Celebrate Cuisine at DTLA’s Grand Central Market

Ava Adams '17, Health and Leisure Editor

The Grand Central Market opened in 1917 with 90 vendors and quickly became a downtown landmark for LA. One can easily notice the history surrounding them when they walk into the old building since it sits next to the Angels flight railway and the Bradbury Building. However, the market manages to foster both a historic and modern feel. It features older neon signs of vendors like China Cafe nearby the modern coffee table of G&B Coffee.

The market aims to “celebrate the cuisines and cultures of Los Angeles” by offering many different types of cookery from all over the globe in an exciting way. Mr. Eadon, our very own Physics teacher at Marymount, shares this excitement for the market, saying, “Grand Central Market is becoming an amazing phenom for LA.” He describes some thoughts of his favorite vendors, explaining, Belcampo raises its meats on its own farms sustainably and ethically–some of the finest in the country. Bombo showed up because a chef from Seattle decided he wanted to try a different approach to cooking fresh seafood. Two women from Brooklyn, NY decided to come here to open a falafel/hummus restaurant. LA did not have an outstanding cheesemonger, it does now with DTLA Cheese.”

Five of my friends and I sampled a variety of places within Grand Central Market for dinner, sampling cuisines from all over the world. It is important to note that many of the market’s most famous eateries close early, like the notorious “Eggslut”.  

1.Olio Pizzeria

I ordered the Margherita plus which is great for burrata lovers; however, others may find the pizza runny and may want to stick to a classic margherita with fresh mozzarella cheese. The pizzas are a perfect size for individuals, but can definitely be shared. They range from about $9 to $11.

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2. The Oyster Gourmet

Adrianna Silerio ‘17 ordered classic oysters from The Oyster Gourmet. You can get six oysters from all different places in the world for $18. Adrianna recommends to add all the sauces and the lemon for the best taste.

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3. DTLA Cheese

Clara Lacey ‘17 ordered the Avocado Toast. She noted that contrary to other avocado toasts in Los Angeles, this one featured delicious ricotta cheese that made it especially tasty. The toast’s seasoning complemented the flavor of the cheese, and the ingredients were very fresh served on a warm French baguette.

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4. Belcampo Meat

Clare Cooper ‘17 ordered a burger and fries. All of the ingredients were deliciously fresh and she appreciated the homemade ketchup. The meat itself was well-seasoned and juicy with more flavor brought out by the grilled onions and sauce. The combo was about $16.

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5. Sarita’s Pupuseria

Hannah Robinson ‘17 ordered a pork pupusa, which is a Salvadoran stuffed tortilla. She found that dish to have a good proportion of meat to bread. The tortilla was buttery and delicious and the cabbage was spicy but tasted great with the saltiness of the meat. You can get one pupusa with filling for $2.

Screen Shot 2016-09-06 at 1.44.50 PM6. Tacos Tumbras a Tomas

Yurika Boyd ‘17 had a marinated pork, chicken, and beef tacos. Though she did not get to try the beef tacos, since many of her friends also wanted to taste her dish, she stated that the chicken tacos were the best. Each taco was $3.50, and but even a single taco was very big and filling.

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Overall, Grand Central Market is a great place to go with a group of friends because everyone is sure to find something that they love!