THE LOOP — A new upscale food court is opening Downtown next month with the likes of Pork & Mindy's and Flo & Santos.
Forum 55 will also feature Bucktown butcher shop Butcher & Larder, rotating pop-up restaurants and an incubator for women and minority-owned startups when it debuts in October at 55 E. Monroe St., according to a press release. The exact opening date has yet to be determined.
Forum 55 is the latest in a wave of so-called "food halls" opening Downtown as Loop office workers crave more indie lunch options from the city's neighborhoods. Revival Food Hall opened last year near Clark and Monroe streets and Wells St. Market, another food hall, plans to open soon near Wacker Drive and Wells Street.
Forum 55 will be open for breakfast from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. Here is a full list of vendors:
•The Apron Exchange: This incubator will offer equipment and staff to women and minority-owned businesses.
•Butcher & Larder: The Bucktown butcher shop will sell custom hot dogs, Italian sausages, burgers and other sandwiches. The butcher will eventually offer takeout steaks.
•The Community Garden: A big salad bar sourced from area farmers.
•Flo & Santos: The South Loop pizzeria will sell its thin-crust pizzas and Polish classics including pierogis and kielbasa.
•Friends Ramen & Friends Sushi: The River North eatery will sell Ramen bowls, sushi rolls and poké.
•Mercadito Taqueria: The River North taqueria will sell tacos a la carte, elotes, lobster mac-n-cheese and more.
•Monroe Street Market: A grab-and-go market featuring items from Forum 55 vendors.
•The Pop-Up: A counter featuring a different restaurant every week. The schedule so far includes Masala Bowl, Bibimbop, Earth Bowl, Piccolo Italia and Chef Jet.
•Pork & Mindy's: The restaurant by Food Network's Jeff Mauro sells smoked meats and one-of-a-kind fare including award-winning pork baos, "Pig Candy BLT" sandwiches and more.
