There was a time, and still is, when the food at shopping malls was, well, shopping mall food. Which is to say, generic kid chow cranked out by an assortment of national fast-food chains that were reliable and familiar — fodder before you dove back into H&M.
But then came the rise of the food truck, which owes at least some of its success to Covid and our concern about doing our eating inside.
And also there’s been the rise of the food hall — in many cases, repurposed spaces that have become destinations for a lively cross section of how we eat these days. The Anaheim Packing District is in a former Sunkist citrus bottling factory. Citizen Public Market in Culver City used to be a newspaper. Blossom Market Hall in San Gabriel was a Masonic lodge. Glendora Public Market was a Wonder bread factory.
I honestly can’t remember if the area that’s now Topanga Social ever was a destination for fast food in the northern extension of Westfield Topanga, since — like most — I did my eating at the far more stylish Westfield Village on the south side of Victory Boulevard, which has an abundance of groovy food and drink shops like XOC Tequila Grill, Jimmy’s Famous and EMC Seafood.
But the northern Westfield has definitely gone steroidal in its upgrade. Topanga Social is the only food hall in town downstairs from branches of Dior, Bulgari, Valentino, Bottega Veneta and Celine. It’s a massive space (wear comfortable shoes!) that encourages diners with signs informing that “It’s a place to feel good” and “It’s more than a place to eat” — which is true. It’s also a place to drink.
You can bend an elbow at I Love Micheladas, Pearl Champagne Bar, Margarita Garden and at a proper, full cocktail bar in the midst of the hall called Rock & Reilly’s. If you need courage to shop at Dior, I guess this is the place to go.
The place is more than a little overwhelming. Most of the food halls around SoCal have fewer than 10 options; Topanga Social has…
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