3rd and Fairfax

What began as a dirt lot for farmers to congregate and sell their fresh produce has now grown into a renowned dining paradise combining nostalgic charm for natives and tourists alike.  L.A.’s Original Farmers’ Market is the place where visitors can experience authentic cuisines from around the world, enjoy old Hollywood stories and maybe even catch sight of a celebrity or two.  Fresh produce, meats, seafood, cheeses and baked goods abound in this condensed area.

If you want to grab something for either breakfast, lunch, dinner or anything in between you can find it here.  From Mexican to Middle Eastern to Brazilian and even good ol' American diner fare the Farmers' Market has something for everyone.

We hit the market at lunch time so we decided to try the famed Pampas Grill.  It is a Brazilian barbecue joint that seems to always have a line at least 10 deep.

In the center of the restaurant, you’ll see a large mesquite barbecue, where the finest cuts of meat are simply prepared and spit-roasted to juicy perfection. 

The food is priced per pound, customers select dishes they want as they walk along and pay by weight at the end.  

The fried plantains, braised collard greens and black beans were the perfect choice with the succulent lamb for my lunch.

After lunch we headed over to stall 150, Monsieur Marcel’s Gourmet Market.  Where carefully chosen imported fine foods and private label groceries are stocked to over flowing.  You’ll find over twenty five varieties of extra-virgin olive oil, impressive wines, fine cheeses and top quality essentials such as black truffles, beluga caviar and hundred year-old balsamic vinegars.

After narrowing down our purchases which wasn’t easy, we finished up our afternoon with something sweet from Littlejohn’s English Toffee House, it was the perfect ending.