3rd Street and Fairfax Avenue (Los Angeles, CA)
Spend a Friday or Saturday morning sampling delicious world cuisine in the heart of mid-city Los Angeles. This walking and tasting tour from Melting Pot Tours includes tastings at various stops in the famous L.A. landmark Farmers' Market at 3rd and Fairfax. Then, heading west along 3rd Street, you'll enjoy additional small gourmet bites at specialty eateries and a visit to a renowned cookbook store.
Event summary prepared by the Goldstar Editorial Team.
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The last date listed for Farmers' Market and West 3rd Street Food Tasting Tour was Saturday May 30, 2009 / 9:30am. (view all dates)
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What a fun event this was! I live in LA County but hadn't been to the Farmer's Market since I was a child, so it was a treat to see the remodel that was done a few years back. Oh sure, I could have gone there on my own to see it, but taking the Melting Pot Tour was the much better way to go. I learned about its history, got insider information on some of the shops there, and ate lots of tasty free samples that our tour guide had pre-arranged for our convenience and enjoyment. Then we walked down 3rd Street to visit a cookbook store and a few other places, including a local perfumery where we "sampled" perfume fragrances. My ex-sister-in-law, who was visiting from Australia, just loved the entire experience as it was a great way for us to visit, as well as meet other people. I highly recommend this tour if you love L.A. and love to eat.
What a fun way to spend a Saturday morning! You'll learn about amazing vendors, hear fun stories and eat a ton (come hungry!) I highly recommend to both L.A. natives and visitors looking to learn more about the "melting pot" of L.A. culture and food.
If you want to try something new in LA this is it. This is the best way to get to know LA's Farmers Market and 3rd street shops and restaurants. Diane knows loads about restaurants, cooking, shops and history on LA's Farmers Market. I absolutely loved it and would recommend it to everyone.
Just wanted to let everyone know that this, to me, was worth the money.. I had done a Food Tour by the same company in NY twice, and because I loved it so much, decided to try this one in LA with my new boyfriend. Obviously, the food and history are quite different between the two places, but we both really enjoyed ourselves, and the places that you go to sample are neat. The gals who led the group (hi, Mary!) were wonderful... I liked that they take you outside the Farmer's Market and around to local shops and restaurants as well. Thumbs up, and recommended.
I took this tour Friday and have been raving about it to my local friends since then! I have lived across the street from the Farmer's Market for almost two years and go there often but until taking this tour there were many things I'd missed or didn't know existed. The tour also covers many places on Third Street that I hadn't discovered. I have a nice list of places to return to. I highly recommend this tour for locals or tourists.
Awesome. My husband and i had a a great time. We tasted all kinds of food and learned a lot of interesting facts about the farmers market. I was born and raided in the Los Angeles area and have previously been to the farmers market on numerous occasions. but i've never seen the farmers market this way. It was a very intimate tour, we got to meet all the owners and learn about the history behind the farmers market. I recomend it to everyone.
This tour was eye-opening and delicious - definitely a tour for the senses! I grew up in the Los Angeles area, but I've only recently taken an interest in exploring my surroundings. As a frequenter of the LA Farmers Market, I never really did explore as much of the Market as I could have, butI was completely surprised and delighted by the history and information I got out of this tour. I wandered corners of this market I would've neer thought to wander.
The faces we met on our tour were friendly, and everyone had a great time. I especially enjoy that our 'tour guides' were familiar and friendly with every person we were introduced to. They really opened up our senses to the great things 3rd & Fairfax has to offer. You'd never know it from driving right through the area, but there are gorgeous and fun places to eat and shop at.
Monsieur Marcel's to Littlejohn's Candies. Pampas Grill to Bob's Doughnuts. Cook's Library to Joan's on Third. Mishima to The Little Door. There's going to be something that everyone loves most, and the food tastings were excellent!
It's definitely a brilliant opportunity to get to know your city a bit better and find a real appreciation for the little thriving businesses tucked away in the nooks and crannies.
