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Food

Fast food & snack set isolated on white background: burger, dessert, pizza, coffee, chicken, wok, beef etc. Hand drawn sketch style, chalkboard drawing.

Cheap Fast Eats

We know. While we love living in SoCal, it can take quite a toll out of your pocket book, time and energy. That’s why we created Cheap Fast Eats — to give you a friend-in-the-know shortcut to finding tasty food you can grab quickly for $10-$15.We’ve been scouting out places for a couple of years now, and have gone as far afield as Santa Ana and the Valley, from Culver City to Pico Union. So check out our new fall edition — a curated list of places we think you’ll like for cool temps.

Cheap Fast Eats: 5 new meals to try for around $10 that are worth the trip

A Honduran baleada on a white plate, filled with mashed beans, sprinkled cheese, and topped with bright pickled red onions, all wrapped in a warm flour tortilla.

Cheap Fast Eats heads to North Hollywood for tasty food around $10

A toasted Guatemalan torta sandwich filled with shredded meat, lettuce, tomatoes, and guacamole, served on parchment paper with a side garnish of parsley and tomato. A small toothpick flag with “Muchá! Comida Chapina” is placed beside it.

Inventive, affordable bites in OC: Cheap Fast Eats visits Santa Ana

Smashburger meal served on a tray lined with classic black-and-white checkered paper, paired with a tall serving of golden fries in a playful Chinese takeout-style box

Cheap Fast Eats visits Pico-Union for globetrotting bites around $10

A plate with roasted chicken, potatoes, a salad, pita bread, and three different sauce containers against a pale blue tiled surface.

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Food Friday

Food

Bored of your normal cold drinks? Try these unique LA offerings

It’s summertime and it's hot out, so why not grab a drink to cool you down? We found three spots whose menus invite you to try something new.
Food

Can AI make better chocolate chip cookie recipes than humans? We taste tested a couple

Can artificial intelligence make a tastier chocolate chip cookie recipe than a human being? NPR recruited American Test Kitchen to experiment and taste test.
Food

These LA food pros are on a mission to get hospitality workers free mental health therapy

After the untimely deaths of two LA culinary standouts, these food pros are on a mission to spread the word about free mental health therapy

More Stories

Drumroll, please! We announce the winner of the LAist Tournament of Cheeseburgers

After a hard-fought couple of months, we finally have our LAist Tournament of Cheeseburger Champions. Oh, what a journey it’s been!

Listen 4:55
Artist Kate Pincus-Whitney paints portals to LA’s food scene — and its history

From Venice to the SGV, Pincus-Whitney's first solo gallery show embraces neighborhoods, restaurants and the dishes people love across the city.
Join us today for the LAist Tournament of Cheeseburger live event at Smorgasburg LA!

Celebrate (and eat lots of cheeseburgers) at our free, family-friendly festival.
My mom’s guacamole is legendary. Here’s why I can’t give you the recipe

LAist Food editor Gab Chabrán’s mom's guacamole is the stuff of legends among friends and family. Today, he’s sharing her not-so-helpful secrets.
No Parm, no problem: How modern chefs are veganizing the Caesar salad

On its 100th birthday, the Caesar is still king of salads — even without the cheese, anchovies, and egg.
Trying to keep cool this summer? We recommend paletas. Here's why

Hailing from the Mexican state of Michoacán, paletas are a popsicle made with fresh fruit. The flavor options are endless, so keep an open imagination.
Pop-up of the week: Argentine street eats courtesy of Gaucho Bites

Marcello Palazzo is not just serving food — he's honoring his cultural heritage with Argentine street food staples he prepares on-site.
People are flipping out over NYC's most famous sandwich coming to LA. Yes, it's that good, but it'll cost you $45

New York’s most famous sandwich will be served at Bar Next Door in West Hollywood for one day only. It's a treat for homesick New Yorkers, but it will cost you.
Yes, we know about oranges in LA history — but lemons had some juice too

From Sunkist boosters to Hollywood directors, citrus was an essential part of the California dream.
The case for a hot soup on a hot day — and where to get it in SoCal

Ddiscover the surprising science behind consuming hot soups in hot weather — and the best places to get slurping in and around L.A.