If you live in Los Angeles, chances are you’ve been to Grand Central Market. But have you ever really looked up?
On a recent visit, I found myself not just enjoying the incredible food, from pupusas to oysters to rainbow-colored tacos, but alsostaring in awe at the signs overhead. Glowing in reds, greens, and soft blues, the neon signage at Grand Central Market doesn’t just point the way. It tells a story. Of the market. Of Los Angeles.
As a sign company, we obviously think about signs a lot. But even if you don’t, Grand Central Market is one of those rare places that takes signage far beyond way finding. Signage is pivotal to the Market's character and history. It makes you stop and appreciate how beautiful, iconic, and full of meaning great signage can be.
A Century of Culture, Change, and Character
Grand Central Market first opened its doors in 1917 in the ground floor of the Beaux-Arts-style Homer Laughlin Building on Broadway. At the time, downtown LA was booming. The market quickly became a central gathering place, a modern-day food emporium where wealthy Angelenos coming down from Bunker Hill on Angels Flight could shop for meats, produce, and household goods under one roof.
But the story of Grand Central Market isn’t one of frozen history, it’s one of change. Over the decades, the market has transformed with the city around it. By the 1950s and ’60s, as affluent residents moved west, the market shifted to serve a largely working-class, Latino clientele. In the 1980s and early 2000s, it struggled. And then, beginning in the 2010s, something remarkable happened: a revitalization that kept the market’s spirit alive while welcoming a new generation of food vendors and visitors.
Today, Grand Central Market is a collision of cultures and eras. New-wave food stalls stand beside century-old family-run counters. Tourists line up next to longtime locals. And overhead, tying it all together, are the signs.
The Role of Signage: Not Just Decoration, but Identity
Signage at Grand Central Market isn’t an afterthought, it’s integral to the experience. Nearly every vendor, old and new, has a neon sign above their stall. Some are decades old; others are brand new but made in the same style. It’s this glowing patchwork of letters, colors, and light that gives the market its unmistakable atmosphere.
These signs don’t just advertise what’s on the menu. They give each business a personality. They create memory. And together, they form one of the most iconic neon collections in the city.
When we design signs, we always ask: what story are we telling? At Grand Central Market, the answer is: many stories, all at once. Here are a few we loved:
🔴 China Cafe: A Neon Time Capsule
One of the most photographed signs in the market hangs over China Cafe, which first opened in 1959. The glowing red and yellow neon reads “Chop Suey” and “Chow Mein” in classic mid-century lettering, a visual time capsule from the era when Chinese-American cuisine was sweeping across the country.
This isn’t a replica. It’s the original sign. It’s been hanging in the same spot for more than 60 years, presiding over the same 22-seat lunch counter. In fact, when the current owners remodeled the stall, they were asked by a museum if they’d donate the sign. Their response? “Absolutely not. It belongs here.”
We couldn’t agree more. That sign is part of the cafe’s soul, and the market’s history.
🐖 Roast-To-Go: Old-School Flavor in Glowing Lights
Roast-To-Go has been serving up carnitas and burritos since 1952. And its sign — featuring stylized neon barnyard animals and glowing text that reads “Beef • Chicken • Pork • Lamb” — is as bold and confident as ever.
This is signage that doesn’t mince words. It tells you exactly what you’re getting, and it does it with charm. The neon cow, pig, and chicken aren’t just fun — they’re functional, instantly readable, and totally unique.
It’s a reminder that signage should be more than just informative. It should draw you in, set the tone, and make you hungry.
🦪 The Oyster Gourmet: Elegance, Arrow, and Art Deco Vibes
A more recent addition to the market, The Oyster Gourmet, opened in 2014 but feels timeless. Its stylized neon arrow sign, pointing the way to a raw bar shaped like a giant oyster shell, adds a touch of vintage elegance.
Founder Christophe Happillon, LA’s only master oyster shucker, wanted the space to evoke a European oyster bar with modern flair. The sign completes that vision. It doesn’t shout. It invites. And it blends seamlessly into the neon-lit canopy above.
🌮 Villa’s Tacos: A Newcomer that Honors the Tradition
When Villa’s Tacos opened at Grand Central Market in 2023, they knew they had to make a statement, and their neon sign does exactly that. With vibrant multi-colored tubing and a bold Dodgers inspired script, the sign feels fresh but totally at home alongside its more historic neighbors. We love the combination of hand-drawn graphics in the background with decidedly local themes.
Villa’s started as a backyard pop-up in Highland Park. Now, its tacos, served on blue corn tortillas dyed with hibiscus and beet juice, are gaining cult status. The sign not only marks their arrival but nods to the market’s legacy: one of family-run businesses, community stories, and respect for the classics.
☕ Go Get Em Tiger: Craft Coffee with a Classic Glow
Originally opened as G&B Coffee, this stall helped kickstart the market’s 2010s revitalization. Now operating under the Go Get Em Tiger brand, the updated neon sign keeps with tradition, clean, bold, and bright, welcoming caffeine seekers with the same warmth and clarity you’d expect from a great cup of coffee.
The sign is proof that even new brands can embrace old-school craftsmanship. Good signage doesn’t have to be loud to stand out, it just has to belong.
Why Neon Still Matters (and Always Will)
There’s a reason Grand Central Market has become a destination not just for food lovers but for photographers, designers, and sign nerds like us: the signs are that good.
Neon isn’t just nostalgic. It’s emotional. It hums. It flickers. It glows in a way that LED can’t quite replicate (but keeps getting closer). And at Grand Central Market, neon is more than a material, it’s memory. You walk in, look up, and instantly feel connected to the market's history.
As a sign company, we’re always thrilled when we see people really notice signage. And this market makes that happen.
Visiting the Market? Here’s Our Advice...
Grand Central Market is worth experiencing like a tourist, especially if you’re local. Ride Angels Flight down the hill. Wander slowly. Try something new. And most importantly: look up!
Notice the details. The typography. The colors. The hand-bent tubes and the flicker of aging transformers. Some signs are brand new; others have watched generations pass below. Together, they create something you can’t replicate, a place with real character.
Grand Central Market reminds us that great signage is art. It’s history. It’s culture. And when done right, it tells a story worth remembering.
