Known for its outstanding Carne Asada, the Don Felix Meat Market—on Sawtelle in Culver City—is now under new ownership. Juan Lopez took over the Don Felix Meat Market a little over a month ago. Lopez says, “Don Felix has been here over twenty years, but after he sold the business 12 years ago and the ownership changed business went down.â€
Owner Lopez, who used to frequent the store as a customer—he lives next door—and who has been in the grocery business in Santa Monica at The Farms for almost 20 years, saw the potential in the store and bought it with the intention of revitalizing the business.
Just how famous is the Felix family Carne Asada recipe? “We have regular customers who travel from Reseda, Torrance and the Valley to purchase our Carne Asada because it’s the same recipe that Don Felix has had f
or the past 20 years. Some folks buy 30 – 40 pounds at a time on the weekends,†says Lopez.
The meat is a high quality, high-end choice bottom sirloin. Lopez never scrimps on quality, but his prices are extremely reasonable because, explains Lopez, “Over the years, I’ve cultivated a relationship with vendors and I am able to get the best prices.â€
The market, which has a real down-home ambiance about it, also sells canned goods, kitchen supplies, toiletries and a stunning selection of fresh flowers from Lorena’s Flower Shop. There is also a cold storage area for fresh produce—all of which looks delicious, fresh and tasty—a dry produce section complete with potatoes, dried fruits, dates, nuts, and a wide array of herbs and spices used for specialty cooking. “If we don’t have the sp
ice you’re looking for, it’s because you don’t need it,†jokes Lopez.
Don Felix Meat Market at 3987 Sawtelle Boulevard in Culver City is open seven days a week. For more info call: 310-439-1039
