Get ready to chow down: Smorgasburg L.A. is back in action.
After a month-long hiatus, Smorgasburg L.A. opened again on Sunday, Jan. 13. The large-scale, food market pop-up will be open every Sunday until it takes another break next winter.
This weekly food festival fills Downtown Los Angeles with delectable smells, crowds of people, and pop-up stands everywhere you look. Dotted between the stands you can see some vendors set up in job site trailers, structures made of thin wood and vinyl that typically last as long as five years. As you walk past the trailers, stands, and trucks, you can taste treats from almost every continent, all with a signature L.A. flair.
While you may want to dive into your first Smorgasburg next Sunday, you should know a bit about the event beforehand. Consult this handy guide before you get ready to live out your wildest foodie dreams.
What Exactly Is At Smorgasburg L.A.?
A more accurate question would be what isn’t at Smorgasburg L.A.? The pop-up market features almost 60 food producers every week. In true L.A. fashion, this event includes much more than just food. There is also a beer garden, artisan marketplace, and live music. Rotating add-on events, such as record sales, make the food festival a little different every week.
Smorgasburg L.A. is the west-coast version of a Brooklyn pop-up market of the same name. Despite its New York origins, Smorgasburg is a vital cornerstone of downtown revitalization efforts. It is part of Row DTLA, a larger development that is focused on housing residencies, galleries, office space, and shopping.
What Kind Of Food Does Smorgasburg L.A. Offer?
With so many options and crowds numbering in the thousands, you will want to enter Smorgasburg with a game plan. We recommend starting your day at Smorgasburg by grabbing an iced coffee for energy on-the-go. Coffee outlets began selling chilled options over over 50 years ago, giving Smorgasburg vendors plenty of time to perfect their own versions of the caffeinated beverage.
Your main dish — or two or three — is up to your taste buds. Seafood lovers can head to Broad Street Oyster Co. for some tasty lobster rolls that come with an optional caviar add-on. If you’re looking for oysters specifically, head to Jolly Oyster next door for farm fresh bivalves.
As an L.A. food staple, tacos will be almost everywhere you look. For perfectly charred meats, fresh corn tortillas, and tasty guacamole, head to Tacos 1986. But if you prefer buns over tortillas, no need to worry: the event features the Smorgasburger Stand, where chefs from around the country showcase their unique take on the classic burger.
The only way to finish your Smorgasburg day is with a sweet treat. The United States produces about 1.5 billion gallons of ice cream and similar desserts every year, and there will be plenty of these delicacies at our very own Smorgasburg. Opt for a classic cone, an ice cream sandwich, or nearly any other sugary treat you can imagine.
Now that you know what you’ll be able to find at Smorgasburg L.A., be sure to get there when they open at 10 a.m. to avoid the noon rush. Another benefit of getting there early? There’s free parking for the first two hours of the weekly festival. Clear your Sunday schedule, gather your friends, and get downtown to Smorgasburg L.A.
