Fancy food court. Culinary cafeteria. Gourmet marketplace.

Call 4th Street Market whatever you want. Orange County’s latest – and possibly greatest – communal dining hall is off to a roaring start. The game-changing marketplace, formerly a swap meet, offers a wealth of gourmet street foods: breakfast scrambles, spicy Thai soup and squid ink-stained waffles.

Unlike the Anaheim Packing House, which opened with spotty hours, horrible parking and MIA eateries, 4th Street Market has quickly evolved into a reliable destination for adventurous foodies.

“It’s like hipster paradise,” said Demetria Velazquez, 23, a tourist from Virginia. “The food here is phenomenal.”

Your Fast Food Maven has been visiting the 20,000-square-foot culinary space frequently to see what’s hot and what’s not. Here’s my guide.

Portola Coffee Lab Unlike at the flagship cafe at SoCo in Costa Mesa, the lines at this Portola aren’t plagued (too much) by gridlock. In fact, the order area was recently rejiggered to create better efficiency – clearly the work of Portola owner Jeff Duggan, who has been spotted frequently behind the barista counter Must try: Flat white. Starbucks put this micro-foam drink on the map in the U.S. But Portola makes you understand why Aussies love this bolder-than-a-latte beverage. Dough Exchange The bakery inside the Honor Roll grocery store offers pastries, doughnuts, cheese and fresh breads. Doughnuts change nearly every day – and s’mores seem to be available on most visits. The dense gourmet doughnuts have been a work in progress for Jason Quinn’s team, which opened the original shop a few months ago near The Playground. Bakers tweaked the recipes after receiving feedback from diners last month. Must try: Pillow bread loaf. KTCHN DTSA This is one of the few places to get a hot breakfast. Santa Ana native Felix Barron returns home after a stint in Los Angeles, where he won rave reviews for his breakfast concoctions. His limited menu includes a handful of egg-centric dishes. The meals are served on toasted bread, with various toppings such as pulled pork or corned beef. Must try: Tie between the pulled pork and egg dish and the design-your-own scramble. Radical Botanicals This juice bar offers a dizzying array of “good for you” juices and mocktails using ingredients such as coconut water, almond milk, cacao nibs and agave. Must try: Agua frescas. Lunchbox DTSA Let’s start with the cafeteria-themed restaurants by The Playground. The three walk-up stands provide extreme versions of cultural staples: Thai soup, burgers and fried chicken. So far, they are the most popular eateries at the market. PFC, or Playground Fried Chicken, is surprisingly the most jam-packed. The wait is incredible, given that the stand offers one main dish: fried chicken. But it’s darn good. The crisp, thin-crust chicken hits multiple flavor points with layers of spices that include cumin. Must try: The combo plate. It is a sneaky way to get all three sides, including the epic cornbread. If you’re a fan of In-N-Out’s Double Double, head over to Wagyu Chuck for an upscale version of the famed burger. It comes with house-ground meat, grilled onions, cheese, lettuce and tomato. Dough Exchange makes the sponge dough buns. You can order a single or triple patty burger. Must try: The addictive torn baked potato fries. Noodle Tramp is not for delicate palates, but it’s my favorite place for a meal at the marketplace. This Khao soi soup warms every crevice of my body with each soulful sip. It’s packed with sinus-clearing flavors: Thai red curry, coconut broth, fried shallots, red onion, sprouts, lime and pickled cabbage. Fresh egg noodles are soaked in the liquid heat, which comes with a choice of chicken, Wagyu beef or brisket. There’s also a veggie option. Must try: Everything. Stockyard Sandwich Co. Santa Ana’s Phil Burden, formerly of the Crosby and Grilled Cheese Spot in Santa Ana, is serving classic “gnarly” sandwiches with a modern twist. Offerings include braised short-rib, chicken Club, tuna melt and pulled pork. Ingredients are top-notch, including the custom ciabatta provided by Santa Ana’s Bread Artisan