The weather is getting a little cooler, Halloween is just around the corner and USC students are getting ready to enjoy their Fall Break.
Now is the perfect time to enjoy the fall in Los Angeles. And what a better way to enjoy it than by enjoying fall specialty flavors.
Whether you are staying in town, or returning to campus on Monday, here are some restaurants to enjoy fall food in Los Angeles.
Grand Central Market
The Grand Central Market is host to many vendors putting a fall twist on their menus, with three of them are featuring seasonal ingredients in their new items. The pie shop Fat + Flour is serving its cherry apple pie, which incorporates Mutsu apples.
The Donut Man, which uses seasonal fruits throughout the year and most recently in its signature fresh strawberry donuts, has now pivoted to pumpkin cream donuts.
DTLA Cheese will be selling holiday cheeses moving further into the season. For instance, the Moses Reaper is a Halloween-themed cheese that’s ash-ripened, resulting in a black and white rind with an orange interior. The cheese counter and kitchen will also be selling apple cinnamon crisps and maple sugar cookies.
Post & Beam, a restaurant just 15 minutes away in Baldwin Hills Crenshaw, is also incorporating unique items into its fall menu.
“One thing we do for fall is we bring in a gumbo,” said owner John Cleveland. “October is the beginning of gumbo season, so we do a seafood gumbo and also incorporate vegetable items like smoked cauliflower with an apple cider glaze and herbs.”
Post & Beam is famous for its southern new-American style fusion brunch menu, which is available from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and complemented with an open bar that includes dishes such as shrimp and grits with scrambled eggs and pecan pie french toast. Homemade cornbread, pizzas with various toppings and sides such as black eyed peas and mac and smoked cheese are served for dinner.
Be Bright Coffee, a regular vendor at the L.A. Smorgasburg, has created new seasonal items just in time for its first store location’s opening on Melrose Avenue this Saturday. Winner of the 2021 United States Cold Brew Championship, Be Bright started off offering a wide range of coffee grounds tailored to the drinker’s preferences through the “Let’s Find Your Coffee Fit” feature offered on their website that is delivered to the customer.
Frank La, owner and founder of Be Bright, said “black sesame mocha is our most popular [this time of year].”
Other well-liked items featured on their menu include the pumpkin pie latte, pumpkin cream cold brew and the happy camper with dark maple syrup.
Last, but definitely not least, is La Monarca. The Mexican bakery chain was founded in 2006 and donates 1% of their proceeds to conservation efforts to protect the monarch butterflies of Michoacan, Mexico.
Ashley Hernandez, a shift lead from a La Monarca bakery in East L.A., said the most popular menu item is cafe de la olla.
While their year-round items like Mexican hot chocolate and cinnamon cookies aren’t out of place for the chilly weather, customers can enjoy pumpkin spice conchas and other Halloween-themed treats at one of their 12 locations in L.A.