Eat & Drink Options Along 2019 Great LA Walk Route

Even though this year's Great LA Walk takes place much closer to where I live (the route runs from Arcadia to Downtown LA via Pasadena, Highland Park, Chinatown & adjacent neighborhoods), I'm semi-bummed that I'm out of town this weekend and will not be able to partake in this pre-Thanksgiving tradition.

That didn't stop me from making an eats & drinks map for this year's participants, my own form of tribute to the late Jonathan Gold (whose attempt to dine at every restaurant on Pico Blvd. served as the dining guide for the 2007 Walk).

The map, which includes some LA classics as well as my personal faves, is available here.

Whether you're looking for a tasty jolt of caffeine, a fast grab 'n go bite, a sitdown spot to rest your legs or even a mid-hike tipple, I hope this guide will help you stay nourished & hydrated on your 18-mile trek. Happy trails! 

(& much thanks to Mike Schneider of Franklin Avenue, the Walk's organizer, for reaching out to me to put this together - it's a joy to do every time & reminds me of all the great dining options available throughout LA)

Eating & Drinking Options Along the Great LA Walk

 

No ocean views at the end of this year's walk, but that's OK.

I can't believe it's time for the Great LA Walk again this Saturday, my favorite of the organized urbanhikes in the area. This time, walkers will be tackling "the Valley" with the fearless Franklin Avenue leading a 17+ mile hike down Ventura Blvd from Woodland Hills to Universal City, then an upward swing to NoHo via Lankershim Blvd.

Of course, equally exciting is the prospect of checking out some of the eats/drinks in the area, since I don't find myself in this area all that often...

...and this quickly turned into a behemoth list of a to-trys & to-revisits, so figured I might as well share this map with fellow Great LA Walkers too.
Hopefully, this will disprove any notion of the Valley being devoid of good food & drinks. Whether you want something casual but tasty (Mendocino Farms, BatterFish), more exotically ethnic eats (e.g. Apey Kade, DarbinZ), a refreshing glug of potent potables (Boneyard Bistro, Murph's, The Local Peasant) or a guilt-free, healthy bite (LYFE Kitchen, SunCafe), there's something on the map that should fit the bill. And failing all else, I also put in a few markets for stocking up on hiking provisions.

Now the hard part is figuring out where I will be stopping along the way... (asides from the official afterparty @ District Pub, obviously.)