LAGuide
Where To Eat At Grand Central Market
Figuring out what to eat at Grand Central Market can be overwhelming, but this guide will help you narrow things down.
We get it. The thought of Grand Central Market can be a drag. The tourists, the lines, the hovering of said tourists while you eat your taco so they can grab your table when you’re done. It’s not exactly what you envisioned for your Saturday afternoon.
The thing is, Grand Central Market overcomes all of these things. Why? The food. From excellent banchan to Filipino rice bowls and pies you’ll want to tell your friends about, some of the best food in all of Los Angeles is happening at GCM right now, and it’s time for you to (re)experience it. So take a breath, come hungry, and consult our guide to make the very most out of your visit.
THE SPOTS
Good news for anyone craving buttery shellfish. Seafood mini-chain Broad Street Oyster Co. has a massive corner stall right near the S. Broadway entrance to the market. If you’ve eaten at any of their other locations, you’ll recognize the $25 lobster rolls, which are served warm with hot drawn butter or cold with a bit of mayo, both on a lightly toasted bun with a lemon wedge. The warm ones are the star here, but you can also order a whole seafood tower or a caviar feast if you’re looking to splurge on a group meal. A long wooden bar runs along the side of the stall, which means that even on busy days, you should have no problem finding a seat.
From sweet and savory dried shrimp (otherwise known as myulchi saewoo bokkeum) to various regional styles of kimchi, Shiku’s Grand Central Market stall is a hub for creativity and experimentation. Which makes sense, considering owners Kwang Uh and Mina Park’s past restaurants, Baroo and Baroo Canteen - fermentation is woven right into their DNA. You’ll find both recognizable comfort dishes, like galbi jjim and marinated chicken, as well hard-to-find banchan, like spicy kimchi corn or japchae made with seaweed. Get a mix of both to enjoy at home, where no one will judge you for eating it straight out of the container.
Sign up for our newsletter.
Be the first to get expert restaurant recommendations for every situation right in your inbox.
From Glendora, CA comes The Donut Man, a legendary dessert shop that’s been around since the ’70s. Now, they have a stall at GCM, located at the front left corner (when you enter from S. Broadway), where you’ll find a giant case of freshly made donuts. It’s sort of like revisiting Madonna’s discography - confusing if you don’t know where to start - but whatever you decide to order, make sure to throw in a few strawberry-stuffed ones. They’re the donuts that made the man famous, topped with huge, bright-red fruits and drizzled in a sticky glaze. Don’t blame us if they ruin every other donut in existence.
Horse Thief always seems to have a crowd in front of it, but if you’re willing to wait it out, you’ll be rewarded with some of the best smoked meats in the city. This is Texas-style BBQ, so the star here is the 18-hour smoked brisket, but their Carolina pulled pork and beer brined half chicken should also find their way onto your order as well. Plus, their fantastic front patio is a great place to order a few rounds of ice-cold beer and decompress after braving GCM on a Saturday.
LA Guide
The Best BBQ In LA
Moon Rabbit
GCM’s latest addition, Moon Rabbit, is an all-around star. Inspired by boba shops in the San Gabriel Valley, Moon Rabbit specializes in teas and small snacks, like bánh mì filled with grilled pork and Japanese-style chicken katsu sandwiches. But the main event is their teas, which range from bright-orange Thai teas to jasmine greens and boba-filled rose blacks. With plenty of non-dairy options, they’re like Naomi Osaka on a good day - a wide range of talents, few weaknesses, and a fierce but cute aesthetic that just won’t quit.
Everyone loves a free sample. Villa Moreliana understands this. That’s why this taco stall offers juicy chunks of carnitas over the counter to anyone passing by. Villa Moreliana slow-cooks its carnitas just like they do in Michoacan, the Mexican state where the fatty, flavor-packed pork dish is practically a religion. The thing to order here are the simple tacos, which come with nothing but a heaping pile of chopped meat that spills from the tortilla onto the styrofoam plate. Add your own onions, cilantro, and salsa from their tiny condiment bar.
Is there such a thing as pie heaven? As Fat & Flour assures us, yes. All it takes is a glance at their dessert case filled with golden-brown salted caramel hand pies and big ol’ slices of key lime to become an all-in believer. Created by Nicole Rucker, the pastry chef behind Fiona, Fat & Flour specializes in pies that rotate with the seasons, like rosewater lemon meringue or Stone Fruit Party, a wonderful medley of white peaches, nectarines, and cherries that’s better than any birthday bash we’ve ever attended. Slices can be picked up day-of, whole pies require a 24-hour advance (and preordered online).
This Filipino stall towards the back of the market is from the Republique people, and it’s the kind of place that gets you excited for lunch. Sure, it’s 10:30am and you should be working on that finance report that’s due tomorrow, but instead you’re thinking about whether you should get the ribs or chicken today. All the food at Sari Sari Store is fantastic, so you can’t really go wrong - unless for some reason you don’t get a slice of the buko pie. You’ll need this coconut custard dessert to combat your inevitable 3pm slump.
LA Guide
The Best Filipino Restaurants in Los Angeles
LA has some of the best Thai food in America. And while there’s seemingly no end to excellent meals in Thai Town and its surrounding areas, the best panang curry in the city actually resides at GCM. Sticky Rice has immensely solid Thai street food across the board, but if you don’t go all-in on that sweet and savory panang, you’re simply doing it wrong. We drive long distances to get this dish, and so will you after trying it.
