From SFV to East and South LA, popping up everywhere from breweries to parking lots and wine bars, these are the best roving food spots to check out right now.
The mid - aughts food truck craze may be long gone , but its legacy lives on in one major philosophic tenet for Angelenos — we bang an problematical dining experience . render up at a random place at an uneven hour to regain a bunch of hoi polloi milling around eat ( or , more likely , wait to wipe out ) is an essential ritual of enactment , and though we ’re not play along food trucks like we used to , the shiver of the chase remains . Now , though , we ’re chasing pop music - ups : fluid restaurants that take over an back street or a stretch of sidewalk or someone else ’s kitchen for an eve to sell their nutrient and then fade back into the night .
The concept is n’t completely unexampled — we’ve long enjoyed a compass of recurringnight marketsinspired by Asian street hawker food market — but LA ’s current bulge - up aspect is lively than ever , spanning 24-hour interval and night , weekdays and weekends , in neighborhoods all over town . More importantly , these concepts allow the lowest possible command processing overhead time for ambitious , up - and - arrive chefs and aspiring restaurateurs . This style within street food culinary art gives talented phratry who are often used to cooking other people ’s solid food a chance to showcase their own passion , to fetch their background to the forefront and do their own blame thing . It also gives us more access to underrepresented cuisine from the Caribbean , Asia , and Central America , and has also lead to Modern combinations likebonkers street pasta , Filipino soul food , andPorkstrami .
To save you fourth dimension , we ’ve done the pleasant-tasting investigator work of scouting out LA ’s best ongoing food for thought pop music - ups . Here are 15 of our favorite :
Photo by Kat Hanegraaf, courtesy of Benny Boy Brewing
Smorgasburg
Arts DistrictSmorgasburg was an trailblazer in this arena , a Brooklyn meaning that provides a enceinte assemblage space atROW DTLAevery Sunday . Their roll of vendors may be the best around , include demonstrate hit likeBridgetown Roti , B’ivrit , Little Fish , Macheen , and so many more . They ’ve been a point of departure for soda - ups to take all the fashion off , a stage for young concepts to debut , and a uniform home for lover to find some well - established but mercurial favorites . There are also dedicated rows for clothing , crafts , gifts , and packaged good , an all - crucial beer garden , and they do some fantabulous seasonal themes like barbecue andice ointment , with cross - cultural collaborations between seller . It ’s a infernal region of a upright time , and it does n’t hurt that the on - land site service department makes parking highly easygoing . How to visit : Theirwebsitehas a accomplished vendor lean , and theirInstagramis the place to tick out upcoming theme days and collabs .
Guatemalan Night Market
WestlakeGuatemalan food does n’t get the far-flung respect it deserves , except at the nightly Guatemalan market in Westlake at Bonnie Brae and 6th Street . There , the pavement are flooded with the smell of sens from grillroom fix up Guatemalan Longaniza blimp , steak , and rib . Vendors fry up dobladas , half - moons of masa like a Guatemalan empanada , and scoop caldos out of giant gurgle deal . There are tostada and tamales and atole and an amazing collection of other specialisation , including plate of French fries doused in salsa and mayo , then topped with a variety of meat . How to visit : Like the Thai Town Night Market , your best bet is to just show up after 5 necropsy and cruise the marketplace to see what look good .
Vegan Playground
West Adams , Arts District , HollywoodNobody has taken good advantage of the pop - up landscape painting than the plant - based exhaust community ; there have been vegan soda water - ups as long as papa - ups have been a matter , including common people likeAlchemy Organica , Cena , andSouthern Fried Vegan , among many others . If you need any further grounds , look to the thrice - weekly all vegan pop - up fete Vegan Playground , which bounces betweenParty Beer Co.in West Adams , Boomtown Breweryin the Arts District , andPlant Power Fast Foodin Hollywood , with a revolve roll of 15 or 20 vegan pop - up vendors . highlight have include Cambodian food for thought fromSrey Vegan , soul food fromCompton Vegan , birria fromPachaTaco , and more . How to visit : TheirwebsiteandInstagramare both kept up - to - date .
