If you live on the Westside of L.A., you’re planning your day around the long line at Gjusta. If you live on the Eastside of L.A., you’re planning your month around a lunch date in the yard behind the hidden Venice cafe. This, of course, was life before quarantine.

As restaurants around the world strategize ways to show up for their base of devoted diners (stay tuned for more on this all month!), few have done it better than Gjusta. Disclaimer: we’re one hundred percent obsessed with the Gjelina Restaurant Group, from Gjelina itself (grab the mushroom toast from their epic cookbook) to GTA (think curbside cortados and handmade pizza by the slice), MTN (Japan meets LA) and their new take out-only concept, Valle (Oaxacan tacos, braised meats and ceviche). If you live in L.A. it’s likely our obsession  is shared by you — and if you’re planning a visit in the distant future, all of these spots deserve to be on your shortlist.

Gjusta is offering food deliveries unlike almost anything in town. When it’s open, the experience at Gjusta in Venice is rustic and natural, but warm and intense — like a good sourdough. Crossing through it’s doors from the scrappy Venice neighborhood feels like entering another world, a Scandinavian bakery from another time, but fueled by modern thinking and filled with post-modern foodies.

We didn’t think we could enjoy what Gjusta had to offer more, until we received a market delivery from them at home, filled with local produce from purple carrots to giant lemons, warm sourdough bread, the brand’s signature fermented hot sauce, honey, herbed olive oil, chocolate chip cookies and coffee beans, fresh burrata cheese, green olive tapenade and a bouquet of chamomile flowers, ready to be made into tea.

We were pretty floored by our delivery, which seemed to arrive from another era — one in which processed foods and delivery apps just didn’t exist. You can call or email in your orders for next day delivery in L.A. and many of the Gjusta Goods items are available for shipment anywhere. Here’s more about what Gjusta is delivering right now, including a few of our personal favorites…

The produce box

For two people, the Gjusta produce box contains the following from farms like California’s beloved Thao, Weiser and Murray family farms…

+ Hass avocados, Blueberries, Rainbow Carrots, Celery,Collard Greens, Lacinato Kale, Lisbon Lemons, Lettuces, Spring Onions, Banana Fingerling Potatoes, Tom’s Terrific Tangerine, English Thyme, Radicchio di Treviso, Genovese Basil

Add to cart a loaf of sourdough, a dozen eggs from Gonestaw Farms and their housemade spicy hummus and we spot a good week’s worth of  plant-based lunches and snacks above.

Gjusta Goods

Next door to the cafe, the Gjusta Goods shop offers the kind of super-natural, pared down basics you’d expect from the brand. Our cupboards are full of these thick, swirly and unevenly glazed ceramic cups. Bowls and plates in the same blue-grey glaze are also available (and can be spotted here and there in our food photography).

100% cotton or linen tablecloths, napkins, tea towels and placemats are available in a small range of timeless, joy-inducing colors like this oatmeal lined with pale rose or black with tan stitching. Giant linen pillow shams in the same color family are available too — mustard yellow, rose pink, charcoal, oatmeal and faded blue. And you thought you were ordering a produce box. We’ve had many Gjusta lunch dates that have turned into a small home makeovers.

Condiments + Essentials

Most importantly, Gjusta offers a signature line of their own condiments and a well-curated selection of essentials that have become modern fridge staples for Angelenos in the know. We live for their fermented chili hot sauce, the whole bean coffee is great and their seeded honey is a food group unto itself.

Other favorites: rosemary Marcon almonds, smoked flake salt, herb-infused olive oil, green olive tapenade with capers, cream cheese with green herbs, quarts of chicken stock (great for freezing), ridiculous housemade chocolate chip cookies, trail mix with dried peaches, figs, chocolate disks, pistachios and pears, housemade pasta, pickled red onions and kimchi. 

Which restaurants have you been ordering from while at home? Tell us in the comments and here are a few more of our favorites.