Gab Chabrán
covers what's happening in food and culture for LAist.
Published December 15, 2023 5:00 AM
Grand Central Market can feel overwhelming. Where to eat? Where to sit? Where to start?
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Brian Feinzimer
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LAist
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Topline:
Grand Central Market in DTLA can feel overwhelming. Where to go? What to eat? How to decide? We get it. That's why we put together this guide for eating your way through one of the most popular food destinations in L.A.
Why it matters: Grand Central Market is a downtown Los Angeles landmark, not to mention a great destination to sample a wide variety of cuisines. This guide is designed to help you try as much as possible in one visit.
Why now: Whether you are entertaining family from out of town this holiday season or looking to go on a food adventure with friends, follow our guide of tips, hacks and tricks to try a little bit of everything at GCM.
Picture this: You're with a group of friends, or out-of-town guests, and have spent the morning exploring downtown Los Angeles. You're all now having severe hunger pangs. You've heard about the iconic Grand Central Market (or maybe you've been a bunch of times), so you head over. But when you get there, you look at its overwhelming offerings and think "where do we start?"
So, we ask — why not try it all?
This is our guide to hacking Grand Central Market, the grand dame of downtown dining — what to skip, what you can't miss — so you can try as many delicious things as possible.
(We're serious about this. Think of it like a military operation. If you have time to plan ahead, consider bringing a cooler and some ice packs for the journey back home.)
Start small
It’s easy to experience sensory overload when you first start walking through the various stalls, and you’ll immediately start to see things you like. But remember — you're in for the long haul. Pick some shareable dishes to keep things light. For now.
Here's where you should start:
The shrimp cocktail at Broad Street Oyster Co.
Get ready to squeeze and dip.
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Brian Feinzimer
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LAist
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Sure, you can go for lobster rolls or a seafood tower, but if you want to go the distance at GCM, the shrimp cocktail from Broad Street Oyster Co. is the way to go. Four plump shrimp arrive over crushed ice with a side of cocktail sauce and a slice of lemon. Having a shrimp cocktail is always a good idea. There’s something about dipping shrimp spritzed with a bit of citrus into quality cocktail sauce that stirs the soul. It’s enough to share with others and won’t fill you up on the long food journey to come.
The currywurst platter at Berlin Currywurst
You can choose to have your bread on the side at Berlin Currywurst, or go all in and have your sausage delivered in a roll.
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Brian Feinzimer
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LAist
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Next up: The currywurst from Berlin Currywurst. The dish consists of sliced sausage, with a choice of pork, chicken, veal, beef, or tofu kielbasa, topped with a sweet currywurst sauce containing hints of tomato, vinegar, and spices accompanied by a nice round bun. It makes for a lovely snack to share with others. Dip the sausage into the curry sauce and place it on a torn piece of bread, and you'll feel like you’ve reached some kind of culinary nirvana.
The Korean fried chicken at Shiku
The perfect app: The Korean fried chicken from Shiku.
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Brian Feinzimer
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Head to the Korean fried chicken at Shiku. The shareable, sizable chunks of fried chicken are made with a quality batter that’s equally crunchy and flavorful with each bite, especially when it comes topped with either their aji verde or srirachujang aioli providing just the right kick. The vegan option, made with pyogo mushrooms, is also a solid choice. Pyogo is the Korean word for shitake and makes for a great non-meat option to try.
The Cali fries at Maple Block Meat Co.
These fries are loaded up!
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Brian Feinzimer
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LAist
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Mosey on over to Maple Block Meat Co., located on the outdoor patio section of the market, known for its delicious barbecue. However, our favorite option is their Cali fries. No doubt a play of the popular secret menu option Animal Style fries at In-N-Out, but dare we say we like the ones at Maple Block a tad more? The combination of cheese sauce, housemade thousand island dressing, grilled onions, and chopped chiles always seems to hit perfectly. Not to mention, the fries themselves will pair exceptionally with the cheeseburger from For The Win... which is coming right up.
Main Event: Entrees
Yes, that's entrees with an s.
The cheeseburger at For The Win
If you're sharing, why not add on an order of fries?
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Brian Feinzimer
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Smash burgers are the gift that keeps on giving. You could throw a dart at a map of the greater Los Angeles area, and there’s a chance you’ll hit a place where you can find a good one. Here at the Grand Central Market, For The Win is where it’s at. The local chain, which has other locations in Hollywood, Glendale, and Whittier, should be on the list for anyone who loves an excellent smashed patty on a soft bun. What differentiates it from other burger joints is that For the Win goes the extra mile regarding the crucial details. The lacy edges on the burger patty tend to be slightly more crispy than most, with just the right amount of fatty flavor. The same goes for the creamy, slightly spicy fry sauce slathered on every burger. While the burger itself isn’t huge, you can cut it into fourths and share, especially if you are still saving room for a few other bites.
