Often described as disproportionately flavorful for such a simple vegetable, these carrots are the dish that converts non-believers. Reviewers consistently highlight the interplay between the sweetness of the roasted carrot, the slight char, the nuttiness of dukkah, the brightness of the orange, and the cooling feta. Multiple sources call it the best way to eat a carrot.
Tips from diners
This arrives as part of the tasting menu, but if you're ordering à la carte, do not skip it. It will rewrite your idea of what a vegetable can be.
Salatim is a traditional Levantine course of multiple spreads, and Galit's version showcases the kitchen's technical precision. Labneh with hyssop and sesame, a bright ezme with fresh herbs and tomato, roasted turnips with date molasses and tahini, cipollini onion with feta, and a rotating fifth spread. Each one is complex, flavorful, and designed to be torn and scooped with pita.
Tips from diners
Pace yourself through the salatim course—there's still 2-3 more plates to come. Take small spoonfuls, taste each one, and use the pita to understand how they combine.
Galit's falafel is often cited as the best in Chicago by multiple reviewers. The patties are light and airy inside, golden and crispy outside, and the addition of fresh mango chutney and cool labneh creates a dish that balances sweet, tangy, and savory. This is comfort food refined without pretension.
Tips from diners
The Small Plates are sized for sharing. Order 3-4 to share family-style across the table.
Chef Engel offers four versions of hummus on the menu—this one pairs tender brisket cured with spices and slow-roasted until fork-tender with earthy cinnamon and cumin. The hummus itself is made from scratch in-house, served warm with house-made pita. Reviewers describe the hummus and pita as the best they've ever had.
Tips from diners
The pita arrives warm and fluffy—scoop hummus with it immediately, while the bread is still soft. It cools quickly.
A showcase for ingredient sourcing and technique. The lamb chops arrive medium-rare, tender, and deeply flavored, the sweet potato providing sweetness, the hyssop brown butter adding an herbal brightness, and the tahini tying everything together. Multiple reviewers note the lamb is cooked perfectly and the flavor balance is impossible to find elsewhere in Chicago.
Tips from diners
The lamb changes seasonally and sometimes sells out, especially on weekends. Call Galit directly before your reservation to ask if it's on the menu.
Galit opened in April 2019 in Lincoln Park and earned a Michelin star within three years—a speed that speaks to the execution. Chef Zachary Engel (James Beard Award winner, formerly chef de cuisine at Shaya in New Orleans) and partner Andrés Clavero designed the restaurant to feel like a dinner party at someone's home in the Middle East. The four-course tasting menu rotates seasonally and focuses on the Levant, with hummus and fresh pita appearing across multiple courses.
On Friday and Saturday, wait lists can exceed 1,000 people with 6x oversubscription. Book weeks in advance through Resy, or come Tuesday-Thursday for walk-in availability.
The restaurant design is minimal but warm—lively enough to feel energetic, intimate enough for close conversation. Request a quieter table away from the bar if you're dining alone together.
Galit is tasting-menu only (no à la carte). The four-course format runs 90–120 minutes. Allow time before theater or events.
The wine program is carefully curated with natural wines and European classics. Ask your server for guibalance—many pairings are under $20 by the glass.
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