"Our untouchable produce, year-round growing season, and extremely diverse population means that Angelinos have some of the greatest food you can find anywhere in North America."
Yes. God do I miss the produce so much. I lived all the way from LA/Westwood. To San diego, to riverside and fucking tiny little yucaipa in the foothills of big bear. In ALL of those places, the produce was hands down the best produce I've ever had. The farmers markets there where elite. Nothing has ever topped the Vista farmers market or the Westwood one.
There are days where I miss living there. My most missed restaurants from there are mainly in oceanside. But there was this tiny little pita place in Westwood near the in n out and the sandwich shack and the taco (?) Shack. It had THE BEST toppings bar for their food. I miss that place the most 😭😭
Yes! The produce is just unmatched all over Southern California. I feel like so many great toppings bars got tossed out during the pandemic. I hate it!
LA is one of the greatest, if not the greatest, food city in the country. I am prepared to back that up in donut spot recommendations alone. Thanks for the kind words about a great food scene and a great city.
I live in Maine and travel to LA every three months to see my grandchildren. I lived as a campground host near Malibu/Ventura line for 7 months. I drive everywhere in LA county. I love this area of our country and California, in general. You are so right that negative comments come from people who have never been there and/or those who have briefly driven by signs for Venice, Mulholland Dr.or the LACMA for the photo
op of urban lights!
Thank you so much for sharing this information!!!!
Have not been to LA in a long time but hope to do so soon and do a lot of eating. Luckily there is a Mason’s Dumpling shop in Denver, for some reason, only LA and Colorado. That place is awesome.
About to have an overnight to LA and was wondering where to get good vegan food downtown. You and the late, great Jonathan Gold make a case for the incredible diversity in food you can find in LA. Thanks Michelle!
I hate it here!! Whatever beauty is talked about is invisible due to the 11 million people here! Yes the food is good and all that but the city's traffic takes that away! You can't do anything without loosing 5-7 business days in traffic. 😂
I was born and raised in the 'burbs of Chicago, and I now live a couple hours away in a uni town surrounded by podunkvilles. But I have BIL/SIL in LA and have been there twice now.
What I hate (we'll get that out of the way): 1 - traffic. A vehicle is necessary to get around and there is always so much traffic. Bah! But I imagine you hate that, too. (There's traffic around Chicago, but it doesn't seem to slow as much as in LA.)
2 - Costs, specifically housing. We could never move there and afford it. Plus if we could swing a house, the insurance costs would be exorbitant. Sure, insurance rates are going up all over, but it's worse where there are regular wildfires now, and more risk of earthquakes. Again, COL is an issue all over this nation (and world.)
I'm sure you LA folks don't disagree with those. Now love!
The DIVERSITY! OMG, the fashions, the faces, the music! My uni town has some diversity, but being in Chicago or LA just makes me smile and my head swivels looking at all of it.
Diversity brings FOOD! We went to some food court (sorry, don't remember the name but across from Angel's Flight) and there were at least 3 taco places! It seemed to take forever to walk and see all the choices, and then to have to choose. SIL is vegan and we had food from Vinh Loi Tofu and it was so delicious.
And last I'll mention is produce. On a trip in March we were in Santa Barbara and there was a farmer's market going on and I was freaking. The celery was displayed like a work of art because it was a fucking work of art! I bought a variety of citrus and even my SIL was like "what did you buy? These are so good!" If I had all the money in the world, I would have dumped it at that one market. We drove around and I was shouting 'lemon tree! orange tree!" I declared that I would have one of each citrus tree in my yard were I to live there, and then BIL said I would have to clean up fruit daily to keep the rats at bay. I then declared I would buy my citrus at the local market.
Rosemary as a perennial - I had never seen rosemary in bloom as mine never gets that grown before the death of winter. And as a groundcover!
This past May we went and stopped at a berry market and the strawberries were red to the core and so fucking good! The produce, man.
Yes!!!! We hate those things too. The fact that we had a large train system at the start of the 20th century and then ripped it up is a damn crime that’ll never get over.
