Our Official Food Guide To Smorgasburg L.A.
(Credit: Carolina Kornan Photography)
DTLA recently welcomed Brooklyn-born Smorgasburg to the Alameda Produce Market. Open every Sunday from 10am-6pm, the food market is an open-air collection of prime food vendors, offering everything from tacos and oysters to pizza and frozen pops. With so many options, you'll want to strategically plan your first visit. Here's a rundown of most of Smorgasburg's best eats. It's official: Smorgasburg has come out west!
Amazebowls
www.amazebowls.com
We're living in a bowl-loving world right now, so get your mixed fruit and granola fix at Amazebowls. One of the most beautiful versions is served in half a coconut shell and dotted with fruit and flowers. If you prefer to drink your meals, they have smoothies and cold brew coffee as well.
Banh Oui
www.banhoui.com
You'll say yes to all of Banh Oui's versions of the popular bánh mì sandwich served on housemade bread with housemade pâté. Expect to see variations like shrimp meatball, pork belly and chicken meatball bánh mì on the menu.
Belly & Snout
www.bellyandsnout.com
Belly & Snout's slinging classic Filipino dishes and Pinoy-inspired American classics. Crispy lumpia, adobo tacos, longanisa grilled cheese, sisig hot dogs and oxtail tater tots are just a few of the goods.
Califas Tacos
www.califastaco.com
The guys behind Mexicali Taco & Co. will serve tacos, fries and tacos topped with fries, along with their house Califas sauce. Carne asada, pollo asado or vegetarian-friendly mushrooms are your choices, but you might as well try all three.
Big Mozz
www.bigmozz.com
Order fresh, hand-pulled mozzarella at Big Mozz, and watch them prepare your cheese right in front of your eyes. They're also bringing wood-fired New York pizza and gooey, fried mozzarella sticks to the West coast.
Burritos La Palma
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Skinny burritos filled with slow-cooked birria, chicharrones, chicken tinga and more are on the menu at Burritos La Palma. Depending on how you're feeling that day, get those handmade, meat-filled tortillas stuffed or smothered with beans and cheese.
Caló Provisions
www.caloprovisions.com
Here's your chance to meet the Mexican powerhouse stew that many already know is a cure for all that ails. Caló Provisions' inspired pozole bar allows you to build-your-own bowl starting with your preferred broth--chicharron dashi or vegan shiitake. You won't regret adding a soft-boiled egg to the mix.
Carnitas El Momo
www.carnitaselmomo.com
Slow-cooked, tender and flavorful pork is the name of the game at this top taco food truck. The fresh, spicy salsas, like verde and roja add the perfect kick. No need to track down the mobile eatery now that they're guaranteed to be stationed at Smorgasburg.
Donut Friend
www.donutfriend.com
Highland Park's creative shop brings its fried cake and yeast donuts to DTLA. Hopefully, you'll get to taste signature treats like the Fudgegazi, Stiff Little Butterfingers, and Nutellavision, or one of the limited offerings like S'Morrissey and Angry Samoa.
Elvio's Chimichurri
www.elvioschimi.com
If you've been wondering where you can find a choripan sandwich in L.A., Elvio's is the answer. The Argentinian-born, family-run business will serve the popular chorizo baguette sandwich with their housemade sauces.
Goa Taco
www.goataco.com
Can Indian and Mexican food mix? According to Goa Taco, yes. Order a couple paratha flatbreads stuffed with fusion fillings like rojo lamb shoulder or mojo beef, then judge for yourself.
Good Gravy Bakes
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Flakey, buttery biscuits smothered in sausage gravy or slathered with a duo of blueberry lavender jam and basil whipped cream. Expect to find a multitude of biscuits and accompaniments, savory or sweet, from Good Gravy Bakes.
Greenspan's Grilled Cheese
www.greenspansgrilledcheese.com
Chef Eric Greenspan's grilled cheese sandwiches include a Cuban reuben, tuna melt, short rib and even the option to make your own. Pair any sandwich with fries or housemade soup, but the latke bites are a great option too.
Ichicoro
www.ichicoroya.com
This East coast ramen shop hits the West coast with its cubaono. It's a mash-up of a Cuban sandwich in a steamed bao bun. Ichicoro fills each one with its roasted pork, pickles, cheese, and a yuzu mayonnaise mustard spread.
