June 22, 2025 The Best Source of News, Culture, Lifestyle for Culver City, Mar Vista, Del Rey, Palms and West Los Angeles

Tacos, Ice Cream and More as Playa Vista Free Market Center Arrives

 Loqui, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams highlight new complex 

By Toi Creel

Tacos, ice cream and more highlight a new dining and retail center in Playa Vista. 

The new Free Market Complex is located at 12751 W. Millennium Drive. It features a variety of stores ranging from goods and services such as flowers, paper, jewelry and more. The company behind Free Market has similar centers in Denver and Downtown Los Angeles. The Playa Vista location will open on May 1. 

In addition to shopping, customers can explore two dining options: Loqui taco shop and Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams.

Loqui is a Mexican taco joint that first opened in Culver City back in 2016 at the Platform. The restaurant first began out of Tartine Bakery as a weekly pop-up in 2013. The menu features a variety of proteins including including beef, chicken, pork and mushroom.. Their tacos are served up in homemade flour tortillas or delicious corn tortillas

The owners Ari Ampudia and Cameron Wallace hosted several taco pop ups before the restaurant itself had a brick and mortar. Wallace was a popular baker for restaurant Tartine, while Ampudia had been developing tacos and Mexican street cuisine for several years. Loqui’s second location opened November 2019 in the downtown LA Arts District. 

Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams offers a unique take on soft serve by incorporating buttercream into their recipe. The ice cream is free of artificial flavorings, dyes, or off-the-shelf mixes, stabilizers or emulsifiers. Founder Jeni Bauer had been professionally making ice cream for more than 20 years before opening the shop and had also studied art as well as worked at a bakery, before founding Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams in 2002. 

You can check out the list of brands at the Free Market Complex below:

  • Alchemy Works
  • County Line Florals
  • Joliet
  • Jeni’s Ice Cream
  • Heyday
  • Loqui
  • Natural Rough
  • Nicholas Konert “Spread        Love” Project 
  • Period Correct
  • Please Do Not Enter
  • Studio C
  • Teressa Foglia
  • Urbanic

According to their website, the Free market is “an ever-evolving collective that develops and markets curated products, services, and experiences by combining incubator strategy with artistic understanding and infrastructure strength.”

in Dining, News
Related Posts

LA City Councilwomen Yaroslavsky and Jurado Call for Legal Action Against Federal Immigration Raids

June 21, 2025

June 21, 2025

City Motion Targets Alleged Unconstitutional Tactics, End Qualified Immunity for Fed Officers  City Councilmembers Katy Yaroslavsky and Ysabel Jurado introduced...

Weekend Lane Closures on PCH in Malibu Could Snarl Summer Beach Traffic

June 21, 2025

June 21, 2025

Army Corps Work Triggers Weekend Closure on Pacific Coast Highway Motorists traveling along Pacific Coast Highway this weekend should prepare...

All Aboard to LAX: Metro Opens Game-Changing Transit Hub Ahead of Global Events

June 20, 2025

June 20, 2025

 New LAX/Metro Transit Center Comes Closer to Connecting Metro Directly to LAX The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro)...

Princess Diana’s Largest Wardrobe Auction Set for Beverly Hills

June 20, 2025

June 20, 2025

Over 200 Royal Garments to Hit the Auction Block for Charity More than 200 garments and royal artifacts, including the...

Queer Beauty Through the Ages: Getty Hosts Lecture on Greek Art’s Influence on LGBTQ Aesthetics

June 20, 2025

June 20, 2025

Art Historian to Trace Homoerotic Imagery From Ancient Greece to Modern Queer Identity As part of its ongoing Pride Month...

Food Fight on the Venice Boardwalk: Chefs Stand Up for Immigrants with Food

June 20, 2025

June 20, 2025

Turk’s Pizza Party Rallies Top Local Eateries for an Immigrant Rights Fundraiser In a bold display of culinary activism, Turk’s...

Navy Vietnam Vet Finally Gets His UCLA Commencement Moment

June 20, 2025

June 20, 2025

John Fong, 80, Missed His Graduation in 1968 While in Vietnam  Nearly six decades after completing his studies, U.S. Navy...

Culver City Launches Solidarity Campaign Alongside Hate Crimes Report Presentation

June 20, 2025

June 20, 2025

Join City Leaders on June 24 for a Community Presentation on Rising Hate Incidents Local officials and residents are invited...

Films, Flair, and Panoramas: Free Cultural Events Light Up The Ebell This Week

June 20, 2025

June 20, 2025

The Ebell Theatre Hosts a Double Feature of Films, Plus a Coffee Talk A pair of free public events this...

Culver City Police Nab Two Suspects in Canterbury Drive Burglary Case

June 19, 2025

June 19, 2025

Community Tip and Set Investigation Lead to Arrest of Repeat Offenders Culver City police have arrested two suspects in connection...

9th Circuit Court Backs Trump in Battle Over California National Guard Control

June 19, 2025

June 19, 2025

Federal Judges Allow Trump to Retain Command of Troops in Los Angeles Federal judges on Thursday cleared the way for...

Nightly I-405 Lane Closures Begin June 23 for Sepulveda Pass Rehab

June 19, 2025

June 19, 2025

Caltrans Will Shut Down Select Lanes Nightly Through June 28 The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has announced overnight lane...

(Video) Where great minds grow at The Willows Community School

June 19, 2025

June 19, 2025

The Willows, a DK-8 co-educational school, enrolls 474 students from 57+ zip codes annually. As a balanced, progressive educational leader, experiential learning,...

(Video) The Guest List Collab Dinner with Chef Raphael Lunetta and Chef Alan Wong

June 19, 2025

June 19, 2025

Held at Marelle Restaurant at The Sandbourne Hotel in Santa Monica. An Incredible mix of Hawaiian and Santa Monica’s flavors...

Summer Pop-Ups Serve Crullers, Challah Donuts, Croissants, Coffee and Musical Vibes

June 19, 2025

June 19, 2025

Nyletta Nyletta, Challah Dad, Des Croissants Paris Bring Pastry Delights to Culver City A pair of sweet summer pop-ups are...