Galit

-Grubbing in Chicago  
A Middle Eastern Tasting Menu in Lincoln Park

I first visited Galit back in 2019 when co-owner / chef Zack Engel was just getting started in Chicago. He moved here from New Orleans where he was chef de cuisine at Shaya which won the 2016 James Beard award for 'best new restaurant' in the country. He soon after moved to Chicago where he opened Galit next to the Biograph Theatre on Lincoln in the Spring of 2019. Looking back Galit was one of the spots that reenergized Lincoln Park's dining scene as quite a few places have opened since then with Galit remaining a big draw. It recently spawned a sister spot on the same block at Cafe Yaya where Engel and team serve pastries by day and a playful dinner menu at night. I have yet to get there but I recently got to try Galit for the first time since they switched to a tasting menu. 

Locals Favorite in Lincoln Park

I'm not sure exactly when Galit made the switch to a full fledged tasting menu but it's been that way for a little while now. It's currently among the five finalists for 'Outstanding Restaurant' at the 2025 James Beard Awards. They describe the tasting menu as a four course "choose your own adventure" as it lets you choose from a handful of options for three of the courses. The 'Salatim' is the same for every diner as it's a general term in Israeli cuisine for a variety of spreads, dips, and salads that are commonly served at the opening of a meal. Salatim at Galit includes labneh, wood roasted snap peas, ezme and pickles. They were all refreshing and came served alongside the second course which is your choice of a few different hummus preps. My waiter said the one with brisket was his favorite which made it an easy choice as that's what I was leaning towards. Hunks of smoky brisket are cooked down with tomatoes and carrots and served over an extremely smooth blend of hummus and wood roasted pita to go with it. The pita might not have been quite as good as I remembered them to be as it was a bit dense but it was still the perfect delivery vehicle for the first course. 

Salatim + Hummus at Galit 

For the third course diners get to choose between seven different mezze options ranging from falafel to foie gras. I originally went in with plans to get the foie gras which is served as a mousse with black raspberries and tahina on toasted challah bread. Then I asked the waiter what his favorite of the bunch was and he mentioned the Iraqi Kubbeh Halab which also caught my eye. Kubbeh Halab is crispy fried rice on the outside, fluffy rice on the inside, and a lightly spiced lamb within - it's very similar to arancini except it has Middle Eastern flavor profiles instead of Italian. I first tried these last year in London's Borough Market and have been waiting for the chance to compare those I had in London to others so I could get an idea of just how good they were. As it turned out they were as well made as I thought they were as the Kubbeh Halab at Galit wasn't quite as good but still hit the spot. 

Iraqi Kubbeh Halab

You have six choices among the main course selections and most of them are cooked over coal. All six options are dishes I would consider ordering if this was an ala carte menu so it was a tough decision as far as what to choose. I really liked how they incorporated walleye into the menu in the form of a masgouf which is a butterflied carp seasoned with a tomato sauce and grilled over an open flame. But I had also just cooked walleye the night before (just my luck). I also thought hard about the pastrami which the menu describes as "Armenia meets the Lower East Side" but I also love me some lamb kebabs and that's what the waiter recommended so I continued on with following his lead. I love the taste of lamb meat grilled over an open fire so I was pretty sure I was going to be happy with this dish but I was a bit taken aback when it arrived. What was a big steaming hot bowl covered in dough doing in front of me? Well I should've asked a few more questions as this dish is cooked like a pot pie would be and not on a skewer like a kebab should be. On top of that the lamb is ground (I was expecting the opposite) and served in chunks with melty leeks and fondant potatoes sitting in a broth of bubbling bordelaise with miso pickled garlic. After I realized this wasn't going to be what I thought it was I readjusted my expectations and came away liking it though it was still a bit of a letdown. 

Lamb Kebab al Babor at Galit

The final course is dessert, of course. You can pick from three options with the Pistachio Tiramisu being extremely popular in online reviews. I love pistachio and I'm impartial to dates and caramel which is what the other two desserts are made with so this was the easiest choice of the night and the right one at that. Made with black tea, candied lemons and Antep pistachio this was extremely pleasing in bot texture and taste as there was a crispy and crunchy element going on with it. Overall this was a very enjoyable meal but the price ($105 per person) does add up with taxes and an automatic 20% gratuity plus an extra add on for insurance. I also dislike like when places don't specify what the service charge is for as far as who it goes to. The grand total was $150 with two locally produced beers but you do get a ton of food and a complimentary tahina cookie to take home. 

Pistachio Tiramisu

Galit
2429 N Lincoln Ave
Chicago, IL 60614
(773) 360-8755
Website