There are so many great food halls and food markets in Los Angeles. One of the best parts about visiting these places is that there should be something for everyone in your group. Food always brings people together and a lot of these locations are fun for getting together with family and friends. For those visiting LA the food halls can also be a good way to experience some local and fresh cuisine. Some of the places on this list, like the Original Farmers Market and Grand Central Market, have been in Los Angeles for decades while other spots have opened up within the last few years.
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One of my favorite Instagram accounts to get food inspiration from is Get Lost with Kris. I am so thrilled that I got to speak with Kris about Food Halls and Food Markets in Los Angeles for the LA Dreaming Podcast. You can listen to the podcast through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, Stitcher, or Podbean.
Tips for Visiting Food Halls & Food Markets
- Parking is hard to find in a lot of these locations so be prepared to pay for parking or consider other transportation options.
- Try to have both cash and a card on you as certain vendors will only take one or the other
- If time allows consider doing a full loop of the location to see all the options. If you see someone that already has food and it looks good don’t be nervous to ask where it is from.
- Use Instagram or Yelp to get ideas of recommendations on what to order.
The Original Farmers Market
The Original Farmers Market in Los Angeles is an iconic landmark that opened up in 1934 as a place for farmers to sell produce. These days you can still get groceries from some vendors but it is a hot spot to go for a good meal. I love the nostalgic feeling you get when you come to this place. Recommended places to eat are Singapore’s Banana Leaf, Pampas Grill Churrascaria, and Du-par’s though to be honest I have yet to hear someone mention a place that they haven’t liked here. I would love to check out the LA farmers market cookbook.
It is such a staple in LA history that it was even replicated at Disney California Adventure Park with Fairfax Market. If you’re interested in learning about locations in LA that inspired Disney California Adventure be sure to check out this post.
Recommended Nearby Activities
The Original Farmers Market is next to The Grove which is a beautiful high-end outdoor shopping center. A few blocks away are the Holocaust Museum, the Academy Museum, the Petersen Museum, and LACMA, making this a great place to stop for a meal while exploring the area.
Grand Central Market
Grand Central Market which opened in 1917 is one of the most beloved places to eat in Downtown Los Angeles. When it first opened it was known as the largest and finest public market on the Pacific coast”. There are so many food stalls here that it can be overwhelming. Out of all of the food halls and food markets in Los Angeles that I have been to, GCM feels most like an experience. In addition to food, they have started having more special events over the years like photo pop-ups, art experiences, and more. There is a Grand Central Market cookbook as well.
I have eaten at egg slut, McConnell’s ice cream, the Donut Man, and horse thief bbq. Other recommended places are DTLA Cheese, Lucky Bird, Shiku, and Wexler’s Deli. It has even been used as a filming location for productions like La La Land. In the movie, Mia and Sebastian are eating at Sarita’s pupuseria stand.
Recommended Nearby Activities
Angels Flight, The Bradbury Building, The Broad, The Walt Disney Concert Hall
Citizen Public Market
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I cannot wait to visit Citizen Public Market in person as the space looks stunning. This food market is located in a building that used to house a publishing company that published its first issue in 1929. The rooftop bar, Go Go Bird, and GoodBoyBob are a few of the most popular spots here.
Recommended Nearby Activities
Kenneth Hahn State Park, the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook, and the Hobbit House
BLVD MRKT
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BLVD MRKT is similar to SteelCraft with its use of shipping containers to house the vendors. This is one of the new food halls and has really been embraced by the community. It is filled with 5-star reviews on Yelp from people who highly recommend this place. Our podcast guest Kris loved the tacos from La Taquero Mucho. Other recommendations are drinks from Alchemy Craft, pizza from La Crosta, and the shrimp po’ boy from Nola Cajun.
Please note this location is closed on Mondays.
Recommended Nearby Activities
The Stranger Things Experience, Dinos Alive, and the Vincent Price Art Museum.
Anaheim Packing District
The Anaheim Packing District is a popular spot for Orange County locals but for people outside of the OC, I would consider this a hidden gem since so many people don’t do much outside of Disney in Anaheim. I have been inside the main building which is the packing house and it is really cool. They might be the only food hall in the area that has a speakeasy. As far as eating here I have tried some of the places next to it like Sam’s chicken but I still need to get a meal inside the main building. Recommended places to try are Georgia’s Restaurant, White Elephant, Urbana, Popbar Anaheim, and Black Sheep Grilled Cheese Bar.
House of Chimney Cakes is the nearby ice cream shop Kris mentions in the podcast episode.
Recommended Nearby Activities
See the tree that inspired Swiss Family Robinson, visit Kobe and Gigi Bryant’s Dream Court, watch an Angels or Ducks game, and of course, I have to list The Disneyland Resort.
4th St Market in Santa Ana
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4th Street Market in Santa Ana sounds like fun place to check out. I would recommend going earlier in the day as I have read that the lines are very long at night. Recommendations include the Deli Station OC, Chunk n Chip, and ShariNori.
Recommended Nearby Activities
The Frida Cinema, The Bowers Museum, and The Discovery Cube.
Riverside Food lab
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Riverside Food Lab claims to be the first food hall in the Inland Empire. They have 14 artisanal eateries and bars. Recommended places to try here are Monty’s, Mi Vida Gorda, and Baba’s Hot Chicken.
Recommended Nearby Activities
The Mission Inn, and the Riverside Game Lab (a barcade)
Other Food Halls We Mentioned
The Hanger in LB – Long Beach Exchange
Steelcraft with locations in Garden Grove, Long Beach & Downey
Rodeo 39 in Stanton
Food Halls and Markets that we didn’t mention in the podcast
626 night market is a summertime pop up food market.
Smorgasburgla takes place every Sunday at Row DTLA.
Topanga Social Food Hall at Westfield Topanga is a fantastic food hall. I loved eating at Shrimp Daddy.
