french market's french language adventure

Founded in 2009, the Chicago French Market is a European-inspired marketplace, and Chicago’s original year-round indoor food hall. The Market is home to more than 20 local vendors presenting foods and goods from around the block and around world. Visitors can enjoy a variety of cuisine, from French delicacies at Vanille Pâtisserie, to Vietnamese flavors from Saigon Sisters, to authentic Cuban sandwiches from Cubano Bros.  This Parisian-inspired scavenger hunt invites both Francophiles and foodies alike to explore the fascinating intersection of French food, history, and language.

The Chicago French Market is open Monday-Friday from 7am-7pm, and on Saturday from 9am-4pm. Note a handful of vendors are closed on Saturdays. A list of vendors and their hours is available here: https://frenchmarketchicago.com/nowopen/

Follow and tag @Chifrenchmarket on Instagram and @ChicagoFrenchMarket on Facebook. 

Welcome to the Chicago French Market! Your adventure begins here.  Stand in front of one of our 2 entrances and say "Bonjour!" or "Jouons!" (let's play!) to start your journey. To complete this stop, snap a selfie in front of the sign or awning using the camera or gallery options below, then share to social media tagging @chifrenchmarket #chiscavhunt.

L'Entrée

With such similar names, it's easy to confuse these three, but only one is available for purchase at the Market. Find the vendor selling macarons and marvel at wide array of colors and flavors.

To complete this stop, take a selfie with the beautiful display. Be sure to tag @chifrenchmarket #chiscavhunt 

Macaron/Macaroon/Macron

The Bánh mì sandwich is a fusion of French and Vietnamese cuisine, invented in Saigon during the 1950’s. Find the purveyor of Bánh mì sandwiches at the market and watch the video above to learn the history of the sandwich. Then answer the following question: what is the type of bread used for the Bánh mì sandwich?

Bread Photo by YinYang, Getty Images

L'histoire de Bánh mì

A French Market would be incomplete without this iconic crescent-shaped pastry. Watch the video above to see how croissants are made so flakey, and then answer the question below:

Which day of croissant-making is the "Day of the butter?"

Croissant Image by Hansuan_Fabregas

Un croissant au beurre

Mustard is the oldest condiment on the planet, and Dijon is the traditional mustard of France. Watch the video above to learn the history of this spread. Then, find a French Market vendor that uses or sells Dijon or any other type of mustard. To complete this stop, type in the name of the vendor below.

Condiment le plus Ancien

Suarez market has a little bit of everything, from sweet to salty. They carry several products inspired by and made in France. Find one and take a selfie with it tagging @chifrenchmarket #chiscavhunt

Need a hint? Click on the hints below.

Suave et salé @ Suarez

You'll find the tri-color French flag in the Chicago French Market logo. Watch the video below to learn about the history of the flag and the different shades of blue used. Then answer this question, what year was the current French flag originally adopted?


Drapeau Francais

Nutella hazelnut spread and bananas are a classic French pairing. Find the French Market vendor offering this combo inside a "Latin American-style turnover."

To complete this stop, take a photo with a freshly made "Latin American-style turnover," post it and tag @chifrenchmarket #chiscavhunt

Manger sur le pouce

The #2 travel destination for the French is Italy, which requires a trip via car, train, or plane. Here at the French Market, it's easy to find yourself in Florence. For this stop, seek the location with "Sandwichs inspirés de Florence sur schiacciata maison." When you get there, find the menu item with Sliced Turkey, Pecorino ricotta, Tomato, and Arugula. What is the name of the green paste that's also an ingredient?

de la France à l'Italie

Finish your Adventure by finding the Eiffel Tower somewhere in the market. Take a photo using the camera or gallery options below, then share to social media tagging @chifrenchmarket #chiscavhunt.

Tour Eiffel

Practice your French as you explore an international array of cuisine at Chicago’s original indoor food marketplace with a chance to win $100 in market gift cards!

French Market's French Language Adventure

Fundado en 2009, el Mercado Francés de Chicago es un mercado de inspiración europea y el patio de comidas interior original de Chicago, abierto todo el año. El mercado alberga a más de 20 vendedores locales que ofrecen alimentos y productos de la zona y del mundo. Los visitantes pueden disfrutar de una variedad gastronómica, desde delicias francesas en Vanille Pâtisserie hasta sabores vietnamitas en Saigon Sisters y auténticos sándwiches cubanos en Cubano Bros. Esta búsqueda del tesoro de inspiración parisina invita tanto a francófilos como a amantes de la gastronomía a explorar la fascinante intersección de la comida, la historia y el idioma franceses.

El Mercado Francés de Chicago abre de lunes a viernes de 7:00 a 19:00 y los sábados de 9:00 a 16:00. Tenga en cuenta que algunos vendedores cierran los sábados. Puede consultar la lista de vendedores y sus horarios aquí: https://frenchmarketchicago.com/nowopen/

Siga y etiquete a @Chifrenchmarket en Instagram y a @ChicagoFrenchMarket en Facebook.

Practica tu francés mientras exploras una variedad internacional de cocina en el mercado de comida interior original de Chicago, ¡con la posibilidad de ganar $100 en tarjetas de regalo del mercado!

The French Market

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