The Jolly Oyster
www.thejollyoyster.com
The joint freshly shucks oysters right on the spot, handing over suckable finger food by the half dozen. Or dozen, if you're that kind of person. The locally sourced oysters are best paired with The Jolly Oyster's house mignonettes.
Little Spoon Frozen Pudding
www.littlespoonpudding.com
A new cold treat for the summer is frozen pudding. Little Spoon hand blends and freezes flavors like nana banana, caramel latte, chocolate campfire and a vegan, gluten-free coconut cream pie. Unlike melted ice cream's mess, this one just reverts back to pudding.
Lobsterdamus
www.lobsterdamus.com
Lobsterdamus' charcoal-grilled lobster is the main event for the guys behind this pop-up restaurant often found at the OC and 626 Night Markets. They also serve lobster balls drenched in garlic butter, plus a pile of lobster nachos.
Maury's Bagels
www.maurysbagels.com
This Eastside pop-up from a previous general manager at Gjusta and Gjelina Take Away now has a second home in DTLA, so you can do Sunday morning breakfast the East coast way: with a good bagel with schmear. Freshly baked plain, sesame, everything, pumpernickel and salt & pepper bagels are served with your topping of choice, including lox, whitefish and cucumbers, and veggies.
Monsieur Egg
www.instagram.com/monsieuregg
Monsieur Egg's mantra should be "put an egg on it" because you'll find it on or alongside everything. Menu items include dishes like a green scramble with spinach, arugula and kale, a burger with caramelized onions, brie and a fried egg, and the classically French Croque Madame.
NanaPops
www.nanapopsla.com
Hand-dipped, frozen banana pops are NanaPops' specialty. After the fruit is rolled in chocolate, choose your toppings, and head off with a healthier, sweet treat in hand.
Poke Alaea
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The same guys behind Ramen Burger have their hands in poke now as well, serving an ode to Hawaiian's traditional preparation. One of the key ingredients is Hawaiian alaea salt, which is a blend of local sea salt and mineral-laden, red volcanic clay.
Popd Up
www.popdupstore.com
This local syrup company focuses quality, sustainability and community via a product that can be used in various drinks, cocktails and edibles. You'll find craft sodas and cold brew teas at Smorgasburg, which will keep you cool while you nosh.
Porridge and Puffs
www.porridgeandpuffs.com
Porridge and Puffs will bring Smorgasburg diners its unique take on varieties of the warm, savory rice dish and fried rice-based dough, respectively. Chicken and mushroom with smoked-hibiscus egg, pickles and jam, and puffs with jasmine cream are just a few of the dishes you may find on the menu.
Raindrop Cake
www.raindropcake.com
The transparent "cake" is a visual beauty with a jiggle like jello and the encapsulated flavor of fresh precipitation. Enjoy the wobbly wonder with a helping of brown sugar syrup and soybean flour.
Ramen Burger
www.ramenburger.com
If you were hit hard by Ramen Burger closing its brick-and-mortar doors earlier this year, buck up. Now you can have those grilled burger patties sandwiched between ramen buns on a weekly basis.
Red Hook Lobster Pound
www.redhooklobster.com
L.A.'s full of lobster rolls just in time for summer. The Red Hook team serves Maine-style (a bit of mayo) or Connecticut-style (just butter) lobster stuffed into a split-top bun. Go gluten-free, and have your lobster nestled in lettuce.
Sticky Rice
www.eatstickyrice.com
Smorgasburg is Sticky Rice's second post in DTLA. If you've never had the restaurant's mango sticky rice, look forward to a dessert made of Thai glutinous rice with fresh, sweet mango and coconut thick.
Smoke, Loaf & Saucer
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The female trio behind Smoke, Loaf & Saucer turned a Kickstarter dream into a Smorgasburg reality. The bakers serve creamy avocado on their own smoked potato bread with a topping of Maple Block Meat Co. brisket. They also have freshly baked smoked chocolate chip cookies.
We Have Noodles
www.wehavenoodlesla.com
Fill up on savory bowls with We Have Noodles' rotating offerings from different parts of the world. That means a bit of hot Vietnamese pho, curried Thai noodles, cold Japanese soba, spicy Korean somen, and more, including vegetarian and vegan varieties.