Grand Central Market is great! The citrus, avocados, and herbs that grow all over California are unreal. I’m forever collecting lemons from my neighbors who don’t go through them like I do. Growing up in California I didn’t realize that farmers markets aren’t always year round. My silly brain didn’t understand winter. There’s lots to love here so we’ve got to share it with lots of people!
Oh, forgot the avocados! Here the farmer's market starts in May, but it's tunnel-grown lettuces and plant starts. In June we can get some greenhouse or hydroponic tomatoes, but real dirt-under-the-sun tomatoes don't come until mid- to late June.
Thank you so much! There are so many talented chefs and cooks in LA who deserve some love. Instead the same 5 people get written up in Eater all the time. Not on my watch!
When I travel I learn about the place through food. I just came back from Greece and Turkey, and I ate any authentic thing I could get my hands on. I LOVE the food in LA. It is always so fresh.
I have lived in Northern CA all my life and I remember the LA hate was always centered around “they’re stealing our water!!” 😂. I love LA and thank you for all the great food suggestions for my next trip down!
Also I totally found this through my notes feed and I am SO excited to read the rest of your stuff!!
"Our untouchable produce, year-round growing season, and extremely diverse population means that Angelinos have some of the greatest food you can find anywhere in North America."
Yes. God do I miss the produce so much. I lived all the way from LA/Westwood. To San diego, to riverside and fucking tiny little yucaipa in the foothills of big bear. In ALL of those places, the produce was hands down the best produce I've ever had. The farmers markets there where elite. Nothing has ever topped the Vista farmers market or the Westwood one.
There are days where I miss living there. My most missed restaurants from there are mainly in oceanside. But there was this tiny little pita place in Westwood near the in n out and the sandwich shack and the taco (?) Shack. It had THE BEST toppings bar for their food. I miss that place the most 😭😭
Yes! The produce is just unmatched all over Southern California. I feel like so many great toppings bars got tossed out during the pandemic. I hate it!
LA is one of the greatest, if not the greatest, food city in the country. I am prepared to back that up in donut spot recommendations alone. Thanks for the kind words about a great food scene and a great city.
I live in Maine and travel to LA every three months to see my grandchildren. I lived as a campground host near Malibu/Ventura line for 7 months. I drive everywhere in LA county. I love this area of our country and California, in general. You are so right that negative comments come from people who have never been there and/or those who have briefly driven by signs for Venice, Mulholland Dr.or the LACMA for the photo
op of urban lights!
Thank you so much for sharing this information!!!!
There is a little taco shack at the bottom of the hill on the way up to County/USC hospital ...on the ER side. Just the most amazing food.
Have not been to LA in a long time but hope to do so soon and do a lot of eating. Luckily there is a Mason’s Dumpling shop in Denver, for some reason, only LA and Colorado. That place is awesome.
Right? So weird but I’m not mad. They’re so damn good.
Looks like enough beets for me :)
It’s so ridiculously delicious. I cannot stress this enough.
oh good 'cause that's the spot we'll be going to!
About to have an overnight to LA and was wondering where to get good vegan food downtown. You and the late, great Jonathan Gold make a case for the incredible diversity in food you can find in LA. Thanks Michelle!
Perfect timing! Jonathan Gold is one of the best to ever do it. Enjoy your trip ❤️
I went to Italy 20 years ago and I started cooking when I got home. I haven’t stopped since!
That’s the dream right there!
I hate it here!! Whatever beauty is talked about is invisible due to the 11 million people here! Yes the food is good and all that but the city's traffic takes that away! You can't do anything without loosing 5-7 business days in traffic. 😂
We’re a house divided. But hey, you met your wife in LA. Doesn’t that count for something?
absolutely and it only took me years to get to her due to the traffic!
I was born and raised in the 'burbs of Chicago, and I now live a couple hours away in a uni town surrounded by podunkvilles. But I have BIL/SIL in LA and have been there twice now.