It was what we expected and more. As someone that has been visting the Farmer's Market and surrounding restaurants for more that 35 years, we saw, learned, and enjoyed things we didn't know were there. I recommend this for locals, but out of towners will also enjoy it. We already recommended this to our friends.
What a great idea. This walking tour of the Farmer's Market and 3rd St. eateries (and one perfume shop) was great. Even having been to the Farmer's Market before I experienced things that were all new to me. You spend about the first 1 1/2 hours at the Farmer's Market visiting different food stops where you are able to taste the wares as well as listen to great tid bits of history from each. The brochure states that you will not leave hungry and they were right. I was stuffed by the end of the tour having ate doughnuts, monkey bread, bread, cheese, olives, sirloin tip, linguica, yucca, cheese bread balls, chicken salad, buckwheat noodles, spider rolls, and french macarroons!!!!! it was all so delicious. I can't wait to go again on this tour or one of the other tours that this group has. The guides were wonderful and very friendly and knowledgable. I highly recommend this tour to everyone, LA native or visitor. Although the tour itself is 3 1/2 hours, I recommed that you allow plenty of time after the tour to return to the places you stopped along the way as you will want to return to buy all the great things you have tasted and there is no time to do so on the tour itself.
It was great - the 2 owners were very knowledgeable and seemed to know everyone's (12) name within minutes. The owners should really advertise that they give you a shopping bag, water, bus fare back to Farmer's Market, help with parking, etc. We enjoyed it very much and would highly recommend to others. There was one awkward moment - when one of the owners asked for tips at the end. Maybe this could be handled differently.
The tour gave a brief but informative overview of the history of the "Farmer's Market" and businesses on 3rd Street as we stopped at various merchants. There was a variety of foods to sample and I don't believe anyone went away hungry. Our tour guides and the group in general were all very friendly which made the acitivity particularly enjoyable. On the down side . . . It was a hot day and I think the walk down 3rd street was hard on some of the older adults on the tour. The tour provided a bus ride back to the Farmer's Market which all but two participants took advantage of. I appreciated the fact that there was "NO" time for shopping during the tour. It was basically an introduction to the area and if people were interested in going back to a merchant they could do it on their own time after the tour. It was a tight schedule and we were able to see and visit many places because we kept to it.
This food tour was very fun. My husband and I enjoyed all the great tasting samples and learning more about the LA area. You eat plenty of good food and you don't leave hungry. If anything you leave full and satisfied! Would recommend this to anyone who enjoys sampling good food and enjoying the LA experience.
I would recommend this to locals(like me ) and tourists.
I would go on it again,too!
This tour was a birthday gift to myself. It turned out to be a 3 generation tour complete with my mom, husband and 2 year old son. We all had a great time and really enjoyed the entire experience. We were well fed and full! Diane was an excellent tour guide, she was both knowledgeable and very personable. We are inviting more friends and looking forward to other tours offered by Melting Pot Tours.
The three of us did not know what to expect but were very intrigued by the description of the tour so we signed up and were not disappointed at all. It was
a wonderful way to spend almost four hours - eating, walking, learning and enjoying the sights. One of us had spent alot of time in farmers market, one was raised in Los Angeles and had visited the farmers market and third street and one of our party had never been to LA before. We all enjoyed the entire tour and recommend it very highly. Come hungry - Leave satisfied!
The Melting Pot Tour of the LA Farmer's Market and 3rd street is an experience not to be missed !! The tour begins with a sampling of delectable tastings throughout the renowned LA Farmer's Market. We enjoyed a diversity of foods (representative of different cultures) that are available at this historic location. I thought the Farmer's Market in and of itself was great, but then we were off to visit various restaurants and a fabulous bookstore devoted to cook books along 3rd Street. It is a good thing we were walking since we continued to graze ourselves down the street with more inventive tastings.
Tour guide Diane Scalia is a born storyteller who brought the history of every spot we visited to life. For me that was worth the price of admission alone. Diane is a native Angeleno and a chef which, in this case, was a winning combination. Her passion for LA and the food we experienced was authentic and engaging. Since I live in LA myself, I came away with a renewed appreciation for my community.
