California
los angeles
As the second largest city in the United States, LA is internationally known for Hollywood, movies and being the world film capital. With its miles of beaches, mountain backdrops and endless entertainment, it is no wonder that people flock to this city not only for vacation but also to call the City of Angels home.
the food scene
On our drive down the California coast, we were only in LA for a day and a half. Since we didn’t have much time here, we decided to focus on food this trip due to limited time. Los Angeles has a vibrant food scene that is largely due to its rich hispanic and latino heritage as well as immigration from all over the world. Traveling as a family, we usually stick to more of the casual kind of vibe when dining out, but there are endless choices that range from street food to Michelin star restaurants. It is a big food truck city as well, offering a huge variety of curbside cuisine. Below are a few places that we enjoyed during our brief visit.
pitchoun! is a cozy bakery located across from Pershing Square in downtown LA. It was only a few blocks from where we stayed, so we walked there for coffee and pastries. Owned by French husband and wife team, Frédéric and Fabienne Souliès, the cafe name is an affectionate term for kiddo in their native language. Bringing their family recipes to Los Angeles, it was important for them to use only the highest quality of non-GMO, organic and sustainable local produce and food.
In addition to their handmade pastries, they also serve soups, salads and sandwiches. We loved their flaky almond croissants and berry tarts, which are beautifully displayed with the rest of their pastries right when you walk in the door. There were also fun little accents like the lights which were made from industrial mixing whisks.
Home of the original French dipped sandwich, Philippe’s has been a downtown institution for over 110 years. In additional to their famous sandwiches, they offer a variety of menu items including omelettes, pancakes, soups, salads, macaroni salad and purple-hued pickled eggs. It is definitely like stepping back in time when you walk into this cafeteria meets deli style restaurant.
Once you place your order at the counter, you will be given a tray with any cold sides and desserts to take with you to the dining room, where the floors are covered in saw dust and the wall is lined with old telephone booths. As you find a place to seat at one of the long communal tables or smaller booths, you will not be able to miss railroad and circus memorabilia throughout the building. The latter is in honor of a group of circle people who had lunch every Monday at Philippe’s for thirty years. As the employees bring hot food to your table, it is evident that most of them have worked there for years if not decades by the way their actions seem like second nature.
No trip to Los Angeles is complete without visiting the Santa Monica Pier. Filled with food kiosks, rides (including a Ferris wheel and roller coaster) and an arcade, it is a fun destination for families. We enjoyed walking along the boardwalk, taking in the gorgeous views of the ocean, Venice Beach to the south and the mountains of Malibu to the north. It is a great spot to watch surfers, also.
There are a few restaurants on the pier, but we opted to get some food from a vendor on the beach selling Mexican esquites, hot dogs and aguas frescas, fresh fruit drinks made with fruit juice, water and sugar.
car wash tacos
We love finding unique places to eat, so, when Toby’s friend invited us to meet him and his family at a car wash for dinner, we were totally on board. Apparently this isn’t a unique concept in LA, as car wash food has become quite popular. This makeshift stand from Leo’s Taco Truck in the corner of the Pico’s parking lot would have been more at home at a farmers market with its pop-up tent and folding tables. We ordered a few sopes and tacos, including their specialty, tacos al pastor. Traditionally a Mexican street food, they are made with marinated and spiced pork that is slow cooked on a gyro rotisserie, then shaved off onto warm corn tortillas and topped with cilantro, onion, lime and pineapple. They were surprisingly the best tacos al pastor we’ve ever had.
grand central market
Nestled between the Financial District and Little Tokyo in downtown LA is Grand Central Market. It is a bustling food hall filled with a huge assortment of offerings including vegan ramen, German sausages, beer, coffee, ice cream, pupusas, donuts, produce, dry goods and more. Home to famous eateries like Eggslut, Villa’s Tacos (on the MICHELIN Bib Gourmand list) and Wexler’s Deli, this is the perfect spot for an afternoon or evening food crawl.
