Food trucks have been the craze in DTLA for some time now, with eateries like Egg Slut setting a prime example of just how successful going from mobile kitchen to brick and mortar can be. Today, Downtown Food Trucks are shaking stigmas and rolling out each day offering gourmet meals with competitive prices and mouth-watering, delicious and nutritious recipes you wonât soon forget… if you know where and when to find them.
Miracle Mile
Thereâs a stretch of brightly-colored food trucks lined up outside LACMA daily from 11am-2pm led by Book My Lot owner Patrick Lennon. Lennon who after observing the fierce competition and unethical business practices between food trucks trucks, including aggravated assaults along the much-sought-after locations on Miracle Mile, decided to do his best to organize the trucks to avoid unwanted confrontations. In a major collaboration of food trucks, building owners and City Councilman Tom LaBonge, Lennon was able to bring peace to Miracle Mile, and the location across from LACMA Museum brings a steady stream of support from those who just happen to love art and gourmet food trucks. Most of the more ornery food trucks have since left, leaving between 7-12 harmonious food trucks per day at the location where locals, employees and visitors of LACMA can now enjoy Curry Wurst Truck, âThe No.1 Currywurst Trucks of America,â bringing Germanyâs most famous street food to California, Rollin Lobster, Wise BBQ Wise Barbecue bringing the revered tradition of the Texas Smokehouse Meat Market to Los Angeles with pepper-crusted beef brisket, spare ribs and country sides, The Grilled Cheese Truck and the list of others that frequent most often.
Downtown Art Walk Night Market
Itâs been over 7 years since the first food truck graced the streets of the Downtown Art Walk. This convoy of trucks, led by Young Ho, owner of BellyBombz, has dedicated themselves not only to promotion and participation in the Downtown Art Walk but to providing the highest quality and variety of Food Trucks in the Downtown LA area, hosting up to 25 food trucks at a time, and continuing to help make the Downtown Art Walk a huge success. Located on the corner of 3rd and Spring, on the edge of the Art Walk perimeter, the lot fills easily with a solid fanbase and new adventurers willing to make the trek north for a chance to wait in longer lines for a taste of what these food truck giants have to offer. Previously run by Phillip Dane of LA EVENT CO, Truck It Fest, Food Truck Fleet and later ART APPETITE; the 3rd Street Lot is finally in the hands of the Original Art Walk Food Trucks, who now offer free space for artists and bring popular radio staiton DJs from K-Earth 101 to add to the festivities. This is the best chance to get a taste of Koji BBQ, Paradise Cookies and Ice Cream, Street Kitchen, with newcomers Nitro Blast Ice Cream and Mad Pambazos. 246 S Spring Street, 90012.
Art Appetite LAÂ Taste of Art Walk
This themed art park/food truck paradise located just south of 7th and Spring changes concept every 2nd Thursday of the Month. Art Appetite offers Art Walk visitors a dining experience that promises to captivate all senses. The sights and sounds include cosplay ranging from alien invaders to life-sized dolls, storm troopers, Harry Potter, clowns and with Cosplay ranging Alien Invasion to life sized dolls, storm troupers, Harry Potter, clowns, and just about anything imaginable, and special guest DJs and special guest Djs and lighting provided by Audio Visual Plaza on 5th and Broadway. Food Trucks include Ridges Churros with their amazing churros, kiddie cereals and ice cream combinations, Richeeze Melts with their cheezy-buttery lobster mac-n-cheese best sellers, Pinch of Flavor with lobster tacos and tastes of authentic Mexico. Also healthy vegetarian options brought to Art Walk by Bok Choy on Wheels and The GREEEN TRUCK. New to the Art Walk and an absolute mind blowing tribal experience, the Headhunter Truck offering kangaroo, camel and shishkabobed meats from your wildest imagination. Located just south of the Downtown Art Lounge and directly across from The Hive Gallery, run by King Bee, Nathan Cartwright, now celebrating its 11th year on Gallery Row, Art Appetite is a food truck haven happening 12 times a year thatâs not to be missed. 712 S Spring Street, 90013.
Grand Park
As if Grand Park didnât already have it all. With fireworks displays, live band and DJ performances, kiddie water park, workout and yoga groups, outdoor theater and even Starbucks to add to the splendor every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 11am-2pm, you can find Downtownâs favorite food trucks at Olive Court and at the Marketplace. Grand Parkâs noontime ÂĄLUNCHTIME! programs help surrounding office workers and jurors take a break with rotating food trucks. Jurors may take 10% off when they show their juror badges. 200 N Grand, 90012.
