The Fields LA Brings Culinary Star Power to Exposition Park

Located adjacent to the state-of-the-art Banc of California Stadium, home of the Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC), The Fields LA brings a new casual dining/drinking option to the Exposition Park area just a few miles east of Downtown L.A. The Fields LA offers a tantalizing game-changer for sports fans and the nearby USC community; a worthy destination for those seeking a culinary field trip; and an intriguing rooftop venue for event planners.

Open 11 a.m.-10 p.m. daily, The Fields LA is a design forward urban food hall featuring a cross-section of global cuisines by award-winning chefs, alongside beer, wine, and cocktails directed by acclaimed beverage masters.

A mix of wood tables for standing and sitting fills the architecturally modern 200-seat two-story building, which includes walls of glass windows, greenery, suspended televisions, and a vertical plant wall. The first floor features nine food vendors (as of the August 14 opening) who share an open kitchen and are set up for counter order service. A full bar is situated near the main entrance from the parking lot, while the open floor plan smoothly leads to the back exterior and out to a 90-seat bar and garden.

The two bars serve a variety of cocktails on tap and frozen (outside only) crafted by Nick Meyer and Julian Cox, who between them have created custom bar programs for such esteemed restaurants as Bestia, Sotto, Redbird, Petty Cash Taqueria, and Otium. Wine is curated by sommelier Taylor Parsons, whose influence can be sipped at top L.A. restaurants including Spago, the Mozza Group, Republique, and The Hearth & Hound. A wide range of local craft beers is selected by Cicerone James Mhaoir. There's also soft-serve ice cream at the outdoor bar.

Coming soon, the second floor will feature Free Play, a restaurant from James Beard extolled chef Timothy Hollingsworth (Otium) offering a contemporary menu, bar snacks, and a full craft beer and cocktail program. And in accordance with the name, there will be a variety of fun games, live entertainment, and a DJ booth.

The rooftop, with sweeping views over Exposition Park to Downtown, is currently being rented out for private events.

Read on for a rundown of the opening vendors at The Fields LA.

Israeli-born chef Roy Ner, who is known for his creative influence at top restaurants in Australia, is showcasing modern Middle Eastern flavors at Akko Port (named after Acre, a revered old city and port in Israel). Grab one of the laffah rolls stuffed with chicken, beef, or falafel, and various fixings—or take it lighter with the smoked hummus bowl and with a protein choice, organic grain salad, or raw root vegetable salad with falafel.

Al Pastor

Chef Francisco “Paco” Perez is celebrated for his barbacoa style of slow roasting lamb at his acclaimed Chula Vista restaurant, Aqui es Texcoco. At The Fields LA, chef Perez expands on his recently opened Al Pastor Authentic Mexican Grill, helming a traditional Mexican-style taqueria that stars al pastor - chicken and beef prepared on a vertical spit. The menu features a choice of al pastor in street-style tacos, along with alambre (beef, bacon, bell peppers, cheese, salsa), gringas  (grilled like a quesadilla), and esquites (roasted corn with mayo and cotija cheese).

Jason Fullilove is one very busy chef these days with his Culver City restaurant of the same name (his mother’s) where he focuses on American soul food, along with other projects, including the Mediterranean themed El Oso at the legendary El Cid in Silver Lake; and a Hilltop Coffee & Kitchen in Windsor Hills. At The Fields LA Barbara Jean, Cajun-Creole influences drive his seasonal menu that includes jambalaya, BBQ ribs, oyster po’ boy, crawfish mac n’ cheese, the “soul food” bowl, and for dessert, Hummingbird cake.

Burritos La Palma

Chef Alberto Banuelos’ beef birria burrito, tightly wrapped with delicate, buttery, handmade tortillas, received high praise from Jonathan Gold as one his five favorite burritos in Los Angeles. With a food truck, locations in El Monte, Santa Ana, and a new spot inside Plan Check on Fairfax, the small chain comes by way of Jerez, Zacatecas in Mexico. This outpost at The Fields LA includes perennial favorites, including: beef birria, tinga de pollo, beans and cheese, and chicharron. Beef birria is also used in nachos, quesadilla and the “special” that mixes beans, cheese, and green chile pork sauce.

Award-winning chef Timothy Hollingsworth, whose background includes 12 years at The French Laundry in Napa, is serving up C.J. Boyd's Fried Chicken as a tribute to his grandfather, Cecil Boyd, and his Texas roots, with five original fried chicken sandwiches. At The Fields LA, he celebrates the breadth of L.A. with different flavor interpretations—from Malibu to East LA to K-town, and his own Otium downtown (#32 on Jonathan Gold’s 101 in 2017). And for upstate New York transplants, there's the Buffalo. For extra southern comfort, don't miss chicken strips, waffle fries, and banana pudding.

Coni’Seafood

The Cossio family started in food business serving their specialty mariscos (shrimp) recipes from the Mexican region of Nayarit in their backyard nearly 30 years, eventually opening Mariscos Chente in Inglewood. Daughter Coni Cossio opened Coni’Seafood (#81 on Jonathan Gold’s 101 in 2017), expanding to Marina del Rey. At The Fields LA, the menu continues the family seafood tradition with specialties that include fresh shrimp ceviche, shrimp coctel, shrimp and octopus tostadistas, and fried fish tacos.

Top Chef runner-up Shirley Chung serves up her unique take on favorite Chinese-American dishes at Ms Chi, in sync with her soon-to-open brick and mortar of the same name in Downtown Culver City. The menu is highlighted by house made dumplings, potstickers, wontons and noodles, with a few vegan options. To wash it all down, choose from a specialty teas, including milk tea and cheese foam oolong tea, with a crystal boba option.

Piccolo Antico Pizzeria Focaccerio

As the opening executive chef of Chi Spacca, chef Chad Colby achieved a slew of awards. He is currently in the works to open his first restaurant, Antico on Beverly near Larchmont, by the end of the year. In the meantime, taste a preview at The Fields LA with his pop-up, Piccolo Antico Pizzeria Focaccerio which is currently scheduled for three months. The menu includes slices of Roman-style pizza with his famed house made charcuterie and vegetarian options, plus focaccia sandwiches in the Tuscan street-style variety offered in Florence, Italy.

Dessert seekers will find their sweet fix at this vendor stall, while those needing a speedy pick-up can find grab-and-go salads and sandwiches. The daily assortment of freshly baked goods includes teacakes, cupcakes, cookies, bars, eclairs, and layered verrines.

The Fields LA
3939 S. Figueroa St, Los Angeles 90037
www.thefieldsla.com