There’s a hidden gem in Downtown Los Angeles and it’s named Grand Central Market. Grand Central Market is open 7 days a week from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and has been located in the same location since 1917. The market is home to the growing and changing cuisine of Los Angeles.

They have so many food options! Filipino food, Salvadorian, Japanese, Italian, German, Thai, Falafals, Chinese, American, Seafood, Mexican, etc. The market does have about 3 to 4 Mexican food places which I wasn’t expecting. Mexican food is a big part of L.A. cuisine but being that you can find a taco guy on every corner in the streets of Los Angeles, I didn’t think I’d run into that many Mexican vendors in one location. Being Mexican (had Mexican food all my life) I thought I had just ran into an expensive tourist attraction but after I bought food at a vendor named Ana Maria Mexican Food I changed my mind. I got a sope (a thick masa tortilla, with beans, tomato, lettuce, cheese, guacamole, cilantro and carnitas), this sope was so good. I can be a bit of a picky eater with meat. This meat was so flavorful and tender, it was worth it. They also have shops that sell a lot of Mexican products like beans, mole paste, chiles, hibiscus leaves, etc. If you want to be adventurous at cooking Mexican food knock yourself out.

You don’t just get the opportunity to eat here, you also get the opportunity to buy groceries. They have the wonderful display of cheeses above. They also have a butcher.

You can also get your fresh fruits, veggies, dried goods and bulks of candy if you have a sweet tooth.

Speaking of sweet tooth, they have a Mc Connell’s ice cream shop in the center of the market. Mc Connell’s is a California native and was established in 1949. It was first produced in the lovely city of Santa Barbara and made it’s way down to the city of Angels. They have fun flavors like chocolate covered strawberries, banana and salted caramel, turkish coffee, etc. I was hoping to be able to try it but didn’t get a chance too.

The first reason I came in here was to find Boba, but from what I was told they don’t sell it. So hopefully that will change. Second, there isn’t much gluten free options. A pro is they sell alcohol. They have a bar you can sit at. They even have a bar where you can sit and grab a fancy coffee.

Either way, If you find yourself in Downtown Los Angeles make a stop here, you won’t regret it.