Farmer’s Market

America’s first eatery?

The Farmer’s Market in Los Angeles is just one of those places you should hit if you know how to do Los Angeles right. According to Wikipedia it’s been open since 1934, and features more than 100 restaurants (though you really only need to know two or three).

One of the other key features of the Farmer’s Market is its role in the history of the development of the Writer’s Guild of America. WGA Headquarters is located just across the street, and Screenwriter’s from the olden days used to hang out there, eat, talk, gossip and occasionally work. It was a Starbucks ahead of its time. Heck, it was a Food Court ahead of its time, maybe the first one.

Writer's Guild of America, West HQ

The food there is pretty damn good, but that’s not always a guarantee. There are places, historic, traditional places inside the Farmer’s Market that I wouldn’t touch with a ten foot pole. (A certain BBQ joint comes to mind). Others, like the Gumbo Pot.  I would fight with my last, dying breath to get there.

It’s also got its fair share of Hollywood tackiness and bric-a-brac (why is this town obsessed with swag and bric-brac??) Still, it has one of my favorite stores in here, which is Light My Fire, a store that sells nothing but Hot Sauce.

Of course, there’s no way in hell I could buy something there. I’d never survive it, but the fact that its there makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

This a wonderful place to get lost in for a time, and if worse comes to worst, you can always eat your way out.

PARKING: Fairly easily, yet…like everything else in Los Angeles at the same time, still complicated.

First off, the Farmer’s Market has it’s own lot, that seems to be perpetually full. That’s okay, because you can always find a spot at the Grove’s massive, and massively well-organized structure. Still, this comes with a note of caution.

Despite the fact that the Farmer’s Market is hugged up right against the Grove, you must remember that the two are separate and (in a way) competing facilities. They maintain separate parking access, and they do not validate for each other. If you parking at the Farmer’s Market, they will not Validate at the Barnes and Noble’s across the way. If you park in the Grove’s structure, they will not validate your drink at Whisper’s at the Gumbo Pot.

Walk through this...

...and step into this.

The Farmer’s Market Directory is a Flash powered map. A link to that site is here.

MAP DIRECTIONS:
The Farmer’s Market
6333 West 3rd Street
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 965-9594