What I hate (we'll get that out of the way): 1 - traffic. A vehicle is necessary to get around and there is always so much traffic. Bah! But I imagine you hate that, too. (There's traffic around Chicago, but it doesn't seem to slow as much as in LA.)
2 - Costs, specifically housing. We could never move there and afford it. Plus if we could swing a house, the insurance costs would be exorbitant. Sure, insurance rates are going up all over, but it's worse where there are regular wildfires now, and more risk of earthquakes. Again, COL is an issue all over this nation (and world.)
I'm sure you LA folks don't disagree with those. Now love!
The DIVERSITY! OMG, the fashions, the faces, the music! My uni town has some diversity, but being in Chicago or LA just makes me smile and my head swivels looking at all of it.
Diversity brings FOOD! We went to some food court (sorry, don't remember the name but across from Angel's Flight) and there were at least 3 taco places! It seemed to take forever to walk and see all the choices, and then to have to choose. SIL is vegan and we had food from Vinh Loi Tofu and it was so delicious.
And last I'll mention is produce. On a trip in March we were in Santa Barbara and there was a farmer's market going on and I was freaking. The celery was displayed like a work of art because it was a fucking work of art! I bought a variety of citrus and even my SIL was like "what did you buy? These are so good!" If I had all the money in the world, I would have dumped it at that one market. We drove around and I was shouting 'lemon tree! orange tree!" I declared that I would have one of each citrus tree in my yard were I to live there, and then BIL said I would have to clean up fruit daily to keep the rats at bay. I then declared I would buy my citrus at the local market.
Rosemary as a perennial - I had never seen rosemary in bloom as mine never gets that grown before the death of winter. And as a groundcover!
This past May we went and stopped at a berry market and the strawberries were red to the core and so fucking good! The produce, man.
Apologies for language.
Yes!!!! We hate those things too. The fact that we had a large train system at the start of the 20th century and then ripped it up is a damn crime that’ll never get over.
Grand Central Market is great! The citrus, avocados, and herbs that grow all over California are unreal. I’m forever collecting lemons from my neighbors who don’t go through them like I do. Growing up in California I didn’t realize that farmers markets aren’t always year round. My silly brain didn’t understand winter. There’s lots to love here so we’ve got to share it with lots of people!
Oh, forgot the avocados! Here the farmer's market starts in May, but it's tunnel-grown lettuces and plant starts. In June we can get some greenhouse or hydroponic tomatoes, but real dirt-under-the-sun tomatoes don't come until mid- to late June.
Well now I’m just jealous! Looks like I need to plan a visit 🤤
I love that you highlight other people in the food industry and talk about how great they are. It's a wonderful trait you have.
Thank you so much! There are so many talented chefs and cooks in LA who deserve some love. Instead the same 5 people get written up in Eater all the time. Not on my watch!
When I travel I learn about the place through food. I just came back from Greece and Turkey, and I ate any authentic thing I could get my hands on. I LOVE the food in LA. It is always so fresh.
I’m so jealous! I bet you had the most amazing food and time. LA is another great place to just eat your way around. Food-based vacations for ever!!!
I travel for food as much as for the country experience. I could go on and on about our Italy trip last year!
I have lived in Northern CA all my life and I remember the LA hate was always centered around “they’re stealing our water!!” 😂. I love LA and thank you for all the great food suggestions for my next trip down!
Lolol, ahhh yes that. We’re stealing water from Arizona for sure too. But hey, at least Chinatown is a great movie!
Hi, fellow NorCal neighbor! I'm outside of Sacramento!
And I'm inside of Sacramento! And pro-LA. And a bit of an introverted lurker. BTW, that week-long Mulaney stint on Netflix was sooo damn good.
Hi, neighbor! I live in Cameron Park!
South Land Park here. Howdy!
Hi there! Livermore here :)
I went to school in San Francisco! The Bay Area is great.
Absolutely ❤️
I really love the way you write, it's a fact.
Right back at you. Double fact.