Sultans Market

What Sultans Market does

Sultans Market is a privately held, family-owned Middle Eastern and Mediterranean restaurant group operating four counter-service locations across Chicago neighborhoods (Wicker Park since 1995, Lincoln Park since 2016, Logan Square since 2020, and Pilsen since late 2024). Founded by May Ramli, a Jordanian immigrant, the business originated as a small neighborhood market with a food counter and grew into a Chicago dining institution anchored by award-winning scratch-made falafel, slow-roasted chicken and lamb shawarma prepared on vertical spits, fresh hummus and baba ganuj, lentil soup, salads, baked pies, and kefta kabob. All meats are halal-certified, all locations are 100% BYOB with outdoor patios where available, and the menu is broadly inclusive of vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options. The signature falafel — distinguished by a "green glow" from hand-ground fresh herbs — has won Chicago Reader's Best Falafel for five consecutive years (2020-2024), with additional recognition as Best Middle Eastern Restaurant and Best Bang for Your Buck.

The business operates a direct-to-consumer model with no franchise, wholesale, or licensing exposure. Revenue is generated through counter-service dining, takeout, proprietary in-house delivery, call-ahead ordering, full-service catering (corporate events, family gatherings, parties; minimum $50 delivery order, tiered trays serving 10-40 guests), and Square-powered e-Gift Cards. Online ordering is concentrated on the company's own domain (chicagofalafel.com), with marketing driven by organic social (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok) and earned media coverage from Chicago Reader, Time Out Chicago, Chicago Tribune, and Block Club Chicago. Pricing sits in the affordable mid-range of Chicago casual dining — sandwiches $8-$10, combination plates $14-$18, catering trays $25-$135.

The company remains 100% family-owned and operated by May Ramli and her son Shadi Ramli, with no disclosed venture capital, private equity, or institutional ownership. Day-to-day operations are run by family members across all four sites, with the founder continuing to oversee food preparation. The operating geography is exclusively Chicago, USA, with no stated intention to expand beyond the metro. The headcount disclosed (1-10) reflects the corporate/family level rather than total store-level staffing, given four operating restaurants.

Name

Sultans Market

Legal name

Sultan's Market

Website

https://chicagofalafel.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sultans Market is a family-owned Chicago Middle Eastern and Mediterranean counter-service restaurant group operating four neighborhood locations (Wicker Park, Lincoln Park, Logan Square, Pilsen), serving scratch-made falafel, shawarma, hummus, and catering to walk-in, takeout, delivery, and event customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Casual Dining Middle Eastern Restaurant

NAICS

Restaurants and Other Eating Places (72251)

SIC

Retail-Eating Places (5812), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Middle Eastern & Mediterranean QSR (Kebab, Shawarma, Falafel) (THAFAAAG)

Keywords

• Middle eastern restaurant
• Mediterranean cuisine
• Falafel restaurant
• Shawarma preparation
• Catering services

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago, IL

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Dine-In Restaurant Sales: Counter-service dining at four Chicago locations with dine-in seating, offering full menu of Middle Eastern dishes including falafel, shawarma, salads, soups, and dinner plates.
2. Takeout and Pickup: Fast counter pickup service for customers ordering food to-go. Call-ahead ordering available for all four locations.
3. Delivery: Direct delivery service to customers ordering through official online ordering platform for home or work delivery across Chicago neighborhoods.
4. Catering Services: Full-service catering for corporate events, family gatherings, and parties. Menu includes trays, sandwiches, and dinner platters. Minimum $50 delivery order with 10% delivery fee. 24-hour advance notice requested.
5. Gift Cards: Sultan's Market e-Gift Cards available through Square Up platform for gifting.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Sultans Market operates four counter-service Middle Eastern and Mediterranean restaurants in Chicago neighborhoods, serving scratch-made falafel, chicken and lamb shawarma, hummus, baba ganuj, lentil soup, tabuli, baked pies, and a customizable salad bar. The business supports dine-in, online ordering for pickup, direct delivery, and event catering, with all locations operating as BYOB and serving halal-certified meats.

Product overview

Sultan's Market is a Middle Eastern and Mediterranean restaurant offering scratch-made food since 1995. The product portfolio centers on award-winning falafel, slow-roasted shawarma (chicken and lamb), fresh dips (hummus, baba ganuj), soups, salads, and baked goods. The restaurant operates as a casual counter-service model across four Chicago locations (Wicker Park, Lincoln Park, Logan Square, and Pilsen), with additional services including catering, party trays, online ordering, pickup, and delivery. All locations are 100% BYOB and serve halal meats. Key products include the signature Falafel Sandwich, Chicken Shawarma Dinner, Lamb Shawarma Dinner, Build-Your-Own Salad Bar, and various pita sandwiches. The restaurant also offers a catering service with customizable trays and complete dinner packages for events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Falafel 100% vegan, crispy falafel made from scratch using soaked chickpeas, fresh herbs, and spices; served as sandwich, dinner plate, or combination. Recognized by Chicago Reader as Best Falafel in Chicago (2020-2024).
• Chicken Shawarma Halal-certified marinated chicken layered onto a vertical spit and slow-roasted until edges caramelize, shaved fresh and served in pita sandwich, dinner plate, or salad.
• Lamb Shawarma Halal-certified seasoned lamb stacked and slow-roasted on a vertical spit until edges develop a rich browned crust while interior layers stay tender; shaved fresh and served in pita sandwich, dinner plate, or salad.
• Hummus Smooth, house-made blend of chickpeas, tahini, fresh garlic, and lemon finished with olive oil; available in regular and large sizes.
• Baba Ganuj

Quantifiable outcome

• Chicago Reader Best Falafel winner for 5 consecutive years (2020-2024)
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Market position

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/myfalafel
• Instagraminstagram.com/sultansmarket
• TikToktiktok.com/@sultansmarket
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sultans-market

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sultans Market