All in all, the Melting Pot Tour was a multidimensional experience - good food, good company, a good pace, lots of learning, and, most importantly, fun.
An outstanding event.The sisters were knowledgeable and very personable. I have lived near rhe Farmers Market since 1940 and there were many facts and locations I was unaware.
It is my understanding that they are no longer on Goldstar. It is quite a loss, and I am very grateful that my wife and I had this great experience. Arnie and Judy Newman judelsa@aol.com
I took my father and step mother as their birthday gifts. My husband joined us. We all found the experience to be delightful. Lots of interesting facts were learned about the history and families involved with the farmers market. Visited many vendors and learned so much. Our eyes were opened to things we may have just walked by and missed.
Food tasting was a real treat to experience samples of different specialties from each eatery. The walk and rest pace of the trip made it easy for all involved.
The trip down 3rd from the book store to the tea house was informative and our tour guide was a joy to spend time with. She was full of information from foods to teas to real estate. She brought so much of her experience and world travel to the event. I would recommend this as a great way to spend a morning enjoying new foods , people, sights and stories.
It was a great experience. It was so much fun! I had a wonderful time. Diane was a wonderful tour guide, and she tried to get everyone involved and made it really personal while being very informative. It is definitely recommended for LA natives and out of towners. I was born and raised in the LA area, and didn't know even 1/2 of the stories and history that Diane told us during our tour. I really enjoyed myself, and so did my friends. We would definitely recommend people to go, and might go again on her new escapades she plans to have in the near future.
I loved this tour. I have lived in LA for 10 years, and I had never really been to the Farmer's Market. It was a great tour because we tasted food from many great restaurants, learned a little bit of history about the area, and found places I never knew were there like the Cookbook Library. I would highly recommend this tour for tourists as well as Angelenos.
It was a fun morning spent with our delightful, knowledgeable and friendly hostess, Lisa. I will bring more friends and do these tours again!
This walking tour of the Farmers' Market and shops on Third Street was very informative and enlightening. We found out things about the Farmers' Market we could not have learned any other way. We tasted foods and tried new things we would not ordinarily have tried. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and helpful and well-informed about the shops and eating establishments on our tour. It was a very pleasing experience. We have been back to visit other vendors since, that we would not have, had we not taken the tour.
This was such a great event. I have lived in LA for 10 years and I this tour helped me to come across some great local finds that I knew nothing about. It wasn't just restaurants either. The two sisters who run it are fabulous and very knowledgeable about LA having grown up here. I also got in a nice walk and got to skip my cardio session. This is definitely worth doing even if you have lived here many years or you are just visiting.
I am always looking for new ideas for gifts to give to friends' for birthdays. This was alot of fun and we had a great time. Neither of us had been to the Farmer's Market in a long time and had never wandered on 3rd street. We found many new places to go back to and learned some great stories. Have already recommended this tour to several people.
You should go on this tour!
Diane and Lisa led a fun, informative food tour -- even though I've been to the Farmer's Market many times, I have my favorites and this allowed me to expand my "favorites" list. I even went back and did most of my grocery shopping when the tour was complete.
The walk on 3rd Street was also great -- it was a real treat to meet Joan (of Joan's on 3rd).
I can't wait for their next neighborhood tour.
this was a great experience! my boyfriend and i can't wait for them to have a tour in pasadena
The history portion of the tour was very interesting, but I would've liked more variety in the tastings. There were a few too many sweets and I'm not sure it was totally worth the price. Some really good recommendations, though.
If your wife or girlfriend likes to cook, this will be one of the best dates you have ever planned. It is true nirvana for a cook -- incredible and rare meats, exotic cheeses and fresh vegetables at prices 50% cheaper than your average supermarket.
The kicker is that Diane, the tour guide/co-founder, knows every store/stand owner and -- as an accomplished cook herself -- is familiar with the best ingredients. Want the best sausage, prime rib, tuna, kobe beef, prawns, Hungarian cheese spread, breads, radicchio, cherry tomatoes, asparagus, balsamic vinegar, hot sauce, etc.? Diane will hook you up.
