Eat your Way Through Boyle Heights: 5 Modern and Classic Spots for Good Eats
Boyle Heights, an overwhelmingly Latino working-class enclave is L.A. 's epicenter for some of the best Mexican cuisine in Los Angeles — rife with street vendors, restaurants and markets that have come to define the city's gastronomic landscape. We ask Ricardo Ortega, co-owner of Kernel of Truth tortillas what his go-to spots are in Boyle Heights — not just to eat, but to buy and learn more about what makes Boyle Heights so iconic. "When I'm not stuck in the grind of making tortillas — literally grinding nixtamalized corn — these are the places you'll find me," he says.
Milpa Grille
You can't come to Boyle Heights without going to Milpa. It's definitely a favorite spot for taquitos, and where I take somebody visiting. Not only does Deysi [Serrano] have great food but she's created a very communal atmosphere, turning her brick-and-mortar into a platform for pop-ups. It's here that you can sit down, enjoy good food and have a great conversation. I tend to flock towards places and support businesses that do that — welcome people with open arms.
Macheen
I have loved eating Jonathan's [Perez] food and watching Macheen evolve at his resident taquería pop-up inside Milpa Grille. He's always throwing curve balls and trying something new. If he says, "These are the three special tacos for the day," — I'm ordering one of each. My favorite has been his mole taco, dashi braised chicken covered in a rich mole blanco sauce topped with pomegranate seeds — you can't miss with Macheen's specials.
Los Cinco Puntos
Just blocks away from Milpa is Los Cinco Puntos, which has operated on the corner of East Cesar Chavez Avenue and Lorena Street since 1967. It's an iconic Boyle Heights institution that always has lines. Although they're known for their carnitas, which are good, it's their tacos de asada that I'm getting — tortillas a mano bursting with tender chopped carne. And I like that you get to craft your tacos a tu gusto (to your liking), I'm a simple man so I get my tacos with cebolla (onion) and cilantro then I'm good to go.
El Mercado de Los Angeles
El Mercadito is a special place — it's where I grew up going with my family on the weekends. Built in 1968, this three-story marketplace is where you go to buy trinkets, religious relics, cookware, boots, clothing, groceries and so much more. There's live entertainment — you can catch a mariachi show on the third floor — and plenty to eat. Start on the second floor and make the rounds. I recommend any of the stalls.
Sara's Market
I always gotta check social media to see what's going on at Sara's Market. Located on the edge of City Terrace and Boyle Heights, this husband and wife-run market has been a community staple and family-run market for over sixty years. Sara and Steven [Valdes] offer something for everyone, from your general household goods to delicious Thai tea, amazing frozen pizzas, our tortillas and a pop-up vendor out front to top it off. They're a big component to the neighborhood in the way that they support entrepreneurs with their pop-ups and what they have done as far as accessibility to good food — you can just feel the love.