The mixed carnitas taco at Tacos Tumbos A Tomas
Those extra tortillas in the back make for convenient sharing: Everyone gets their own taco!
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Brian Feinzimer
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For those looking for the most bang for your buck, the mixed carnitas taco from Tacos Tumbos A Tomas is the winner. It contains various pig parts, including pork shoulder, stomach, skin, and cheeks. It is piled high with meat, along with diced onion, cilantro, and your choice of red and green salsa. They include extra tortillas to assemble leftover makeshift tacos with taco dregs. Your taco cup will run over, and that’s a good thing. One taco can feed four or maybe even five people, depending on the hunger level, which is perfect as we’re only about halfway through our food crawl of GCM.
The loroco con queso at Saraitas Pupuseria
If you have room in your belly, don't skip the fried plantains and beans from this iconic GCM stall.
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Brian Feinzimer
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A favorite of ours since writing the DTLA edition of Cheap Fast Eats, the iconic Saraitas Pupuseria always seems to deliver: The loroco con queso, a personal favorite, is made with an edible flower that looks like a vegetable, similar to asparagus. Go ahead and try it. Its flavors meld perfectly into the cheese griddled stunningly into the fresh-tasting masa outside the pupusa. Top the pupusa off with the pickled slaw known as curtido and salsa roja. Don’t forget to add a side of sweet fried plantains, some black refried beans and crema Salvadoreña. It’s a feast that is perfect for sharing — or for taking home.
The LA Galbi BBQ rice bowl at Shiku
This is a favorite on the menu at Shiku.
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Brian Feinzimer
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Next up, we're heading back for more at Shiku, but this time for a rice bowl: The LA Galbi. The story goes that when Korean immigrants started moving to Los Angeles and frequenting the various carnicerias searching for meat to grill, they discovered flanken-style short ribs thinly cut across the bone. They decided to marinate it in their galbi sauce, containing sweet and savory flavors with hints of garlic and sesame. The result is tender and saucy and pairs well over a bed of short-grained white rice. To add brightness to the plate, two sides of banchan, traditional Korean side dishes, accompany all rice bowls, making it enough to share. It's a dish celebrating two Los Angeles cultures coming together and Grand Central feels like a fitting location to experience it.
Save some room for dessert?
That's right. We're not done yet.
A tiger tail (and more!) from The Donut Man
Donuts are the right choice, no matter what time of day it is. You can also take these to go and enjoy later.
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Brian Feinzimer
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We've been fans of The Donut Man since visiting their original location in Glendora. But no more do we need to make the long trip on the 210 Freeway in order to get our tiger tail fix and their signature seasonal fruit donut options. If you aren't familiar with it, the tiger tail is like an elongated cinnamon twist donut, roughly a foot-long, so it's perfect for sharing. Not to be outdone, the strawberry donut is a glazed donut cut open and then stuffed to the gills with strawberries until it resembles some kind of explosion. They're a little hard to bite into directly, so it's best to cut them up and share them with others who want to join in on the donut fun. When strawberries are not available, choose from donuts filled with diced apples, slices peaches.
Cookies from Fat + Flour
Why choose just one?
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Brian Feinzimer
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If you still have room left, (there's always room for more dessert) it's recommended that you make a stop at pastry chef Nicole Rucker’s bakery, Fat + Flour. There’s much to choose from regarding the various baked sweets, but we’ve found the best way to sample Rucker’s skills is to try some of her five to six cookie options, with even a few vegan variations to boot. With selections like chocolate chip oatmeal, lemon lavender, and bourbon chocolate pecan, it’s best to grab a few. They’re that good. The genius in the flavor of each cookie is worth mentioning, but the construction of the cookie itself is something special. Rucker and her team developed a cookie recipe that contains the perfect balance of crispy edges and soft-chewy centers. Grab at least three to share or to take home cause you’ll no doubt still be thinking about those cookies long afterward.
A scoop from McConnell's Ice Cream
And this is why we suggested you bring a cooler. Purchase a scoop or a pint to go.