The two other wonderful aspects of the tour are:
1) The prepared foods -- Whether it's a Brazilian delicacy, an exotic tea, homemade toffee or the best chicken salad in all of LA, you definitely get your money's worth in the way of eats; and
2) The history - I learned so much about that area of LA (which was once considered "the country") from Diane. She is a wealth of knowledge and interesting anecdotes.
Don't walk. RUN to sign up for this amazing tour of a Los Angeles landmark.
- Craig L.
My husband and I have been to Farmers Market before, but we still signed up for this food tasting tour just to do something fun together. We had a wonderful time visiting different stores, meeting the owners, and sampling the food. There were stores that I usually would not visit, but because of the tour and the food sampling, I would go back again. It was also neat to find out about the history of Farmers Market and stories behind each store. We also enjoyed very much walking down 3rd Street. We were able to visit several chic restaurants. Definitely will go back to dine at those places in the future. Our tour guide Diane is also a professional chef, so she knew a lot about the food they offer.
Overall i think it's a great experience. We learned a lot about the Third Street Farmers Market. We got introduced to some cool places around there like Joan's on Third, the Chado Tea Room, and Mishima Japanese restaurant, etc., located on 3rd Street. She also pointed out some winner products at each location, which is very helpful. Basically this tour advertises this area and various vendors. Some vendors offer us samples of their products, that's how we get fed along the way, and understandably, she would promote them in exchange for their generosity with the samples. The only reason I gave it 3 star is that at times I think she over-advertises. Lastly, I feel that the market price of $49 is quite hefty for a tour like this. I am glad we have access to a discount at Goldstar.
This tour was excellent! If you are unsure about signing up, don't be!
We visited from SF, and it was a great, wonderful way to see the inner workings of LA. (Later that night we went to a comedy show in LA, and we "got" the inside jokes about the 3rd St shopping experience.) The nicest things about the tour were that the foods we sampled were well balanced and representative. Not a single bad morsel the entire walk. My one caution is to be a few minutes early--we arrived at 932 am (2 minutes late) and the tour had taken off already--they have to cover a lot of ground. I HIGHLY recommend this as part of any three day visit to LA for tourists--it's great to walk and get the insider perspective. But also, most of the people were locals--and they had a fabulous time.
This was a great tour. I have gone to the market many times before. I live in the area but was unaware of all the history attached to it. Also, I tend to stick with what I know and like, the tour gave me the opportunity to explore and try new things. There were a lot of sweets to taste, very good sweets - maybe a little more of a balance with real food and sweets would be better.
The Melting Pot Tour - Great tour of the Farmer's Market. I've lived in Los Angeles area all my life and never knew the background of the marketplace. The places we stopped for tasting are definitely on my list of go back again. I normally would not have stopped any many of the places just walking around.
Last Saturday was a weather perfect day for 12 of us in the group. Diane, our tour guide was on time, gave us bottled water and a green bag with some important info enclosed. we were given the history of how farmer's market start it was also a good way to start with our coffee and doughnut which was our first stop to try one of the vendors food. we had samples of different kinds of tea, candy, bbq meats, cheese, olives, breads, some pastries, chicken salad and japanese sushi and noodles. it was great, an exercise at the same time having to taste varieties of food. we are on the dot. it took exactly 3.5 hours. we all have a good time. what a way to start a weekend!
Great experience! Wonderful chance to learn more about the Farmer's Market and the surrounding area and to enjoy the delicious foods available there. Everything was well-coordinated with the different vendors and some of the stops included the owners sharing their experiences. Well-paced, too. I would highly recommend it for both tourists and locals alike. It is especially great if you are a "foodie" like me.
This was one of the BEST tours I've ever taken. I've traveled extensively around the world, but I found this GEM of a tour right in my own backyard. Diane (the tour maestra and owner, as she is listed on her business card) is a bundle of energy, joy, and has fabulous insider information about not only the Farmers Market but the neighborhood and the surrounding businesses on 3rd Street. You are introduced to the history of the Market, as well as many of the current descendants of original owners of the stalls in the Market. Oh, and how could I forget to mention the TASTINGS? There is no need for lunch after all the bits and bites on this tour. Diane and Lisa run a first class operation, complete with a follow up email thanking you for your business as well as sincerity and thanks at the end of the tour. If you are looking for a tour for locals or out of town guests, this one is for you! You may even see some celebrities along the way. JUST DO IT!