The BROAD Museum
The Broadâs contemporary art museum in downtown Los Angeles is home to 2,000 works of art and attracts its fair share of visitors every day on Grand Avenue. On a hot summer day, visitors can leave the museum and walk directly south on Grand to purchase ice cream from one of Downtownâs premiere creameries, Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream Truck. Reviving the classic American ice cream truck and the art of traditional ice cream making, using ingredients perfected by nature, not science, Van Leeuwen Classic and Vegan ice creams are made with just a handful of fresh ingredients. Each flavor is a celebration of some of the worldâs best artisan producers and farmers, made with house-made cashew milk, organic coconut milk, organic extra virgin coconut oil, organic cane sugar, pure cocoa butter and organic carob bean resulting in a rich, decadent naturally perfect ice cream. 221 S Grand Avenue, 90012.
Food Truck Fridays at Pershing Square
Pershing Square was first dedicated in 1866 and has been going through a series of redesigns since 1911 to reflect the social and economic growth of the city. Today, the Square is due for yet another redesign with a new, flatter version submitted by Agence Ter and their fantastic team of designers, planners and artists. Along with free yoga classes, free arts and crafts, sports, games, outdoor concerts and Farmers Markets, Pershing Square offers Food Truck Friday lunch under the coordination of Curbside Bites from 11am -1pm. Curbside Bites is a gourmet food truck booking service operated by food truck owner Christian Murcia of Crepes Bonaparte and the Calbi Truck. Murcia is a food truck advocate with a long list of accomplishments when it comes to specializing in recurring events, working with over 250 individually-owned gourmet food trucks, hosting 5-6 at Pershing Squares west side promenade. At Pershing Square youâll find an ever-rotating selection of trucks every Friday, including Keep it Keep it CâAsian, creole cuisine with jambalaya and fried crawdads with a passion. 532 S Olive Street, 90013.
Artists & Fleas
Amy Abrams and Ronen Glimer have dedicated the last 10 years of their lives to providing a safe haven for independent artisans at their weekend events now taking place in Williamsburg and New York City, New York, Venice, California and in our very own Downtown Arts District held the third weekend of every month in a former truck service station. With 100 vendors, they provide the Arts District with unique handmade items you canât find anywhere esle. LAâs most notable food trucks, makersâ workshops and special events for the entire family with Zugo Truck, the three-time defending fan favorite Cousinâs Maine Lobster, Natures Brew Cafe and a long list of taste bud experiences. 647 Mateo Street, 90021.
The Reef
The Reef unites LA Mart, Maker City LA and Magic Box under one roof to support all types of creative individuals. With facilities for design, rapid prototyping and media production, sales, events and exhibitions, The Reef is downtown Los Angelesâ ultimate destination for creative spaces. This lot has one food truck per day on their patio, alternating between Greenz on Wheels, Good Greek Grub, Canvas Food Truck and many others brought to you by the Southern California Mobile Food Vendors Association (SoCalMFVA). SoCalMFVA, led by Matt Geller, was the first food truck advocacy organization to address some of the impacts food trucks were having on the Los Angeles area. His group, which consist of over 150 food trucks, banded together to speak with one voice and provide opportunities and information to food truck event coordinators and local governments. 1933 S Broadway, 90007.
Street Food
Cinema
At Exposition Park on Saturdays during the summer, Downtown can experience dinner and a movie like never before. This event features an outdoor movie screening, live music and GOURMET FOOD TRUCKS. If you are looking for a huge gathering at one spot, this is the spot. Launched in 2012 by event producers Heather Hope-Allison and Steve Allison (TIL Lifestyle Marketing and Events), Street Food Cinema now hosts over 1,500 attendees at Exposition Park, showing popular cult films in a picnic-like setting with a technical production team led by experienced professionals with over 12 years of experience in outdoor movie entertainment. The high-definition DLP projection on a a 50-foot screen with QSC speakers and subs to create a cinema-quality experience with movies you love to watch and food trucks you love to support. This season, watch Boys to Men, Mad Max and Fight Club to the tastes of Boba Ni Tacoâs Korean Mexican fusion, Brewwing’s, flavors from Upstate New York extra-large, juicy chicken wings coated in homemade Buffalo sauce topped bacon and bleu cheese or jalapeno and cheddar and the Garbage Truck, a Los Angeles, CA-based food truck bringing the LEGENDARY TRASH PLATE from Rochester, NY and so many more.. 700 Exposition Park Drive, 90037.
Rice Balls Anime Fest
Every year during the 4th of July weekend, Los Angeles Convention Center hosts Anime Expo, a celebration of Japanese culture with thousands of visitors from around the world who really dig comics, video games, cartoons and cosplay. After Expo visitors work up an appetite enjoying displays, theater, gaming and shopping, as a tradition they make their way across Figueroa Blvd to 15 of the most delicious Food Trucks gathered to feed them at Rice Balls Anime Food Truck Lot. Los Angelesâ favorite Mobile Kitchens take on the 3-day task, providing all of their tastiest varieties. From Korean fusion to Middle Eastern flair featuring Rice Balls of Fire, Okamoto Kitchen, Middle Feast, Rice Balls Anime Fest is a grand addition to the annual event that cosplayers never miss. 1201 S Figueroa Street, 90015.
