Food Destinations: The Wilshire Center Market

Maki, of I Was Just Really Very Hungry, has asked bloggers to highlight a favorite greenmarket (aka farmers' market). Though the Hollywood market remains my culinary favorite, the Wilshire Center market outside my office wins my heart with its community vibe and friendly vendors.



It runs from 11 am to 3 pm, but a clutch of Korean grandmas arrives around 9 am to crowd their favorite vendor and snatch up the best produce early. Closer to lunch time, office workers from the surrounding buildings saunter through the market, picking up food for the weekend and some lunch. There's a large trailer that doubles as a chicken rotisserie at one end of the market, sending fragrant smoke wafting across the street, making your mouth water. I also like the Happy Inka, serving up Peruvian food (sauteed rice with veggies or spiced meat).

the grill at the Happy Inka

the rotisserie trailer

The produce is fairly basic, though there's a stone fruit stand that has more varieties of plums than I've seen anywhere else. There's also an Asian veggie stand with lots of curvy, slim eggplants and bunches of purple, Thai basil.

at the Asian market stand: I don't know what this is

A visit to this market gets me excited about cooking for the weekend and feels very neighborhood-y--a rare sensation in Los Angeles!

Wilshire Center Farmers' Market
Mariposa between Wilshire and 6th
11 am-3 pm, Fridays
Take the red line metro to Normandie

Eventually, you'll be able to see all of the reports here
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