Eating well in MacArthur Park

In MacArthur Park there’s always something to eat.

MacArthur Park, otherwise known as Westlake, is a bustling neighborhood in Los Angeles, situated in the middle of Echo Park, Silver Lake, Downtown LA, Pico-Union and Koreatown. It’s a lively part of Los Angeles, especially in the immediate area surrounding MacArthur Park Lake. It’s squashed in between these diverse areas of the city, and is teeming with life. In fact, it has almost 40,000 people per square mile, the second highest population density in the city, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Not only is it full of life, but it’s diverse too. The majority of people are Latino (around 73 percent), but almost 17 percent are Asian, and there is a presence of both white and black people living in the area. However, there is a huge number of immigrants living in MacArthur Park; a third of people are Mexican, followed by seven percent that are Guatemalan. In fact, 68 percent of residents of the area are foreign born, according to the 2000 census.

So what does this equal? A lot of places to eat.

“To an average person all the food might seem the same, but there really is a lot,” said Stephanie Perez, the office manager of the Downtown LA UCLA Labor Center. “There’s Mexican restaurants and ones from El Salvador. There’s different types of Latin foods. There’s anything you want –– if you’re craving Chinese food there’s one down the block. Everything is in walking distance of here. Especially getting a few blocks past the park there is more of the commercial restaurants, but there’s all kinds of food.”

Perez is right. In the area surrounding MacArthur Park Lake there is a vegan tamale shop, a Jewish deli, an El Salvadorian restaurant, a Guatemalan place and a Chinese take-out, as well as a smattering of more commercials places to eat like Subway and Yoshinoya Beef Bowl.

Paseo Chapin, a Guatemalan restaurant is one such example. Andreyna Ariels is from Mexico but enjoys experiencing new cultures. “I’ve learned so much about Guatemalan culture since I started here. I love getting to learn more about the food and experience and culture, I feel like it’s mine a little bit now. It’s nice, to experience other cultures.”

This is a sentiment echoed by many.

Brie Ortega, who lives in the area, enjoys getting to experience the different cuisines of MacArthur Park. “This area is special. It’s so vibrant and there’s such a mix of cultures, it makes for a good place to get food.”

However, slowly but surely as gentrification hits MacArthur Park some smaller restaurants are finding it hard to stay competitive and make money.

“I think there’s starting to be too many fast food restaurants,” Perez said.

It’s true that Westlake, much like other areas of Los Angeles, has a high percentage of fast food restaurants.

“Unfortunately, more often than not fast food is cheap food and people around here often struggle to make a living,” Perez said. “It’s a fact of life around here.”

But that’s not all you can eat in MacArthur Park. The area is full of street vendors who sell fruits, vegetables and often even full meals from carts or other transportable stands. Although these are popular and can offer a delicious and cheap way to fill up, under the Street Vending Compliance Program, run by the County of Los Angeles Public Health, most of these vendors are selling their produce illegally.

“We’re trying to decriminalize street food, that’s one project of the labor center here,” Perez said. “We’re trying not to get their possessions taken away or have them go to jail for that. They’re just selling food and that leads to, ‘Oh wait what’s your status? Oh you’re undocumented?’ So that’s one thing that’s trying to happen, especially the vendors outside of the subway.”

“For the most part their food is good, and it’s not worth them going to jail for, but these people need to make a living somehow.”

The Westlake/MacArthur Park Station, serving the purple and red metro lines, is a particular hotspot for street vendors.

“The metro stop is right there so you’re coming out to work or walking in to the train and it’s so easy, there’s someone squeezing fresh oranges right there and you just pay them…” said Perez “That’s why there’s a ton of street vendors here because they actually do make a profit. A lot of people go to them, it’s quick and it’s cheap.”

But for those looking, food in MacArthur Park can be a real taste of home –– or adventure.

“There’s a real mix of cultures here and a lot of handmade things here,” said Perez. “You’re not going to Subway where everything’s done. A lot of these restaurants they make everything they serve, and that’s something to be valued. We just have to not let too many corporations come in and spoil it.”

Paseo Chapin is a Guatemalan restaurant that has been serving the area for almost 40 years. Not only does it serve traditional Guatemalan food, but beer imported from there. Every Sunday a Guatemalan band plays and local come out to enjoy it.

Andreyna Ariels is a waitress who has worked at the restaurant for almost a year. Although she is of Mexican decent, not Guatemalan, she has found a second home in the restaurant and enjoys celebrating a culture that isn't her own. She explains why makes Paseo Chapin.

Explore why it's so important to MacArthur Park community by watching the audioslideshow.

So what do people like to eat around here?

Hover over people's faces to hear what they like to eat in the area.

Brie Ortega

Brie enjoys Mama's Hot Tamales and eating at food trucks.

Casey Schaffer

Casey doesn't usually eat around here, instead prefering to visit K-Town, which is only about 5 minutes drive from here.

Douglas Sosa

Douglas' favorite place to eat in the area is Dennys.

Maria Chung

Although she lives in the area Maria usually goes to Koreatown if she's looking for something to eat.

Anthony Jackson

Anthony likes Yoshinoya or El Pollo Loco, a chain restaurant that was started in Westlake.

Stephanie Perez

Stephanie works at the UCLA Labor Center and eats lunch in the area every weekday. She usually goes to Mama's Hot Tamales or a street vendor and eats in the park.

Tony Martinez

Tony usually eats El Salvadorian food.

Luis Gonzales

Luis lives in East LA but when in the area eats at La Posada, which even has a mariachi band that plays.

Erika Kaydel

Erika's favorite restaurant in the area is Friday's but she also visits Taco Bell and other fast food chains.

Mama's International Tamales

Mama's serves vegan tamales and is one of the best restaurants in the area.

Ocha Classic

A popular Thai restaurant on the edge of Westlake.

Langer's

This Jewish deli has been here since the 1940's and is always popular.

Paseo Chapin

A Guatemalan restaurant that is known for its band that plays on Sundays.

Yoshinoya

A Japanese chain store that proves popular in MacArthur Park.

Tamales Alberto

A family-owned tamale restaurant that is popular with locals and visitors alike.

Tribal Cafe

A little known health food shop that serving salads and juices.

Street vendors

Although they're not legal, street vendors can be a great way to eat.

Food trucks

A delicious, cheap and completely legal way to eat –– and fast.