The eight new stations on Metro’s growing rail system will lead Angelenos to some fantastic options for munching.  The internet is buzzing about the possibilities and even the Mayor has chimed in with his two cents about where to eat. And now the L.A. Times has joined the fray, calling the Eastside Extension of the Gold Line a “food nirvana”.

Metro has put out a map of restaurants (PDF) along the line, but the inclusion of places like McDonalds, Subway, and Pizza Hut left me wanting to explore the dining options a little deeper.  I love a Quarter Pounder as much as the next guy, but I decided it would be best to look to the local reviewers on Yelp! to find out if Metro missed any gems along the Gold Line that don’t involve golden arches.

My general methodology goes like this: restaurants must be located within half a mile (about a 10-minute walk) from the stations, they must receive at least four stars from Yelp reviewers, and there has to be a minimum of 10 Yelp reviews in order to make the cut. If some restaurants listed don’t match this criteria, I’ll make note of it.

Next stop, we venture to the Indiana Station where the Eastside Extension makes the transition for 1st Street to 3rd Street.

Indiana Station

After gliding past the Evergreen Cemetery the Gold line takes a turn south on Indiana Street and comes to a stop and the Indiana Station nestled between 1st Street and 3rd Street. From there you’re within walking distance to a variety of Mexican dining options.

View Foodie Guide to Gold Line Eastside Extension – Indiana in a larger map

The Original Snow Cone Factory (0.1 miles away)
4.5 stars based on 3 reviews.
Light on reviews but this sounds too good and is too close to the station not to include. Snow cones, as expected, but also fried Oreos, fried Twinkies, stuffed churros, and all kinds of decadent things.

AJ’s BBQ Pit (0.2 miles away)
4 stars based on 2 reviews.
Again, not many reviews, but the ones that are there are positive and if there’s a BBQ place along the line, I’m going to include it. That’s just the way it works.

Birrieria Chalio (0.3 miles away)
4.5 stars based on 4 reviews.
Taxidermy on the walls and flavorful goat meat from the kitchen.

Los Cinco Puntos (0.5 miles away)
4.5 stars based on 31 reviews.
Yelp loves this small market that makes thick homemade tortillas and piles the meat on for freshly prepared tacos to order.

Teresitas Restaurant (0.6 miles away)
4 stars based on 35 reviews.
Yelpers rave about this authentic and affordable family owned Mexican restaurant.

Other stops:

• Little Tokyo/Arts District
• Pico/Aliso and Mariachi Plaza
• Soto
• Maravilla, East L.A. Civic Center, Atlantic