This was my second time on this tour and I enjoyed it as much as the first time. This is a great tour in you are a local or for your out of town guests. Come hungry!
It was great! The walk wasn't bad or too long. We had lots of breaks during the tastings and the tastings were good and the host's were very friendly and welcoming. I plan on doing it again when I have other guess come to visit from out of town.
This was an excellent tour. Very well organized. Not only do you get to sample a wide variety of excellent foods, you are treated to very entertaining stories about the people and area.
I had a great time learning about the rich history of the Farmer's Market and tasting a variety of delicious foods! Come with an empty stomach and an appreciation for food! The hostess is personable and the group size small enough that you can ask a lot of questions and really immerse yourself in the tour.
We had a great time. Very informative tour with lots of history and cool hot spots to come back and visit on your own. No need to eat breakfast before the tour, you'll get plenty of tastings throughout the day.
This tour is perfect for people who have never been to the farmers market AND people who have been going for years! We learned so much about the history of the market and the present businesses that you would never know about without the tour. Also, we got to meet many of the business proprietors which was fun! This was a really great experience.
I've been through the Farmer's Market and down 3rd street many times but this tour made me realize I've never experienced/appreciated either of them fully. The tasting was a fun experience - a combination of food and local history that will certainly draw me back to these locations very soon.
I learned a lot about the food and the history of the Farmer's Market on the tour. There was a variety of food samplings and everything was good! I would recommend this to visitors or those that want to know more about the neighborhood.
A really good time, well worth the goldstar price, got to experience lots of different samples from lots of different places, donuts at Bobs were great, loved the brazilian food, natural peanut butter, french food, lemon tarts were absolutely delicious, etc. It was about four hours long which was great and you do get to walk so you dont feel like a total heffer lol. Tour guide was very nice, knew a lot about the history and i found it very interesting. I will be returning to farmers market on my own now to do some more shopping so this was a great introduction to the local places to go in the city.
We had a great time. Ate way too much though!
Whether you are a tourist or a local this is a fantastic walking and eating tour. We loved it!
I lived around the area for about a year and I never knew about the most of the places that was on the tour. I found out so much about my neighborhood! Now I can't wait to try out all the restaurants and shops! great for locals and visitors.
Hands down one of the best events I've went to costing $35. It was worth every penny! The hostess was warm, friendly, and very knowledgeable. I now know where to shop for the best ingredients and which restaurants to eat at the Farmer's Market and 3rd St. B/C long lines are not always indicative of good food!
Lisa
Great event. Lots of food and very informative.
3.5 hours may seem like a long time for a tour, but it went by so quickly. Our two tour guides, Diane and Lisa, were fantastic! The tour is well-planned and all of the vendors seemed happy to see us. It was so much fun and I would recommend it to locals and tourists alike. Everyone was stuffed by the end of the tour. For the price, it's an amazing value!
Great tour, food and unique experiences! Highly recommend!
Our tour guide Diane was fabulous! What a gem of a tour--I tell everyone I know that this is a must do tour. As native angelinos we sometimes forget the gems we have here in LA...the food was great and all the merchants were ao gracious and generous.
What a great way to spend several hours in LA! I loved learning about the local area and my out of the country guests loved it as much as I did. The food was great and the tour was very informative.
I highly recommend it.
We had a fabulous time and the food and information were great! I would highly recommend this tour to anyone.
we have a wonderful time..really learn quite a few interesting info.
will do it again...AAA++++
Fun way to spend a Saturday morning. Nice way to get a taste of the Farmer's Market and a variety of restaurants on 3rd street. The tour guide was knowledgeable and pleasant. Come hungry because you will definitely leave full. Be sure to let the guide know if you have any particular food allergies. Melting Pot is brand new and will be expanding to other neighborhoods in LA. I will be sure to take advantage of future tours.
