It’s nice that a place as simple, as classic, and pulled-through-time can still exist here on Crenshaw, an ode to an LA that is still very much holding on here, if perhaps a bit tenuously. Increasingly, Brolly Hut’s age has become a focus in fast-changing Inglewood, where billion-dollar stadiums and big new developments are pushing out old-school players and displacing residents. This is the kind of place where the sprawling parking lot is just steps from the door, where customers step into a quirkily built umbrella building to score onion rings, burritos, tacos, takeaway breakfast plates, pastrami burgers, and beyond. That’s eons in the restaurant world, particularly for the kind of all-American drive-up restaurant that Brolly Hut still embodies. Inglewood’s Brolly Hut is more than a half-century old. Mona Holmes Any kind of diner delight from Brolly Hut in Inglewood Classic diner seating at Brolly Hut. 3050 Los Feliz Boulevard, Atwater Village.

Prepare for hefty wait times during weekend hours, but prepare to eat it while hot. Because the El Flamin’ fleet is stationed at various outposts throughout the city, they’re available in Koreatown, Echo Park, and Atwater Village most nights. After tasting this magic, huaraches are officially my current obsession, but I admit to having a hard time finishing an entire one. The consistency was a refreshing break from traditional tortillas. It’s a gorgeous piece of masa turned crispy and oblong and layered with refried beans, then carne asada and the works - the “works” being queso fresco, salsa verde, onion, cilantro, and crema. But a stranger encouraged me to try the huarache at El Flamin’ Taco truck. When stopping by (and almost always on the fly), there just isn’t time to consider anything other than those consistent items that bring joy. It’s hard to get out of a rut at a taco truck. Farley Elliott The asada huarache from El Flamin’ Taco Truck in Atwater Village Asada huarache from El Flamin’ Taco Truck. Stop by for a taste of summertime on a stick. At Meea’s in Eagle Rock, there are options galore, ranging from split and grilled dogs to Chicago-style creations and just about everything in between (including Seattle’s famed cream-cheese street dogs), but the best bite at the place may well be the long, crunchy corn dog.

Thankfully this city has no shortage of great local hot dog spots, including plenty with a corn dog option somewhere on the menu. The corn dog is classic Americana, perfected in LA generations ago at places like Hot Dog on a Stick and Wienerschnitzel. The corn dog is a personal favorite, and a must-eat at least once per summer - ideally with loads of ketchup and mustard, devoured in the sunshine during a hot day. A post shared by Meea's Hot Dogs is a timeless nostalgia for fried foods served in the summertime, particularly those with a real walkability (think “stuff on a stick” or “stuff wrapped in paper for easy handling”).

Blue crab cupcakes