Eye on L.A. explores the best local spots for foodies
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- There are restaurants all over SoCal, but Eye on L.A.'s Tina Malave uncovered some unique specialties that'll give you those middle-of-the-night cravings. From a few who've been in business for more than 50 years to a new pop-up food festival, we have everything for #Foodies. We call it Foodie Calls.
SMORGASBURG LA
Smorgasburg is a New York City-inspired, weekly pop-up food festival with dozens of exciting food vendors that all have something special to offer. This market's vendors are serving up everything from seafood to doughnuts and even ice cream inspired by the love of traveling. Located at ROW DTLA in the Alameda Produce Market every Sunday. The best part, parking is plentiful and free for the first two hours!
71 ABOVE
905 feet in the air with unparalleled 360 degree views of L.A., this Foodie Call will have you coming back for more. But the breathtaking views aren't the only perk, with a 3-course dinner menu, handcrafted cocktails, and a to-die-for wine list. You've gotta try this!
CHOCOLATE CHAIR
You've probably never actually wanted to have dragon breath, but you might like it! Over at Chocolate Chair, it's their specialty with their nitrogen-infused cereal snacks that will have you "smokin'"! The lines are usually out the door, and it definitely makes for a "cool" social media photo opp.
Chocolate Chair
611 S Western Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90005
https://www.facebook.com/ChocolateChair/?fref=ts
B SWEET DESSERT BAR
Best known for having 40+ flavors of bread pudding, the real POP at B Sweet is their purple specialty. Chef Barb is using Ube, a purple Filipino yam, in her housemade desserts which turns ice cream, cake, and even bread pudding bright purple. You might also want to try the Halo Halo, a fruity shaved ice dessert. Yum!
CHOMP EATERY AND JUICE STATION
This Foodie Call has fresh organic sandwiches, burgers, and wraps, but the specialty that draws the big crowds is their Unicorn Melt. This explosion of rainbow cheeses between two slices of sourdough bread has been a social media craze, of course.
ANTONELLO RISTORANTE
Antonello is changing the phrase from "farm to table" to "sea to table" with their authentic taste of the Italian Riviera. Their specialty is the fish they catch along California's coast and bring straight to the restaurant. Their A-list clientele includes celebrities and even presidents over the last 37 years.
NONNA'S EMPANADAS
Nonna's Empanadas are warm, soft hand pies, and they are the perfect finger food. Baked fresh daily, they have popular Argentinian, Colombian, Filipino and even Indian empanadas that range from sweet to savory. With over 40 different flavors for foodies to try, these really are the empanadas of the world.
http://nonnasempanadasoftheworld.com/
MAGPIES SOFT SERVE
A husband and wife duo creates a soft serve specialty you might call a "chef-y Dairy Queen." Magpies Soft Serve hit a niche by creating new flavors for soft serve ice cream. Anyone can enjoy the not-too-sweet stuff with homemade toppings including butterscotch rice crispies and honey comb covered in chocolate. They even offer a soft serve made of almond milk that's dairy-free.
http://www.magpiessoftserve.com/
DICKEY'S BARBECUE PIT
At Dickey's Barbecue Pit, they're celebrating 75 years of slow-smoked BBQ. It started as a mom and pop shop in Texas but has since become the biggest barbecue chain in the U.S.! They have restaurants in 40 plus states and they open a new one almost every week. This proud family owned foodie spot follows an eco-conscious initiative, and has been in business since 1941.
CASA VEGA
This well-known spot on Ventura Boulevard celebrating 60 years in the Valley! Casa Vega, a popular Mexican restaurant, is a hot spot for celebrities including the Kardashians, and even Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton. And local foodies love it for the freshly squeezed margaritas and delicious old school classic cuisine.
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