Very nice time. Small group with great individual attention offered. Much more food offered than we anticipated so arrive hungry!
EVERYTHING WAS JUST WONDERFUL. THE TOUR GUIDES WERE SO NICE AND HAD SUCH GREAT INFORMATION ABOUT PLACES. WE HAD SO MUCH TO TRY AND ENJOYED EACH ONE. I WOULD TELL EVERYONE TO TAKE THIS TOUR AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO NEW ONES THEY ARE PLANNING.
Great fun and learned so much about places I didn't know about in the city I have lived in for almost 42 years!!!
Wonderful experience!!!!!
Eating, walking and talking with new and old friends- what more can you ask for! This was a great way to spend the day. Lots of fun, interesting and tasty food. Can't wait for more venues to be added.
This tour was fabulous!!! The food was delicious, the knowledge of the area was great and the tour guides were so lovely!! I highly recommend this tour to locals and out of towners...you won't be disappointed!!!
It was fun experience and really informative,I would not have known many hidden gems in LA if not for this tour..I recommend it to anyone who keeps an open mind and want to explore more options...Besides I just want to thank Diane and Lisa for the wonderful tour....
So worth it, more things like this please!
Great fun! We were stuffed. The tour guide was very nice. We learned some of the history of the farmers market, which was interesting. Would recommend this tour.
I really loved this event! The women who ran the tour were so personable and nice. They made you feel like they really wanted to get to know you. It was so interesting to hear the different stories behind each restaurant, like how long they've been there and how they make certain foods. Eating the food was obviously great too! We also got to visit and hear about some great stores in the area. We tasted tea at a tea shop and smelled perfume at a perfume lab! It was an overall experience in LA culture! Even though I'm from this area I learned so much I didn't know before and I really enjoyed it. We also saw a celebrity while we were visiting one restaurant! This also makes a creative gift idea. I brought my sister on the tour for her birthday present and she loved it too.
This was a great event. We were exposed for the first time to the Farmer's Market and 3rd Street areas-which we enjoyed a lot. The food was delicious. It was nice to be introduced to the local independent shop owners. If I had to make a recommendation I would say that there could be even more history and background explained and a tad less marketing. Nonetheless, I am highly recommending this tour to my friends and we are definitely heading back to that area very soon for more great food and entertainment.
We had a great time. Very informative. Great taste bites. Need to have more of these venues in different areas, to grasp what LA history is all about, and appreciate what we have in our backyard.
Very informative. Great tour for local foodies who want invaluable tips for future shopping. Also fun choice for out of town guests.
The tour was fun and informative. Diane and Lisa did a fantastic job of spending time with each participant to ensure that we all got something of value out of the experience. The small group setting was truly ideal for a lovely Saturday outing. I'd highly recommend Melting Pot Tours to anyone who enjoys either food or local history.
Tips are provided by Goldstar members and Melting Pot Tours. Goldstar is not responsible for their content or accuracy.
Melting Pot Tours presents a brand-new 3.5-hour walking and tasting tour of the Farmers' Market and West 3rd Street. During the tour, you'll delight in a taste of Japan, India, France, Brazil, America and then some. Tour stops are often hosted by owners and merchants who will share stories of how their businesses began, and now thrive, in this highly desirable neighborhood. Tour leaders Lisa and Diane Scalia will also spin funny and heartwarming stories about this special pocket of L.A. and what allure it holds for celebrities, tourists and locals alike.
Tours include a return to the Farmers' Market at the end of the tour via a short, air-conditioned bus ride.
Melting Pot Tours is the only food tour company of its kind in Los Angeles. It was founded by two native Angeleno sisters, Lisa and Diane Scalia, who share a passionate desire to help secure L.A.'s rightful place as a world-class culinary destination. Its mission is wrapped around entertaining and educating locals and tourists alike with walking tours of ethnic neighborhoods and those on-and-off the beaten path, unique dining events, and occasional excursions to special events for food enthusiasts.