Los Molcajetes (Temple)

"Los Molcajetes has come a long way since its food truck days in the ‘70s. But even now, with multiple locations scattered across central LA, Los Molcajetes is still chugging along with some of the most consistent pupusas in town. While the corn versions are good, the rice ones have the crispy edges and chew we’re looking for in a pupusa. The revueltas ooze salty, spicy, creamy fillings out of the sides, forming a crust on the grill. We just suggest cutting through all that hearty cheese and beans with plenty of sharp, vinegary curtido." - Sylvio Martins, Brant Cox, Nikko Duren

"This casual Salvadoran spot has several locations around central LA, but the one on Temple Street is the best place for pupusas in Echo Park. It's a great spot to drop in on a random weeknight when you don’t want to spend more than $10 on dinner. Make sure to try their rice flour pupusas, which take on a similar color to the corn version, but with a distinctive chewiness we love. You can get your griddle cakes individually, as part of the double pupusa combo, or our favorite option: the desayuno típico. " - Nikko Duren

"For more than 40 years, this old-school Salvi restaurant has been well-known for its piping hot and beautifully presented molcajetes (protein- and vegetable-filled mortars). The location in Historic Filipinotown offers a unique take on pan con pollo (chicken sandwich). A large French roll is stuffed with tender and juicy chicken stewed in recaudo, an incredibly flavorful sauce made of tomatoes, spices, herbs, and roasted chiles. The recaudo’s intensity is complemented by a combination of curtido (relish), tomato, cucumber, and berro (watercress); a dollop of crema Salvadoreña tops this tasty sandwich." - Eric Valle

"If there were an LA Mount Rushmore dedicated to Salvadoran food, Los Molcajetes would definitely be on it. This place started as a successful food truck back in the 1970s, but now has a handful of locations around the central LA area, each serving some of the city’s tastiest pupusas. Make sure to try their rice flour pupusas, which take on a similar color to the corn version, but with a distinctive chewiness we love. Common fillings like chicharron, cheese, and loroco are all on the menu, but so is the way-less-common vegan cheese pupusa. The curtido is delicious and simple with cabbage and carrot, and the tomato salsa serves as a light, spicy dressing to drench your entire order in. You can get your griddle cakes individually, as part of the double pupusa combo, or our favorite option: the desayuno típico. You’ll get two small pupusas (filling of your choosing), alongside some morning eggs and chorizo. Food Rundown Desayuno Típico This breakfast spread is big on the masa, and we’re not complaining. The small chicken tamal is a bit too soft and can border on soggy, but the chicken and pepper stuffing goes great with its savory red sauce. However, the dish’s small pupusas, queso fresco, and spicy chorizo links are where you should focus. We prefer the creamy bean and cheese pupusas with nicely browned corn masa and love to dip them in the bowl of stewed pinto beans that come on the side. Vegan Cheese Pupusa Although the vegan cheese doesn’t have the same meltiness that we love, it’s still creamy, decadent, and a great substitute for the usual queso. It pairs super well with Los Molcajetes’ chewy rice masa and smooth bean paste and tastes great hot off the griddle. Cheese And Loroco Pupusa A good cheese and loroco pupusa is a glorious experience, and this one delivers. The loroco, which reminds us of asparagus with a nice crunch, blends well with heaps of melted white cheese and golden, grilled masa. Pastelitos These fried turnovers are golden brown and extra crispy, but still sturdy enough to hold tons of ground pork filling. The meat comes with a nice sofrito to keep it from getting dry and calls for some Salvadoran curtido for an extra zing of acid." - Sylvio Martins