The city’s first Mexican food museum La Plaza Cocina has finally opened in DTLA
It’s no coincidence that L.A. is home to the best Mexican food in the country—and crowned one of the best city’s to get Mexican tacos too. In 1781, settlers of European, African and Native American backgrounds (known as “pobladores”) journeyed from Mexico to establish El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de Los Ángeles on the river banks of Río de Porciúncula. Today this area is recognized as the Plaza and Olvera Street, also referred to as “the birthplace of Los Angeles.”
- Credit: LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes
This historic district continues to be a living museum with a colorful marketplace, drawing millions of visitors every year. Just a few blocks away, is LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes in DTLA which aims to share stories about Mexican, Mexican-American, and Latina/Latino history, art and culture. Within this sprawling complex, is the newly opened La Cocina dedicated to entirely to Mexican food.
After being delayed for years, the project has finally come to fruition, opening with its first exhibit Maize: Past, Present, and Future, curated by Maite Gomez Rejón and Ximena Martin.
- Credit: LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes
Guests can discover the rich rich culinary traditions and treasures of Mexican and Mexican-American cuisine. There’ll be everything from original cookbooks, tools, photographs of legendary chefs and more. High-quality ingredients and cooking utensils will be available at the new store if the displays leave you inspired to try something in the kitchen for yourself.
Additionally, there’ll be cooking demos giving Mexican, indigenous and Afromexican cooks a space to teach the history of the sacred grain and tell their stories. Numerous activities like mezcal classes, wine tastings and documentary screenings are also set to be a part of the upcoming programming.
You can pay a visit to this first-of-its-kind Mexican food museum from Monday to Friday from midday to 5 p.m. and it’s all absolutely free.
Location: LA Plaza Village at 555 N. Spring Street
Find out more here.