Hi, are there any food shops that sell SoCal gourmet food stuff? Types of food don’t matter as much as the food being tasty and interesting. Less interested in European or rest of the US stuff since we can also get those at home (NorCal).
I will be very close to Letterpress so I will check out their chocolate for sure.
LA please, north of LA may work on the way back home. Nothing east or south of LA.
I also have a cooler so I can bring cold food home.
Thanks!
I’ve heard a lot about this place in North Hollywood…both good and bad, though. The owners/management changed a while back and that seems to have been the cause for the change. But apparently it’s still rather unique. I don’t know how much is non-European though and I’ve never been there myself.
Here’s another place, but one I have been to (it was in Culver City at the time, though.) They seem to be pushing their online presence, but they do have a brick and mortar store.
Last, but not least is this highly regarded chain of gourmet markets. I’ve been to a few of the locations, but it has grown many times over since I left Southern California in 2007. With the wide variety of locations stretching from Palm Desert to the east, multiple locations in Orange County to the south and Santa Barbara to the north, I think you’ll be able to find a location that shouldn’t be too far from you in your SoCal travels that won’t make at least taking a gander at their goods a waste of time or travel.
I will say that none of the places I’ve listed for you specialize in non-European goods. There are umpteen Latin American and Asian supermarkets in the greater LA area that you could stop into, but I would imagine that there’s no dearth of them in the greater SF Bay Area so I’ll not attempt to list any of them here.
If you’re just looking for a general gourmet supermarket not focused on any one cuisine, then look up the Gelson’s chain. It’s been around forever and quite well-liked. It’s been owned for a while by the same people who own the Don Quijote discount store chain in Japan but you’d never know it from the high quality and rather high prices.
Please reply if you’d like me to list some good Asian (especially Japanese) supermarkets for you.
Thank you!
I should clarify that most gourmet food stores- the types that sell everything: cheese, chocolate, charcuterie- usually carry stuff from everywhere. Just need them to carry some SoCal stuff.
How about one that may potentially carry a good yuzu kosho? Not looking for Asian markets specifically since we got a lot of them up there, though I think the Japanese markets here are generally stronger than those up there.
Thanks much!
Is the The Original Farmer’s Market worth going at all?
You’re welcome.
For yuzu kosho, this place seems to be recommended. They have a cafe that expanded into a small market.
And thus well-known and popular LA area ramen chain (even I, a non-ramen eater know it well!) with over a dozen restaurants, sells their yuzu kosho in SOME of their locations.
It’s in no way a typical farmer’s market and much of the interesting and off-beat flavor of it was lost when The Grove shopping center was built on part of the land.
By far, the best true farmer’s market is in Santa Monica. It’s held a few times a week, but I don’t know which day is best.
This place in Brentwood (a neighborhood sandwiched between Westwood and Santa Monica is a blast from the past and an old favorite of mine.
If you do go to the Brentwood Country Mart, this place is quite nearby and MIGHT be worth stopping.
I’d suggest Northgate Markets for “SoCal stuff”. Judging by the full parking lot at the one in Costa Mesa, they are a really good source.
No.
At least not based on your original query.
Try these.
And try to stop by Bhan Kanom Thai for some very unique, and perhaps even “gourmet,” Thai products and desserts. Many made in-house.
I’m intrigued! I looked up yuzu kosho. I have not thought about things being uniquely So Cal before! I guess I have come to think of finding stuff from So Cal everywhere!
Once The Grove went in next to the Original Farmer’s Market, it’s been a cluster*uck of traffic and parking. That said, The Grove sort of revived OFM or brought more foot and car traffic. I still like it and ten years ago it was the same, and one of the few “old” things in LA. But it’s crazy and at a major intersection. I think off season (non holiday) on a weekday would be okay but that’s a guess.
Could check out Erewhon….just to look at INSANE prices but have no idea about gourmet.
If this place up north isn’t too far out of your way, they do have a lot of exclusive SoCal foods.
Be forewarned though that they are the people who had the run-in with the American creators of sriracha, Huy Fong Foods.
Nice! The long list of what’s in season in January is long!
A combination of public holiday, tight timeline (1.5 days in LA) limits the number of local gourmet finds somewhat. I was able to make it to Yoboseyo Superette, Zooies, Fugetsu-do, Bristol Farms and Letterpress. Surfas, Wine and Eggs, Cookbook Market LA was closed today, as they should. Will have to wait till next time…! I will post about some finds later.
Yoboseyo Superette:
Didn’t have a cooler with me at the time so I didn’t try the 626 icecream. How does their hojicha icecream compare to Mitchell’s?
Fugetsu-do:
Got the assorted box as well as the strawberry mochi, which they said was the most popular.
Letterpress: I enjoyed their Ucayali the most.
Zooey’s, located in an ultra futuristic gas station. Good cookies.
Bristol Farms, with their collection of Compadres chocolate.
I actually saw more Norcal stuff than SoCal stuff there, such as Straus milk.
How’s the Joshua Tree coffee?