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Courtesy of McConnell's Fine Ice Creams
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You did it! You completed your food journey through Grand Central Market. Why not reward yourself with a scoop of ice cream from McConnell’s Ice Cream at one of the few places you can find this beloved brand in person, outside of its Santa Barbara homestead. There are favorites like coffee, vanilla bean and triple chocolate, but also flavor combos such as honey and cornbread. It will go great with your cookies from Fat + Flour, a perfect combination if there ever was one. Although you might be pretty full right now, maybe grab that scoop or pint to go — did you bring that cooler? — and relish in the victory of everything you accomplished.
First artifacts installed in LA museum's expansion
Makenna Sievertson
has been covering space shuttle Endeavour's journey at the California Science Center since December 2023.
Published November 18, 2025 4:08 PM
The first of many artifacts have been installed in the Kent Kresa Space Gallery, including a space shuttle main engine (right) and a solid rocket booster segment.
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Makenna Sievertson
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Topline:
The California Science Center unveiled Tuesday the first of many launch vehicles, engines and other artifacts set to be installed in the museum’s 200,000-square-foot expansion coming to Exposition Park.
Why it matters: Jeff Rudolph, president and CEO of the California Science Center, said the $450 million expansion is California’s biggest “endeavor” yet that will inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers and explorers.
Why now: The first artifacts in the expanded museum were placed in the Kenta Kresa Space Gallery, including a three-story-tall Electron launch vehicle from Rocket Lab in Long Beach.
The backstory: It’ll be the only place in the world where visitors can see an authentic space shuttle in its “Go for Stack” position, which is what museum officials called the process of moving each of the space shuttle components into place.
What's next: Officials expect to announce next year an opening date for the expansion.
Read on ... for a peak inside the expansion coming to Exposition Park.
The California Science Center unveiled Tuesday the first of many launch vehicles, engines and other artifacts set to be installed in the museum’s 200,000-square-foot expansion coming to Exposition Park.
Once complete, the new Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center will include multi-level galleries built around a towering centerpiece — the space shuttle Endeavour — displayed in its 20-story vertical launch position.
It’ll be the only place in the world where visitors can see an authentic space shuttle in its “Go for Stack” position, which is what museum officials called the process of moving each of the space shuttle components into place.
Museum admission will be free.
Jeff Rudolph, president and CEO of the California Science Center, said the $450 million expansion is California’s biggest “endeavor” yet to inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers and explorers.
“The enthusiasm that people have when they come in and see this stuff and get excited about it will hopefully lead to many more people, young and old, but particularly young people wanting to pursue more education in science,” Rudolph told LAist.
Museum officials expect to announce next year an opening date, according to Rudolph.
A look inside the center
The Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center will feature three main galleries: the Samuel Oschin Shuttle Gallery, the Korean Air Aviation Gallery and the Kent Kresa Space Gallery.
Guests will be guided through hundreds of exhibits and authentic artifacts focused on the exploration of the universe — including rocket ships that carried humans into space and telescopes used to view stars and galaxies beyond our reach.
A real Electron launch vehicle from Rocket Lab in Long Beach spans several stories tall in the Kent Kresa Space Gallery.
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Makenna Sievertson
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LAist
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The first artifacts in the expanded museum were placed in the Kenta Kresa Space Gallery, including a three-story-tall Electron launch vehicle from Rocket Lab in Long Beach.
Adam Spice, chief financial officer of Rocket Lab, told LAist the Electron helped lower the cost of getting to space by sending satellites in smaller, cheaper rockets. The new center is an opportunity to get up close and personal with an Electron for the first time outside of a factory.
Spice said he hopes it’ll show visitors their dreams can become a reality.
“They can be part of something much bigger than probably they ever thought they could,” he said.
The first artifacts installed in the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center include a solid rocket booster segment. Kenneth Phillips, aerospace curator, shows the scale of the piece, which has flown into space several times.
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Makenna Sievertson
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LAist
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The solid rocket booster segment will become a walk-through interactive experience in the Kent Kresa Space Gallery.
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Makenna Sievertson
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LAist
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A segment of a solid rocket booster that flew into space several times is laid on its side on the second floor of the gallery.
Kenneth Phillips, the California Science Center’s aerospace curator, told LAist it’ll be turned into an interactive exhibit with audio, video and educational graphics.
“It's 12 feet in diameter, so people can actually walk through it and learn about the function of it from the inside out literally,” Phillips said.
Visitors will be able to get up close and personal with a space shuttle main engine.
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Makenna Sievertson
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LAist
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A detailed model of a space shuttle main engine is set up next to the solid rocket booster. Three of those main engines helped boost space shuttles into orbit by providing about 20% of their power, Phillips said.