Dairy-free people, this one’s not for you. DTLA Cheese celebrates everyone’s favorite milk product with salads and sandwiches, but our favorite thing to do is chat with the insanely helpful staff. They’ll help you navigate their wide selection, hopefully give you more free samples than you needed to make a decision, and send you home with all the necessities to put together a cheese board that will make you feel very adult.
Tacos Tumbras a Tomas
There are a few taco places at Grand Central Market, but we always have a soft spot for Tacos Tumbras a Tomas. There’s a line for a reason, and it’s the carnitas. Sure, you could order the birria (goat) or the carne asada, but if you don’t opt for the carnitas you’ve made a mistake. You’ll only need a single order—just ask for more tortillas to go with your one taco and you’ll have enough protein for at least three. If you top them with green salsa and order a Mexican Coke, you’re doing Grand Central Market right.
Langer’s, Canter’s, Greenblatt’s, Brent’s. While the old pastrami strongholds of LA were duking it out for best in town (spoiler, it’s Langer’s), Wexler’s quietly threw its hat into the ring and changed everything. Make no doubt about it, this is some of the best pastrami in Los Angeles. We go for the MacArthur Park (an ode to Langer’s, of course) with coleslaw, Swiss cheese, and Russian dressing piled on top. But for as close to perfection as that sandwich is, the bagel and lox might be even better.
Sarita’s is a relative newcomer compared to old-timers like China Cafe, but it’s already established itself around these parts. This pupusa shop had a cameo in a La La Land song montage, so you’ll reliably find people taking photos at the bar stools, but you shouldn’t let that you deter you. Sarita’s has been here for more than 20 years for a reason. And that would be the truly excellent pupusas. There are a bunch of different types of these cheesy El Salvadorian stuffed-tortillas, and they’re all great.
Dominating the Hill Street end of the market is G&B, a big coffee operation from the same people as Go Get ’Em Tiger. Walk up to the bar to order a cappuccino (perhaps with their housemade macadamia almond milk), or take a seat at the counter for a waffle with your macchiato.
When the chef who used to work at Union - one of the best pasta spots in the city - opens a red sauce Italian stand in Grand Central Market, it’s OK to get your hopes up. And Knead delivers on the promise of very good handmade pasta. Our favorite is the fantastically garlicky aglio olio, with high-quality olive oil covering every square inch of the al dente lasagnette noodles. The spaghetti and meatballs are good, too—the rich, flavorful meatballs are the main event, though we appreciate the bits of short rib in the red sauce, too. Whatever you do, don’t skip the garlic bread—you’ll need it to soak up whatever sauce is left on your plate. All that being said, you can skip the sandwiches—they just don’t live up to the pasta.
As of 2014, you can drink alcohol at GCM. And while Golden Road lost a bit of its allure with its acquisition by Anheuser-Busch, it still has local appeal. Their 20-tap tasting counter is the perfect spot to take a breath in between food binges to down a glass or two of Wolf Among Weeds. They also have pierogies, and you shouldn’t be afraid to order one.
One of the OG Grand Central Market tenants, China Cafe has been serving Chinese-American classics that have barely changed since 1959. Expect things like chow mein, kung pao chicken, and off-menu egg rolls. We like to elbow our way into a seat at the bar, order a huge bowl of wonton soup for $6.50, and load it with chili sauce.
We like that this fried chicken stall has a row of barstools at the counter, so you can sit and eat your sandwich without having to fight a group of people in suits for a table elsewhere in GCM. But easy seating isn’t the only reason to eat here - the fried chicken is also very solid. You can get three or five pieces, but we like the sandwich, which comes with pickles, smoked paprika aioli, and lettuce.
McConnell's Fine Ice Creams
You’ve probably seen McConnell’s tubs in a grocery store, which means you definitely put them in your shopping cart, therefore you know why the line here is always so long. You could go for a scoop (Boysenberry Rosé Milk Jam, anyone?), but why settle at just that - there’s sundaes, floats, and build-your-own ice cream sandwiches available here. It’s certainly the best way to finish up before you roll yourself out the door and onto the 10.
Based on the name alone, you can probably guess what you should order at The Oyster Gourmet - this spot sources their oysters from all over (including Wellfleet, Baja, and Washington State), and the shuckers will be able to tell you what’s freshest. Along with a glass of wine, this is an excellent, lighter interlude between your Sari Sari and your Sticky Rice.
With locations all over LA and even Vegas, Eggslut is now one of the most recognizable names in LA food, and this is the original. Yes, the lines will always be long and yes, people will be taking selfies with that yolk-covered burger. We can’t tell you that these breakfast sandwiches are worth the long wait, but if you walk past and there’s somehow no line, seize the opportunity and order the bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich.
Seafood-centric Mexican spot La Tostaderia has only been at Grand Central Market for a couple of years, but it has already achieved staple status. Go for the fish ceviche tostada - a tangy mix of white fish, tomato, onion, and cucumber that’s smothered in lime and topped with avocado. Be sure to make liberal use of the Tapatío they hand over with your order. La Tostaderia is a tasty, fresh change from most of the heavy offerings found around most of the market.
