The City of Angels is a touristic landmark on its own: from the iconic Hollywood Sign to the Walk of Fame, visitors are drawn to the buzzy rhythm of the city and its picturesque sights. There are some travelers, however, that choose to approach Los Angeles’ culture both through its views and through its flavours. If you are looking into getting to know the city with a food map in mind, keep on reading.
Los Angeles Food Tours
While the secret jewels of the city and its history may be hard to access for a tourist, they are not hidden for a culinary specialist guide. You can join a LA Food tour and get to know both the culture, the tastes and the history of the City of Angels. Here are some options for you to try:
Venice Beach Food Tour
Walk through one of LA’s most notorious beaches and learn about its history while you get to know famous food stands and the local concealed gems. Do not miss out on the wine, tacos and crostini.
Downtown Food Tour
In this notorious LA Food Tour, you can get to know some historical sites like the Million Dollar Theater, the Grand Central Market, the Bradbury Building and the Biltmore Hotel and taste the diverse eateries, specialty food stores and much more in a single experience. Pastries, pasta, cheese and a glimpse of both the old and new LA’s Downtown: this food tour includes them all.
Santa Monica Food Tour
It does not matter if you have a sweet tooth or if you are into cheeseburgers: this popular Los Angeles’ Westside spot (which usually includes a visit to the Farmers’ Market) has everything to fulfill every need. Make sure to try the handcrafted doughnuts and the Italian sandwiches, among many others essentials.
Must-Try Recipes
Have you really visited Los Angeles if you left without trying these dishes? Here are some well-known local delicacies:
Lobster Roll
This recipe consists in lobster, which is prepared with a mixture of melted butter, black pepper, lemon juice and lettuce (among others) and then placed in hot dog rolls. It is usually served with French fries or potato chips on the side.
Ice Cream Sandwich
It does not take much to have an effective, tasteful dessert, and LA’s ice cream sandwich proves that. A sweet treat to combat the hot weather that can come in artisanal outtakes and creative variants (from churros and cookies to macarons, to name a few).
Cobb Salad
This salad was conceived as a main dish, and it includes a wide range of ingredients, from bacon, tomato, eggs, chives and fried chicken to greens, blue cheese and avocado. It is usually dressed with a red wine vinaigrette.
The name takes after its creator, Robert Cobb, who owned the restaurant The Brown Derby. There, he found leftovers (chicken breast, salad greens, hard-boiled eggs and some others) and decided to mix them. From its origins in 1930, it has become a city icon, ordered by movie stars like Clark Gable and Lucille Ball.
French Dip Sandwich
Also known as the “signature sandwich” of the city, you can find this iconic recipe with different combinations. The traditional recipe includes roast beef, leg of lamb, pork, ham or turkey put inside a crispy French roll alongside cheese, onions and mustard. You can try it in a number of ways, from “single-dip”, “double-dip” or even “wet”.
Tacos
Los Angeles is known for its taco variety: here, you will be able to find any shape, topping and size you want, in any place you want (from sit-down restaurants to food trucks and street cars). Have a go at the beef and cheese, the sour cream, the avocado, the moronga and lamb and many other different combinations.
Avocado Toast
As the name suggests, this recipe consists of avocado topping on a toast. However, it can also be served with tomato, cheese, garlic, chives, radish, pickled onions and many other ingredients.
Pastrami Sandwich
An iconic dish that originated in Jewish delis, it is cooked with brined, spiced, smoked and steamed beef brisket. You can find coleslaw, Russian dressing and other variations.
Walk, taste and get to know Los Angeles on different levels: get the perfect food tour for you and guarantee a tasteful touristic experience.