A staff member welcomes friends to L'Industrie Pizzeria at The Infatuation's EEEEEATSCON Los Angeles 2026. Founded in 2017 by Italian native Massimo Laveglia and business partner Nick Baglivo, L'Industrie has gained an admittedly justified near-cult following in New York and beyond, a fact reflected in the popularity of even just its burrata slice last weekend. Photographed by Julia Gu/BruinLife.
The Infatuation’s ninth EEEEEATSCON Los Angeles was a success, but it would not have been possible if not for the work of hundreds of individuals. BruinLife could not feature all of the hands behind the scenes, but can offer the smallest glimpse into the passion that fueled the weekend’s festivities.
The people
Head Chef Daniel Son serves festival goers from Katsu Sando’s stand in the Barker Hangar. As an Angeleno who took after his father and trained as a sushi chef under a three-starred Michelin restaurant in Japan, Son opened Katsu Sando in Chinatown in 2020, inspired by the unassumingly delicious milk bread sandwiches of Japanese convenience stores. Photographed by Julia Gu/BruinLife.
A staff member of the LA-based Peruvian ceviche restaurant The Hummingbird takes an order — one of many, if the “SOLD OUT” stickers on the menu are any indication. As the childhood nickname of acclaimed Head Chef Ricardo Zarate, The Hummingbird saw no lull in business on Saturday in spite of, or perhaps as a result of, foregoing their usual reservations at EEEEEATSCON. Photographed by Julia Gu/BruinLife.
A worker adjusts the lines at the Juice Bar as staff distribute The Infatuation-themed merchandise to attendees young and old. Free swag will always draw a crowd, and merch at EEEEEATSCON LA included a canvas tote, a denim cap and a portable phone charger. Photographed by Julia Gu/BruinLife.
A bartender chats with a customer by the entrance of the Barker Hangar. For event goers looking to stay hydrated while waiting in lines beyond the shade of the hangar, the bars at EEEEEATSCON offer free water as well, and heading to the back of a queue with a cup in hand and a couple napkins in your back pocket is not at all a bad idea. Photographed by Julia Gu/BruinLife.
Having never played a brass instrument before, this photographer cannot help but wonder, does a tuba not get hot under the sun? Even if it does not, tuba players deserve a healthy amount of respect, including the sousaphonist who performed with a small marching band at EEEEEATSCON LA. Photographed by Julia Gu/BruinLife.
Decked in merch, a staff member from Spring, Texas works the front of Rosemeyer Bar-B-Q’s EEEEEATSCON stand with Southern hospitality. The barbecue joint is but a food truck open three days a week, but Rosemeyer has earned much acclaim from The Infatuation, and not just for its free beer. Photographed by Julia Gu/BruinLife.A staff member carries a child sporting a Mets cap by Little Fish’s sizable line. Under the maxim that the enemy of my enemy is my friend, perhaps the New York affiliation is not as dangerous of a move on Dodgers territory as it would be for a young Yankees fan. Photographed by Julia Gu/BruinLife.
Well-protected from the sun by glasses and cap, festival goers stand in line for Amboy Quality Meats under a cloudless sky, backdropped by Tacos Los Cholos’ collab with Miami’s Cowy Burger. The stands are thoughtfully grouped by theme, with the carnivore-based joints located by the side of the hangar for easy smoking, frying and grilling. Photographed by Julia Gu/BruinLife.
An attendee explores a wall of vintage menus, including ones from Langer’s and Dan Tana’s, among other historic Los Angeles diners. The LA Public Library generously lent the installation to The Infatuation for the weekend — a gesture well-appreciated by all the food aficionados at EEEEEATSCON. Photographed by Julia Gu/BruinLife.
The product
We were warned that Mini Kabob’s cottage chips would be life-changing, and indeed they were — for the better too. As a family-run business, Armenian flavors shone through the paprika seasoning, foregrounded by their celebrated chicken Caesar wrap that almost rivals the fries. Photographed by Julia Gu/BruinLife.The tiramisu at Giovanni’s Tiramisu features everything one would want from a classic slice of the Italian dessert, plus pink mascarpone. A father-daughter business born out of a search for meaning in the face of tragedy, each batch of tiramisu is made with care and personally delivered to the doorstep by none other than the 78-year-old Giovanni himself, who gladly joined the stand at EEEEEATSCON last weekend as well. Photographed by Gavin Meichelbock/BruinLife.Willie Mae’s NOLA brought their classic fried chicken wings from LA the state to LA the city at $3 per wing. Price aside, the best wings do not need a dip, a wise member of our party said, and considering the tenderness of the meat and the crunch of the breading, the rest of us are inclined to agree. Photographed by Julia Gu/BruinLife.
Leaning fully into the realm of sweets with powdered sugar and glaze, Willie Mae’s hot honey fried chicken beignet sandwich is an EEEEEATSCON exclusive. The care is evident — finger foods by nature, the reborn-from-ashes New Orlean-based restaurant provided hand wipes with all their orders. Photographed by Julia Gu/BruinLife.
Afro-fusion Two Hommés partnered with Thai-food Jitlada to bring spicy basil jollof noodles to EEEEEATSCON. Formed out of a friend duo and a sibling duo respectively, the collab is all good vibes, though those bad with heat might opt to pass up on this one. Photographed by Julia Gu/BruinLife.Although many kitchens had worked diligently through most of their provisions by then, EEEEEATSCON LA 2026 remains bustling two hours before closing at Santa Monica’s Barker Hangar. Festival goers likely wished the lines were shorter and the supplies lasted longer, but when the lineup is this strong, there is little to be done except to take it as a sign to support more of LA’s up-and-coming food scene in the year to come. Photographed by Julia Gu/BruinLife.
Julia Gu is a 2025-2026 photo editor for BruinLife and a fourth-year student pursuing a degree in computer science and applied mathematics. When she does not have a camera in hand, Julia loves helping out at local elementary schools, learning languages and exploring music from around the world.
If Gavin isn't watching a movie or eating at the best restaurant you've never heard of, he's probably at his desk waiting for you to read his article about it! Outside the classroom where he's pursuing a bachelor's in American Literature and a minor in film, he is an independent author who literally wrote the book, two to be exact, on cheeseburgers: "1 Boy, 2 Buns & a Whole Lotta Meat in Between" and "Cheeseburger Summer" — both of which are on sale online through Barnes and Noble!
