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Eat your Way Through Boyle Heights: 5 Modern and Classic Spots for Good Eats

A three-store building with various attractions and stores painted on like "cafeteria," "groceria," "botanicas," and "mariachis." Above all is big orange lettering that reads, "Bienvenidos al Mercadito." Below that is a mariachi band painted on the building.
The exterior at El Mercado de Los Angeles, or El Mercadito, in Boyle Heights. The three-story marketplace is home to various stalls selling trinkets, religious relics, cookware, clothing, groceries and more. | Cynthia Rebolledo
Ricardo Ortega of Kernel of Truth, a Boyle Heights tortilleria, shares five go-to spots for good eats and getting to know the fabric of the community.
By Cynthia Rebolledo
February 8, 2022
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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

A restaurant storefront. A sign on the building reads, "Milpa Grille." Furthermore, there's a logo on the window that reads, "Milpa Grille." In the middle is an illustration of an ear of corn and the words, "Est. 5000 B.C."
The Milpa Grille storefront in Boyle Heights. | Cynthia Rebolledo

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.

Three tacos are served on a dark gray ceramic plate. The tacos are made of black tortillas and topped with a red Korean short rib and topped with shredded daikon, carrots, napa cabbage and green garnish. The plate sits on a dark wood table and is surrounded by two other plates at the corner of the photo.

Boyle Heights’ Milpa Grille is Keeping Mesoamerican Traditions Alive in L.A.

Macheen

Three tacos served on a paper plate. The taco's tortillas are a black color. From left to right, pork belly taco filled with abobada, salsa de aguacate, black beans and nopales; beet taco filled with sweet and spicy marinated roasted beets, sunchoke puree and watercress; and El Chilango chori beans, brisket confit, salsa de aguacate and escabeche.
Tacos served at Macheen, a featured restaurant at Milpa Grille. From left to right, pork belly taco filled with abobada, salsa de aguacate, black beans and nopales; beet taco filled with sweet and spicy marinated roasted beets, sunchoke puree and watercress; and El Chilango chori beans, brisket confit, salsa de aguacate and escabeche. | Cynthia Rebolledo
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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

A white stucco building with the words, "Los 5 Puntos" painted on its side in large, red lettering. It ha a small white and red striped shade over a window. The lower portion of the wall is painted red and has a Coca-Cola logo painted on. The building is on a street corner, next to a stop light.
The Los Cinco Puntos storefront on the corner of East Cesar Chavez Avenue and Lorena Street since 1967. | Cynthia Rebolledo

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

A three-store building with various attractions and stores painted on like "cafeteria," "groceria," "botanicas," and "mariachis." Above all is big orange lettering that reads, "Bienvenidos al Mercadito." Below that is a mariachi band painted on the building.
The exterior at El Mercado de Los Angeles in Boyle Heights points the way to the mariachi performers on the third floor. | Cynthia Rebolledo

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

A pink stucco building with black bricks at the foot of the building. A neon sign that reads, "Sara's," in cursive is mounted above the entrance. The double doors are open and both doors are covered in various stickers.
The Sara's Market storefront in Boyle Heights. | Cynthia Rebolledo
A black grocery basket is filled with various grocery products — a bag of Chester's hot fries, a glass bottle of Zab's hot sauce, two soda cans of happiness_capsule by the_basic_co, and a bag of Mejorado tortillas.
Products at Sara's Market, a family-run Boyle Heights market that supports entrepreneurs with their pop-ups. From left to right, Chester's hot fries, Zab's hot sauce, The Base Co. thai tea and Mejorado flour tortillas. | Cynthia Rebolledo

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.

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