Foodie guide to the Gold Line Eastside Extension – Soto

by ,

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, the underground Soto Station.

Soto Station

The second underground station on the Eastside Extension is the Soto Station and once you emerge from beneath 1st Street a variety of Yelp approved food possibilities await you. Especially exciting for weekend warriors are the food stands that pop up on Breed St. (a block from the station) every weekend.


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

Otomisan Restaurant (0.1 miles away)
4 stars based on 10 reviews.
Yelpers say this small mom-and-pop dive is a gem that serves some of the best authentic Japanese home cooking in L.A.

Al & Bea’s Mexican Food (0.3 miles away)
4 stars based on 42 reviews.
“Best bean and cheese burritos!” is chanted over and over in the Yelp reviews for this unassuming Mexican restaurant.

El Siete Mares (0.3 miles away)
4 stars based on 14 reviews.
Fish tacos and other seafood infused Mexican dishes.

King Taco (0.3 miles away)
4 stars based on 31 reviews.
I make exceptions for local chains, and King Taco is no exception. Plus, Yelpers love it.

Breed Street Food Fair (0.3 miles way)
4.5 stars based on 11 reviews.
Friday through Sunday starting at 7pm Mexican food vendors set up stands on Breed Street and Cesar Chavez Avenue.

El Rinconcito del Mar (0.4 miles away)
4.5 stars based on 8 reviews.
Generous portions of tasty Mexican seafood dishes.

Cemitas Poblanas Elvirita (0.5 miles away)
4.5 stars based on 16 reviews.
A cemita is like a torta, but with a sesame seed roll and while I’ve never had one, Yelp reviewers make the cemita’s served here seem like the second coming.

Manuel’s El Tepeyac Cafe (1.0 miles away)
4 stars based on 283 reviews.
This one is about a 20-minute walk, but if you’ve seen the Man vs. Food episode featuring El Tepeyac, you’ll know this East L.A. institution is worth the hike.

In the next post we get back to grade-level and stop at the Indiana Station.

Other stops:

Categories: Metro Lifestyle

Tagged as: , , , , ,