Get Ready For The 5th Annual L.A. Street Food Fest

Possibly the biggest food-related event of the Summer in Los Angeles--from the actual size of the venue to the amount of offerings--the 5th Annual L.A. Street Food Fest takes place Saturday at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. A great way to create community and a platform to support independent small business owners (and both established and budding restaurateurs), this event was the first of its kind in our area when it started in 2010. This year, there will be roughly 100 vendors ranging from hot gourmet food trucks to old school carts and stands to celebrity chefs and pop-ups. There will also be street inspired dishes from L.A.’s best restaurants.

The great thing about the event is that once you pay the $55 ticket fee everything is included. All the food you can eat, all the beverages you can drink--from craft beers and cocktails to creative non-alcoholic teas and smoothies--even parking is included (and, kids under 7 are free!). Participating vendors come from a wide area that stretches from Pasadena to Baja to Mexico City, and include Bravo's Top Chef star Brian Huskey's goodies from the famous (and newly revamped) Formosa Cafe, the unique vegetarian dishes from the NO TACOS PLEASE food truck, Angel City Brewery from Downtown L.A. and Cafecito Organico's artisan coffee from small-batch Central American growers.

The event is geared for maximum fun and it is too bad I have previous engagements because SO much cool stuff is planned. There will be an Ice Cream Social featuring L.A.'s best frozen treats, photo booths, DJs, a tequila tasting tent, wine tastings, face painting, flower crowns, an iced coffee lounge, discussion panels featuring the top food critics from the around the area and Mexico, a Street Food Cook-off where attendees of the Fest vote for the People's Choice winner, and a lot of surprises (according to organizers). So, if you read this and decide to go, definitely drop me a line or comment here or on Facebook and let me know how it was!