I’ve shared a lot before about how Local Kitchens in Lafayette has really improved the Lafayette food scene. Local Kitchens calls itself a “micro food hall”.
Multiple restaurants join together to offer their food in what the company describes as a “close-knit culinary partnership”. At Local Kitchens, that means primarily restaurants from San Francisco or Silicon Valley operate at the micro food hall. All those restaurants probably couldn’t support having an outpost in the far East Bay all by themselves. But by banding together with Local Kitchens, they can offer their food, or at least a selection of their top items, here in the suburbs.
Because Local Kitchens features food and 6+ restaurants, choosing what to order can be a bit confusing. I eat there multiple times per week, so I can share some of my top tips for things to order from this Lafayette micro food hall.
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The Reuben from Wise Sons
If you’re from the East Coast or the Los Angeles area and you’re craving traditional Jewish deli food, you know that that could be hard to find in the Bay Area. Wise Sons is one of the few places that does deli food well. You can schlep into the city to visit their location in the Mission district. Or you can get several of their items from Local Kitchens.
One of the best is their Reuben sandwich. It’s a melty, delicious sandwich featuring pastrami on rye bread. You’ll find a pickle on the side, completing the deli experience. I like their traditional Ruben, but you can also get a turkey version. It’s a decadent thing to take on a picnic or to eat, dripping, in your car.
Mac & cheese from the Melt
The Melt started in Silicon Valley. It’s a restaurant specializing entirely in melted cheese. Initially, they just had grilled cheese. Now, though they feature all kinds of different cheesy dishes.
One of my favorites to get it Local Kitchens is the Melt’s mac & cheese. It makes a great side dish if you’re getting other items as your main item. It’s also delicious just to have on its own.
The noodles are well cooked, the cheese is copious, and the sauce on these noodles is decadent. It definitely tastes almost as good as homemade.
Cobb Salad From The Plant Organic Cafe
The Plant Organic Cafe is one of the newest restaurants to come to Local Kitchens. It’s not new, though. Since well before restaurants were offering organic items, the plant had a fully organic menu.
All of the dishes are still made using organic ingredients. You can get super healthy salad, but for lunch I usually like to have a bit more protein in mine. If you agree with me on that, check out their Cobb salad. It’s got tasty organic lettuce, but also plenty jack of bacon, hard-boiled eggs, and blue cheese.
Flipped Chicken from Proposition Chicken
I get this one so often that I wrote a whole article about it. It’s one of my top takeout tips. The Flipped chicken is basically a half rotisserie chicken with seasonings. It’s a very simple dish, but tasty and probably pretty healthy too.
This is a wonderful one to grab and take on a picnic. Just take plenty of napkins, because it’s greasy and delicious in the best way.
Of course, you could also go for any of the fried chicken dishes from Proposition Chicken if you’re feeling like something more decadent. Their batter is crispy and tastes almost like a tempura batter. It’s unique and definitely worth trying.
Tikka Masala from Curry Up Now
Curry Up Now is an Indian street food restaurant. It has a relatively limited menu at Local Kitchens. The dishes they do offer, though, are spicy, complex, and delicious.
Their Tikka Masala comes in a box with plenty of tasty rice and paneer cheese. You can check out their full restaurant that recently opened down in San Ramon. But if you just want something for takeout, Local Kitchens has you covered.
Beef Hummus From Oren’s Hummus
I was super excited when Oren’s launched in Lafayette. The Israeli hummus chain is local to the Bay Area, and often caters to tech elites in Silicon Valley. It was awesome to see them add an outpost in East Bay.
Oren’s has the best hummus that I’ve eaten outside of Israel. I like to get the beef hummus, which is topped with beef that has a Middle Eastern spice to it. If you’re looking for something vegan, their beet hummus is great too.
Ice cream from Humphry Slocombe
If you’re looking to finish out your meal from Local Kitchens, check out their ice cream from Humphry Slocombe. This hipster ice cream joint was founded in the Mission district. Today, you can get some of their items at Whole Foods and other fancy grocers in the Bay Area and beyond. Not all of their flavors are offered and stores, though.
Local Kitchens has a wide selection of their ice creams, and they feel like they’re fresher than the stuff you get in the supermarket. The only caveat is that these items are only offered as a pint. If you just want a scoop of the ice cream, you’re out of luck. Still, that’s an excuse to eat a whole pint of ice cream. You’re welcome.
Drinks to get at Local Kitchens
Local Kitchens has plenty of basic sodas and other soft drinks you can order. If you want something more interesting, however, several of the restaurants they host offer special drinks.
One of my favorites is the mango lassi from Curry Up Now. It’s a traditional Indian yogurt drink with lots of tasty mango purée.
Another great option is the Ube Horchata from Señor Sisig, another restaurant located hosted at the micro food hall This drink is bright purple! It’s unique, and also refreshing and delicious. It tastes a bit like a taro bubble tea.
Again, I love Local Kitchens, and I’ve worked with them on several fundraisers for local organizations and more. (Just to be clear, though, this post shares my own opinions only and is not sponsored).
Try any of the items on their menu, and check back because the menu is always changing. Let me know in the comments what your favorite items are to order at Local Kitchens.
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