they really just want to start their own concept,” said Abby Owens, the Brand Ambassador for the market.

The advantage for Steingolds is they said they’ve had about a year to perfect their recipes. Their thick-cut pastrami is better than ever, sandwiched between swiss, kraut, homemade Russian dressing and Publican Quality rye. It’s a Reuben worth remembering.

You could also swing by for a great bagel with a shmear and some lox for breakfast.

Taco Mucho makes all of their tortillas by hand, pressing and griddling them to-order. Chicken or carne asada can be topped with the usual onions and cilantro, and don’t overlook their excellent homemade salsas.

Next door, Pink Salt is cooking Northeastern Thai food like sharp, acidic som tom, or papaya salad, served with crispy shrimp chips and a basket of sticky rice. The reason Palita Sriratana wanted to open here was because each tenant had a small kitchen.
“I think Thai food is so flavorful and fresh, and involved; it’s a little more labor-intensive than other cuisines, so here I get to make it to-order. And also they can see right into the kitchen,” she said.

Her larb, a cold salad of ground chicken, toasted rice powder and chilies, can be dialed up or down depending on your tolerance.

Fairview offers rotisserie birds, cooked until blistered, and served with a series of dippable sauces. But their ceviche is a perfect summertime entree. Cooked shrimp is bathed in acidic leche de tigre, pickles and onions, plus cool avocado, some spicy serranos and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.

Meanwhile, next door at Italianette, all of the pastas are made from scratch, then cooked to-order like some of the best restaurants in town. Lunchtime brings salads, like this nicoise, fortified with tuna, black olives, roasted peppers and green beans, but those pastas are where it’s at. And one big benefit of this food hall is the open seating and serving.

“They can go up and order and pay at their station and then they’ll get a little number and then they can sit anywhere and we have servers that will bring their food out to them. Kind of beats that awkward standing and waiting time,” said Owens.