L.A. Times Food Bowl 2026 Delivers Two Nights of Culinary Excellence and Celebrity Energy at Barker Hangar

Los Angeles has no shortage of exciting restaurants, but gathering so much culinary talent under one roof is a rare treat. The Los Angeles Times Food Bowl 2026, held at the historic Barker Hangar (3021 Airport Avenue, Santa Monica) on Friday, October 23, and Saturday, October 24, offered exactly that: a first-class pairing of restaurant tastings, awards, cooking demonstrations, and celebrity appearances.

I attended both evenings and found the food exceptional. Each night had its own character, though Saturday became my personal favorite thanks to the stage presentations-especially the appearance by Anthony Anderson and Cedric the Entertainer.

Moos Craft BBQ/ Tasty Beef Brisket

Friday's opening celebration centered on the Los Angeles Times' annual 101 Best Restaurants in L.A. guide, presented by OpenTable and Square. For the first time, the rankings were revealed via a live countdown woven into the Food Bowl festivities. The evening honored the chefs and restaurants that help make Southern California such a rewarding place to dine.

The countdown culminated with Lielle taking the No. 1 spot. The relatively new restaurant from Swedish chef Marcus Jernmark offers Nordic and Scandinavian-inspired cuisine that pairs beautifully with California's seasonal ingredients and relaxed fine-dining sensibility. Kato placed second and Holbox third, according to coverage of the list.

Lucky Bird/ Fried Chicken Tenders & Caviar

The participating restaurants reflected the city's range. Among Friday's lineup were Alta Adams, Anajak Thai, Badmaash, Baroo, Bistro Na's, and Broken Spanish Comedor, representing traditions from Thai and Indian cooking to modern Korean, California, and Mexican cuisine.

An important part of the opening-night program was the presentation of the Los Angeles Times Gold Award, given in memory of the late restaurant critic Jonathan Gold, to Norm Langer of Langer's Delicatessen. The honor linked the evening's celebration of contemporary dining with an enduring Los Angeles institution that has been part of the city's food culture since 1947. Attendees also received an exclusive first-edition print guide.

The food alone made Friday worthwhile. A festival like this lets you sample across restaurants in a single evening while discovering places for a future meal. I was especially impressed by the beef selections. Moo's Craft Barbecue offered brisket topped with pickled onions and their signature barbecue sauce-a superlative bite.

Saturday's "Saturday Night Flavor" program added the presentations that made the second evening especially enjoyable. Anthony Anderson and Cedric the Entertainer were the highlight for me, bringing their personalities to a program devoted to barbecue and their cookbook, *AC Barbeque: The Husky and Handsome Guide to Grilling*. Their demonstration gave the evening an entertaining focal point. I appreciated being able to enjoy the food and then turn my attention to the stage; that combination made Saturday feel like a fuller evening of entertainment.

Jitlada / Vegan fried Tofu over noodles & vegetables

The scheduled program also included Los Angeles Times Cooking Editor Cody Reiss presenting "Intuitive Cooking With Cody," along with chef Roy Choi and The Choi of Cooking. These sessions brought home-cooking ideas and techniques into the festival alongside the restaurant tastings.

Saturday's restaurant lineup included The Brothers Sushi, Jitlada, Kogi, Little Fatty, Maydan, Sunday Gravy, and Villa's Tacos, among others. The breadth of the offerings illustrated how many different culinary voices contribute to dining in Los Angeles.

Attending both nights allowed me to appreciate the weekend's range: Friday celebrated restaurant achievement, while Saturday put culinary personalities and demonstrations at the center of the experience.

Lucky Bird/ Fried Chicken Tenders & Caviar

My strongest impression was the wonderful food throughout both evenings. Everything I tasted was delicious and appetizing (my size 26 jeans were snug when I left). The most epicurean sampling was the fried chicken tenders with tres leches cornbread topped with caviar, offered by Chris Dane of Lucky Bird. I would never have imagined that fried chicken, caviar, and buttery cornbread would work so well together-yet it was amazing.

I'm not vegan, but I was glad I tried the vibrant and fiery Southern Thai cuisine of Jitlada, led by chef Sugar Sungkame. I sampled a delicious fried tofu dish served over noodles and vegetables.

The Los Angeles Times Food Bowl 2026 was an incredible epicurean treat-an all-you-can-eat event giving foodies access to selections from over 40 of Southern California's top dining spots each night, plus craft beverages, demonstrations, and music. On the way out, I was generously offered a copy of the *LA Times 2026 Edition 101 Best Restaurants in Los Angeles*.

For more information: lafoodbowl.com or latimes.com/events/la-food-bowl.