Sultan's Market

Sultan's Market is one of those Chicago institutions that outsiders discover and immediately demand to know why nobody told them about it sooner. The original Wicker Park location at 2057 W North Ave has been feeding students, creatives, neighborhood regulars, and the broader Middle Eastern community for long enough that it's become a quiet landmark. There are now multiple locations — Lincoln Park, Logan Square — and the recipe has held across all of them.

This is a Palestinian-founded Middle Eastern kitchen, and the food carries that rootedness. The legendary dish — the one that built the reputation — is the falafel plate. A generous heap of crispy falafel balls over yellow rice or with a little wedge of pita, salad, hummus, and a garlic sauce that locals talk about in reverent tones. It is proportioned like a Chicago plate should be, which is to say: too much food for one person, perfect for lunch-and-a-second-lunch.

Beyond falafel, the menu covers the expected Middle Eastern favorites with care: chicken shawarma, beef shawarma, gyro plates, kofta, lamb shanks on rotation, mujadara (lentils and caramelized onion rice), and an array of mezze that holds its own against any dedicated Lebanese spot. The hummus is smooth and serious; the baba ghanoush has actual smoke in it.

The breads are baked with clear respect — warm pita, proper saj and lavash depending on what you're building. If you've never had a Middle Eastern breakfast plate, Sultan's serves one that will ruin you for brunch cafes: scrambled egg with tomato and olive oil over pita, with labneh and za'atar and strong black tea.

We are tagging Sultan's Market as a BDS alternative for a specific reason. In a moment where the Muslim and pro-Palestine community is carefully redirecting its everyday spending away from multinationals and toward local, community-owned, Palestinian-rooted businesses, Sultan's is the textbook right choice for your weekly lunch. It is Palestinian-founded, it serves the community, and every dollar you spend circulates through people who have had a stake in the neighborhood for decades. That is the economic side of solidarity, and lunch counts.

A few practical notes. The Wicker Park flagship is counter-serve, fast, and busy — especially at lunch. There's table seating but during peak hours it fills up; takeout is a fine play. Prices are gentle for Chicago in 2026 — two people can eat well for under $30. Cash or card, both fine. Vegetarians and vegans are well-covered — the falafel plate, mujadara, and mezze platter work for either.

Amara's move: Falafel plate with extra garlic sauce, mujadara on the side, warm pita, a small hummus to share. If you're really hungry, get the mixed grill. Go during an off-peak hour for the seating to breathe.