Banger Lumpia Concludes Residency at Grand Central Market

Chef Mike Obedoza is closing his downtown Los Angeles residency as he prepares to open a permanent brick-and-mortar location.

Updated on Oct. 23, 2026 in Mexican Food

Screen-print poster illustration of a metal deep-fry basket on a stone counter, representing a chef's transition to a permanent location. — Chef Mike Obedoza is closing his Banger Lumpia residency at Los Angeles' Grand Central Market this weekend to pursue a permanent restaurant location. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Mike Obedoza is wrapping up the residency for his business, Banger Lumpia, at the iconic Grand Central Market in downtown Los Angeles this weekend. The chef plans to transition from this pop-up space to establishing a permanent brick-and-mortar storefront.

Why it matters

The residency highlights a successful pivot from a taco-focused pop-up to a specialized smash burger model that reflects the chef's Filipino-American identity. Obedoza's unique approach has garnered significant recognition, including multiple award-winning results at a major regional competition.

The Banger Lumpia smash burger features a beef patty marinated in soy sauce, fish sauce, onions, and carrots, topped with avocado, jalapeño, and fried lumpia wrapper. The business earned 2 Best Burger titles at the Old Towne Burger Fest in Orange County.

The players

Mike Obedoza

He is a graduate of Cal Poly Pomona and the Culinary Institute of America who previously worked at Hyatt and Terranea Resort.

Banger Lumpia

This food business serves a signature lumpia-inspired smash burger and operates a residency at Grand Central Market in downtown Los Angeles.

The details

Obedoza developed his culinary style after graduating from the Culinary Institute of America and holding positions at Hyatt and Terranea Resort. He began his venture serving tacos in 2022 before shifting to the smash burger concept following direct requests from his customers.

Obedoza graduated from Cal Poly Pomona in 2007.
A trip to the Philippines occurred in 2008.
Banger began serving tacos in 2022.
Full-time food service began in 2023.
The Grand Central Market residency concludes in October 2026.

Culture Shift

This venture follows the rise of fusion-style Filipino-American fast-casual concepts in Southern California. The business represents a broader movement where chefs blend traditional regional ingredients with mainstream American comfort food staples to express their identity.

Los Angeles diners have until this weekend to visit the current Grand Central Market residency before the stall closes to the public. Fans of the burger should monitor future announcements to track where the permanent location will eventually open.

The takeaway

Obedoza successfully leveraged a pop-up residency to build a loyal following and gain industry accolades. Aspiring food entrepreneurs can look to his path as a prime example of refining a business model based on direct customer feedback.