What's next
Construction of the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center started more than three years ago and is on track to be completed in the coming weeks, according to museum officials.
With construction of the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center weeks away from completion, crews have started to put in landscaping around the outside of the expansion.
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Makenna Sievertson
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LAist
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The exterior of the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center as of Tuesday.
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Makenna Sievertson
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LAist
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The remaining exhibits and artifacts will then be installed over "many months," Rudolph said. Officials expect to announce next year an opening date for the expansion.
The California Science Center also is looking to raise about $70 million more for the $450 million project before it opens. You can learn more about its “EndeavourLA” fundraising campaign here.
Matt Dangelantonio
directs production of LAist's daily newscasts, shaping the radio stories that connect you to SoCal.
Published November 18, 2025 3:58 PM
The Westwood Village Theater will be operated and programmed by American Cinematheque when it opens
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George Rose
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Getty Images
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Topline:
The group of directors restoring the Village Theater in Westwood are tapping film nonprofit American Cinematheque to program and run the venue when it opens.
Why it matters: American Cinematheque also programs the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica, the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood and the Los Feliz Theater, making it a visible and active film arts nonprofit in the industry.
The backstory: The nearly century-old movie palace went up for sale in 2024 before Village Directors Circle bought it in February. The group is comprised of more than 30 notable filmmakers. They're led by director Jason Reitman (Thank You For Smoking, Juno) and their ranks include Guillermo del Toro, Alfonso Cuarón, Lulu Wang, Chloé Zhao, Christopher Nolan and Ryan Coogler.
What's next: VDC says it's eyeing a 2027 opening for the Village Theater, and is currently in the quiet phase of a capital campaign to raise $25 million to restore and remodel the Village Theater into a more than 1,000-seat venue.
For January fire survivors looking for fresh start
Gillian Morán Pérez
is an associate producer for LAist’s early All Things Considered show.
Published November 18, 2025 3:46 PM
Residents embrace in front of a fire-ravaged property after the Palisades Fire swept through in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles on Jan. 8.
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Etienne Laurent
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AP
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Topline:
The city of Long Beach has launched a new jobs program to help people affected by January’s fires.
Who is it for? The initiative will provide paid career opportunities and financial assistance to people looking for a fresh start in Long Beach.
To start, 10 people will get up to 300 hours of paid work experience with local employers. Another five people also will get training scholarships of up to $7,500 in high-demand fields like health care and information technology.
Who's paying for it? The initiative is funded by a $130,000 federal act called the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.
How to apply: Anyone interested in applying can contact Nakawa Shepherd, Career Center manager, Economic Development and Opportunity, at Nakawa.Shepherd@longbeach.gov or visit the LBWIN Adult Career Services Center.
How to participate: Long Beach’s Economic Development and Opportunity office also is looking for local employers to provide on-the-job training for applicants.
Jacob Margolis
covers science, with a focus on environmental stories and disasters.
Published November 18, 2025 2:51 PM
This undated photo provided by the U.S. Attorney's Office shows Jonathan Rinderknecht, who has been accused of setting a fire that led to the Palisades Fire.
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U.S. Attorney's Office
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Topline:
The man accused of igniting a fire that led to the deadly and destructive Palisades Fire in January will remain in custody without bond, U.S. Judge Rozella Oliver decided Tuesday in Los Angeles. Jonathan Rinderknecht has been in custody since his arrest in Florida on Oct. 7.
Where things stand: Rinderknecht was indicted by a federal grand jury in October and is charged with one count of arson, one count of timber set afire and one count of destruction of property by means of fire. Rinderknecht pleaded not guilty in mid-October and faces anywhere from five to 45 years in federal prison if convicted. His trial is set to begin April 21, 2026. His lawyers recently asked the court to allow him out of custody as he awaits trial.
Argument against release: In a filing on Monday, prosecutors said Rinderknecht is a flight risk because of his familial ties to France, as well as a danger to the community. The filing states that Rinderknecht threatened to burn down his sister’s home and that he purchased a gun and threatened to kill his brother-in-law. Prosecutors also raised the fact that a judge determined in October that the suspect’s mental health had declined.
The allegations: Authorities allege Rinderknecht set fire to brush near the Skull Rock Trailhead in the Santa Monica Mountains at around midnight Jan. 1, starting the Lachman Fire. Though the fire was held to just 8 acres and was believed to have been extinguished, authorities say it flared up once again amid strong, dry winds a week later. That fire grew into the Palisades Fire, which killed 12 people and destroyed more than 6,800 structures.
