The Smorgasburg Market began as a celebration of food in Brooklyn, New York created by Jonathan Butler and Eric Demby. Recently, it has spread to Los Angeles, where it began to sell food, vintage items, clothing, and artwork on June 19th. This market occurs once a week on Sundays in Downtown.

When I first drove up to Smorgasburg, it did not at all look like I had expected it to. There were warehouses surrounding the market and Smorgasburg itself was inside an abandoned warehouse in a development called “ROW DTLA.” Once I got into the market, I was reminded of Downtown LA: old buildings filled with trendy and hip restaurants or boutiques.

I was instantly overwhelmed by the large scale of the market. When I walked in, I was especially excited to eat the creative raindrop cake which I read about all over the internet. It was highly addicting though it did not have any particular taste.

Next, I got a delicious acai bowl from Amazebowls topped with colorful fruit and flowers in a coconut.

I then visited a vendor called Cheezus, aptly named because they gave me the the best grilled cheese I have ever had. Called the “Neapolitan Pony Ride,” this sandwich had two types of cheese, tomatoes, olive oil, and basil. The vendor also offers a fried egg or bone marrow butter on each grilled cheese. It was a highly creative and modern vendor.

Lastly, I visited an ice cream vendor called Wanderlust. I was incredibly impressed by its creativity and unique flavors, and was very different from any typical ice cream shop. Each ice cream flavor was based on a different country. I ordered the “abuelita malted crunch” based on Mexican hot chocolate, but they also offered more unique flavors like “ sticky rice and mango”.

Besides food, Smorgasborg also hosted a nail salon truck, handmade soap vendors, and many interesting artists selling everything from paintings to handcrafted bowls.

I left feeling incredibly full from all that I ate but I was also fearful that I missed out on all the food I didn’t get to taste. Overall, Smorgasburg was huge and exciting with so many places to try all different types of cuisines. I would recommend going with a group of friends and splitting food so you can try it all!