Where to Shop: The Best Italian Food Hall Finds in Los Angeles

As the food hall trend continues to boom, we check out six L.A. hubs that serve up standout Italian fare. Los Angeles’ Italian heritage has roots going back to the 19th century, and was once so flourishing that there was a Little Italy neighborhood set along Olvera Street in downtown. Today, there are only traces of that history left, but you’ll still find plenty of Italian influences in the city’s food scene. While there’s no central locale for all things Italian, one of the things the City Of Angels does well is bring vendors together in vast food halls around the city. So, if you’re looking for that sizzling slice, mouthwatering mortadella, or just the silkiest strings of spaghetti, L.A.’s many food halls have you covered. ROW DTLA It’s a little difficult to put ROW DTLA in a box: This massive complex features 1.3 million square feet of office space, has 65 different retail and restaurant locations, and stretches across six buildings. But Italian food lovers can narrow things down to two main spots. The first is The Manufactory, which houses Tartine Bianco (a café with specialties like Bianco DiNapoli tomato flatbread, Panzanella, and heirloom tomato tartines), Alameda Supper Club (try the buckwheat cannoli and spaghetti), a coffee roaster, a marketplace and a bakery. The second is Smorgasburg (la.smorgasburg.com), an outdoor foodopolis that pops up every Sunday. Among the more than 60 food vendors are include Italian standouts like URBN Pizza, known for their coal-fired pies, and Porchetta Republic, a must for savory pork roast sandwiches that melt in your mouth.