Grand Central Market: Century-Old Culinary Crossroads

Why is it significant?

Walk under the glowing neon signs of Grand Central Market and inhale the intoxicating symphony of sizzling carnitas, freshly roasted coffee, warm corn tortillas, and spicy Thai noodles.

Key Facts

Open the walk

Walk under the glowing neon signs of Grand Central Market and inhale the intoxicating symphony of sizzling carnitas, freshly roasted coffee, warm corn tortillas, and spicy Thai noodles. Operating continuously since October nineteen seventeen on the ground floor of the Homer Laughlin Building, this thirty-thousand-square-foot market is the beating culinary heart of downtown Los Angeles.

When the market first opened, Bunker Hill above was home to wealthy Victorian barons who rode down on Angels Flight to buy fresh produce, fish, and eggs from horse-drawn vendor wagons. As the neighborhood evolved throughout the twentieth century, the market embraced the diverse waves of immigrants arriving in Los Angeles, transforming into an authentic cross-section of Mexican, Salvadoran, Chinese, Jewish, and Japanese culinary traditions.

Look for Roast To Go, a legacy carnitas stall that has been simmering pork in copper caldrons in this exact aisle since nineteen fifty-two.

Exit out the western doors onto Hill Street and look up at the orange wooden cars of Angels Flight.