Table at Third & Fairfax is a weekly dining column in 2023 where Food and Drink editor Patricia Kelly Yeo will eat her way through the Original Farmers Market. Each column will drop on Thursday for a week-by-week recap of her journey through the classic L.A. tourist attraction. Last week, Kelly visited Gone Bananas Bread.
It’s nearly the busy season here at Time Out, when Thanksgiving, Christmas and end-of-year lists conspire to make us work overtime before the entire country tunes out the last two weeks of the year. As a result, I’m relishing the last handful of visits for Table at Third & Fairfax, now that I’ve tried basically every place in the market, with plans to revisit most places twice. This week, I decided to have a leisurely late breakfast at Phil’s Deli & Grill (1934), where a handful of people are already noshing on French toast, eggs and other dishes associated with morning.
Following their lead, I order the Deli Special ($13.95), which consists of two eggs, two pancakes (or French toast) and sausage (or bacon). I take a seat at the counter and order my eggs scrambled. Over the next half hour, I end up having an extended conversation with the nonbinary OnlyFans content creator sitting next to me who is in the middle of moving away from the area. The food arrives quickly, and is generously portioned: My order comes with four breakfast sausages and some orange slices on the side. The paper container of melted butter is a little confusing, but the pancakes taste great with the maple syrup available on the counter.
The eggs are also scrambled perfectly—not too rubbery or soft. For the price, you can’t do better than Phil’s at the Farmers Market; Du-Par’s offers a similar breakfast plate for $2 more. Looking back on my last few experiences at Phil’s, it’s clear this deli and grill is the unsung hero of the Farmers Market. It might not catch your attention if you’re a tourist or an occasional visitor, but it’s a great spot for anyone local for all-American diner fare without much fuss. It’s also home to the best French fries in the market.
Over the next few months, I’ve got a last few meals planned that readers might find interesting: Breakfast at the brand-new Thicc Burger, for one, and a visit to the soon-to-open Noodle Art, assuming it’s able to open before the end of 2023. I also plan to revisit China Depot, Nonna’s Empanadas and Gone Bananas Bread for the bread pudding. If you have any other requests, feel free to email me!
Meals from Table at Third & Fairfax fall into three categories: Skip It, Worth Trying and Must Have.
Vendor: Phil’s Deli & Grill
Order: The Deli Special (two eggs, pancakes and breakfast sausage)
Verdict: Worth Trying. I’ve yet to have a bad meal at Phil’s Deli.