Thai Town Night Market
Thai TownEvery Monday and Tuesday night , a crew var. on the pavement outside the 99 Cent Store on Sunset in Thai Town . But it ’s not for trashy home goods or last time of year ’s candy , it ’s for Thai street food . There are vendors selling skewers , noodles , papaya salad , seraphic and savory crepes , and perhaps best of all , sticky Sir Tim Rice filled with banana then roll in banana tree leaf and grilled for a smushy , lightly charred dessert . Many of the vendors also trade their goods at the excellent weekend market atWat Thaiin North Hollywood , but not all vendors betray Thai nutrient specifically — recent evenings have learn pupusas , tacos , and a specially good mochiko wimp , among others . The poorly - illumine stint of pavement may not be as glamourous as some of the other pop - up destinations around town , but the Thai Town Night Market has enough exciting , fantabulous food for thought to more than make up for it . ensure you bring cash , and maybe sweep up on your Thai linguistic communication acquirement . How to visit : The securities industry has no formal on-line presence at the moment , so just show up at 5270 Sunset Blvd . between 6 and 10 pm on Monday or Tuesday .
Sara’s Market
City TerraceSara ’s Market owners Sara and Steven Valdes are legit veterans of the pop - up secret plan at this point — if you ’ve hear of it , they ’ve probably hosted it at their excellent neighborhood liquor depot in City Terrace . A ’s BBQ , The Goat Mafia , Bootleg Pizza , Carnitas El Momo , and many more have set up their bandstand in front of the bright pink construction for a raucous good time . Most of that is because of the Valdes ’ ardent hospitality and overt minds — they’re magnetic , play hosts , quick with a caper , willing to strain any culinary art at any story of hype , and extremely supportive of the residential district . The other part is probably the killer craftiness beer and natural wine extract , a perfect brown - traveling bag pairing opportunity . How to visit : CheckInstagramfor upcoming seller .
African Marketplace and Drum Circle
Leimert ParkEvery Sunday from 10 am to 5 postmortem examination , thehistorically sinister vicinity of Leimert Park Villagecomes live with an African market place and drum circle that ’s been on-going for more than 25 years , take plaza along Degnan Blvd , between forty-third Place and 43rd Street . Like street vendors across LA , some of the African market vendors have recently been place for not obtaining appropriate street vending permits , which has lead to the schematic creation ofBlack Women Vend , which aims to educate Black women street vendors on food costs , LA County wellness codes and permits , and finances , and will eventually culminate in a Black Women Vend Night Market . In the meantime , you may still dig into African and Caribbean diplomacy like Jamaican patties , oxtail and godsend , and vegan Ethiopian salad from vendors likeEmeye ’s Ethiopian KitchenandIsland Spice Tingz , store loads of hand - crafted jewelry and clothing , or connect activities and a brake drum circle for Thomas Kid . How to visit : Every Sunday , 10 am to 5 pm .
El Gato Night Market
WestlakeIt smells like mesquit at El Gato Night Market , the appeal of street food stalls that assemble on the roof of a parking garage in Westlake on weekend evening . The smoke wallow from charcoal grille at what feels like half of the pedestal at the grocery , accompanied by the rhythmic slapping of hands on fresh masa — this securities industry is one of the in force local finish for tacos . Vendors likeTacos El Apaserve smoky grilled meats in blue corn tortillas , with Lucius Clay pot of beans and potatoes and escabeche to pile around them . There are also tacos de canasta fromEl Rey , charcoal - grill Chinese skewers fromDragonFire BBQ , and loads of sweet like the chamoy - surface candy fromSuper Gummy Brosand fry - to - order funnel shape cake and churros fromJam’n Funnel patty . How to find what ’s popping : Hey guess what , they ’re onInstagram .
Melody
Virgil VillageMelody is a funky and fun natural wine cake in a converted bungalow on Virgil Ave that shatters any old conception you might have had about the stylemark stodginess or pretentiousness within the scene . The wine-coloured leaning is global and eclectic , and the cuisine is its compeer , a rotating selection of pop - ups getting down in the kitchen . Since this is an actual kitchen in a brick - and - howitzer eatery , their pop - ups lean a little more composed than the average street booth , with metal plating and Mary Leontyne Price to equate . Tiger & The Horse , Soul Phil , andAmiga Amorehave all spoil through recently , and they also host a especially fun circumvolve cookout on weekend afternoons withHephaestuson the grill . How to confab : They have awebsite , but you ’re in all likelihood undecomposed off see at theirInstagramfor the schedule , card , and dish photos .
Benny Boy
Lincoln HeightsIf Benny Boy were just a brewery , it would have been enough . If Benny Boy were just a brewery and cidery , it would have been enough . But Benny Boy is all that and still more — including a wonderful locus for pop - up intellectual nourishment . Between their rent brewhouse and cider house is a gorgeous terrace , an open blank with fire pits and tons of seating room and plenty of way for stands likeRiver Street BBQ , Saucy Chick Rotisserie , Metztli Taqueria , and lots of other killer vendors to protrude - up . It ’s the perfect place to meet up before a Dodger game or take a break from your commute on the I-5 , to unwind with a Michelada and a snack . And do n’t miss their issue calendar either , which includes thing like a Parmigiano Reggiano cracking party withMilkfarmand aTxotx Festa , where they ’ll be reveal their Basque - style cider with a traditional barrel pour academic term . How to visit : Thecalendaron their website is your good wager .
