Located in the heart of the city Grand Central Market offers a unique dining experience in Los Angeles. GCM is home to 37 different food vendors which means that there should be something for every person in your group. Lunch and dinner times are so popular among locals & tourists alike that it can be difficult to find a seat. It is best if you can visit for a late lunch or early dinner to beat the crowds.
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If you’re heading to GCM from The Broad or Oue Skyspace I recommend taking Angels Flight to get there. It just adds a little bit of fun to your visit. And at select times of the year, you can catch a movie next door at the Million Dollar Theatre. If you eat at Horsethief BBQ at the entrance to GCM you’ll have a great view of Angels Flight.
Grand Central Market in Los Angeles doesn’t just welcome the locals & tourists. Movie stars come here too, sometimes on their own, other times for work. This area was used in La La Land with Ryan Gosling & Emma Stone. Mia and Sebastian eat at Sarita’s Pupuseria in the movie. They are also seen riding Angels Flight in the movie too. Other movies like I Am Sam and City of Angels have filmed here as well. Though the main reason to come here isn’t to see where these movies have filmed but to enjoy the variety of foods this place has to offer.
Grand Central Market is such a great representation of Los Angeles as a city. Almost each of the food vendors offers cuisine as diverse as the population in the local area. The only issue with this place is parking but hey parking anywhere in DTLA is annoying! And it can be very crowded but that is always going to be a problem anywhere with good food.
Previously, I’ve eaten at the Egg Slut booth though on my most recent visit my Mom and I ate at Horse Thief BBQ located right outside of the GCM entrance. How much a meal here will cost you will vary depending on where you eat. On average I would say that your meal should be under $15.
Be sure to get the strawberry donut from The Donut Man while it is in season. DTLA Grilled cheese is another recommended spot to try.
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.