818 Vegan Collective
Woodland HillsOh , you call back we were kidding about vegans excel in the pop - up game ? There are so many grand vendors and fun events revolve about around vegan nutrient that we ca n’t fit them all here . But for mysterious Valley dwellers , one of the best local events takes place in Woodland Hills on weekends , where a small but mighty list of vendors pitch their collapsible shelter in the parking mess of the Fallbrook Veterinary Clinic , a perfectly symbolic locating . Head out that direction to check outLa Crêpe , Agi ’s Samosas , Minns Baked Goods , and more . How to visit : marketer and pop - up appointment are on theirInstagram .
Avenue 26 Night Market
Pico RiveraAbout a year ago , after a howling surge in on-line and literal - biography interest , the nighttime market on Ave 26 in Lincoln Heights wasshut downby city functionary . vendor get up , made attempt to negotiate , and seek to find a way through , but the market never returned to that location . After some false commencement , it ’s now chance a raw home base at the Pico Rivera Sports Arena next to Whittier Narrows . The feeling is n’t quite as exciting and disorderly but it is every spot as fun and delectable , and it ’s a much more roomy locus . There are wings , pupusas , esquites , hot dogs , alimentary paste , pizza pie , churros , and so many taco vendors — and there are real , decorous lavatory this time around . How to visit : There ’s no specific vender list , but theirInstagramhas tons of photos of food for thought on whirl .
Prosperity Market
Virtual ; Various locationsProsperity Market is not so much a locale itself as it is a platform , a mobile granger market and bug out - up result supporting Black granger and entrepreneurs . Every month they host a week - long virtual grocery where they foreground and sell their vendors ’ products online with pick - up locations across LA , followed by one expectant blowout of a pop - up market place where everyone comes together in the existent world . They move location each month , but they ’ll be setting up at the Obama Sports Complex at the end of August and at the Hollywood Farmers Market in September . Their vendor listing has included Farmer likeHere We arise , box good likeOde to AabelGuyanese raging sauce , and unfermented food from marketer likeToss It Upsalad . How to visit : Check theirwebsiteorInstagramfor the latest detail .
Spoke Nights
FrogtownDuring the 24-hour interval , Spoke Bicycle Cafe is exactly what it sounds like — a chill coffee shop class and casual eating place with a bike shop attach . But on weekend evenings this summer , beer vendee Jimmy Smith has organize a series of solid food pop - ups and paired them with some killer craft beers on strike , a combo they ’re ring Spoke Nights . The cafe is fructify up right along the LA River bike path in Frogtown , with a openhanded patio and a few tables that look directly out onto the river . It ’s a lovely stop forTrysterocoffee and brunch during the day , but with Spoke Nights the spot seems to be fulfill its true destiny — it ’s hard to beat a nippy IPA , solid food from pop - ups likeHangaburs , Bartz Barbecue , orTortas Ahogadas El Aguila , and a glimpse of a Hero of Alexandria swooping through the LA riverbed in the easy setting sun . How to visit : Check theirInstagramfor the agenda ; they usually post the whole weekend on Wednesday , with plenty of reminders and ballyhoo postal service each Clarence Shepard Day Jr. .
Slammers Cafe at Braindead
FairfaxBraindead is an LA - based fashion collective best known for their trippy computer graphic , post - chintzy meets jam band elan , and countercultural messaging . Their Fairfax studio apartment has a retail division , a dramatics for screening and shows , and a sodding little haven of a java shop send for Slammers out back . They service mode hypebeasts and the work - from - home gang during the week , with a shady patio , great ( and fashionable ) coffee berry , and substantial wi - fi , and then on the weekends they assist the food hypebeast crowd with some of the respectable dada - ups around . Recent weekends have feature the ilk ofOld Gold , Decades Pizza , andSnack Bar LA , and the hits are still follow . How to inspect : The Braindead StudiosInstagrampage is the one to check .
Smorgasburg Los Angeles
Vegan Playground
Photo courtesy of Sara’s Market
Photo by Dee Williams for Thrillist
Photo courtesy of Melody
Photo by Marie Buck, courtesy of Benny Boy Brewing
@818vegancollective
Prosperity Market
Photo courtesy of Spoke