Bakery, vendor to The Montage, St. Regis, The Ritz, Little Sparrow and Napa Rose. Must try: Short-rib poutine tater tots. Ink Waffles At first, I didn’t quite understand Ink Waffles. Does it serve flavor-infused waffles or gourmet waffle sandwiches? Turns out, it does both. Ink Waffles, by the operators of Anepalco’s Cafe in Orange, goes beyond Bruxie’s “bold fold” sandwiches with its “flavor dyed” waffles. Depending on the meal, the waffle acts like a tortilla or a piece of bread hugging a comforting dish such as ratatouille. Must try: Top sellers are the Chino Latino and Waffle Laki. But I prefer the Ink Waffle Taco – aka fish taco. The playful, twisted and delicious waffle is injected with squid ink so it resembles a blue corn tortilla. It is stuffed with pan-seared fish,and topped with a chili aioli cabbage mix. MAR A quick-serve, Latin-inspired seafood concept from chef Jon Melendez, who closed Civic to open Mar. Signature dishes: ahi tuna poke topped with choice of white rice, zucchini carrot noodles or black rice (worth the additional $2). At $10, you can’t beat the belly-comforting pan roast packed with aromatic Latin and Cajun ingredients. You can choose two of four choices: shrimp, scallop, chorizo (from Electric City Butcher) or white beans. The chorizo and shrimp proved a great combo. Must try: Scallop Dog (bacon-wrapped scallops tucked in a Hawaiian soft roll). Front Porch Pops & Torch S’more Co. Owner Erin Whitcomb has the toughest location in the entire food hall. Her stands are tucked in a hallway behind Honor Roll and around the corner from Chunk-N-Chip. But the odd location hasn’t stopped diners from finding her hot and cold desserts. Must try: The S’more. Torched before your eyes, this gooey treat comes with your choice of milk or dark chocolate melted between two graham crackers. Chunk-N-Chip Like Dos Chinos, this food truck has found a permanent home at the market, offering fresh-baked warm cookies and homemade ice cream to mix and match for a custom sandwich. Cookie choices rotate. We’ve tried snickerdoodle, graham cracker, chocolate chip, chocolate espresso and pink bubble gum (the latter looks fun, but steer clear). Must try: Chocolate chip with butterscotch ice cream. Dos Chinos If you’re looking for variety, Dos Chinos is your stop. This Latin-Asian food truck has laid down roots – and it’s not holding back. Extensive menu offers fusion tacos, bowls and burritos. Must try: Shrimp bowl. Recess Libations This counter-service bar from Quinn offers a selection of tap beers, wine and cocktails. The $8 cocktails, such as the Negroni, are made fresh daily. Craft beer options include Noble Ale Works, Lagunitas, Fire-stone Walker and Ballast Point for $6. Wine is $8. Drinks, served in clear plastic cups, can be taken anywhere within the 300-seat dining hall. Tip: You can buy regional craft beer and wines for takeout or to drink within the food hall. But we’re told you must have your beer opened or wine uncorked at Recess Libations. If there’s a line, go to the end of the bar near the water station and ask for help. Honor Roll Quinn’s schoolyard theme continues here. Honor Roll showcases a pantry of best-in-class ingredients and foods from local purveyors including private label Honor Roll spices, honey-based products by Backyard Bees, chips and salsas by Lucky Habanero, Infinity Hot Sauce and Nuvo Olive Oil. Electric City Butcher This European-style butcher shop by Michael Puglisi carries chicken, duck, rabbit, pork and beef. Inside Honor Roll, Electric City butchers are on-site, working in front of customers. Nearly 30 options are available – from ribeye to ground lamb and house-made chorizo. What: An assembly of indie eateries under one roof. It is also home to incubator kitchens for start-up food projects. Type of food: Mostly gourmet, portable food truck-inspired dishes – tacos, bowls, burgers, fries, sandwiches. Few vegan or vegetarian options. Prices: $8-$10 for most main dishes. When to go: Least crowded period is 2-6 p.m. Parking: Metered spots take credit cards, or use the parking structure off Spurgeon between Fourth and Fifth streets. Address: 201 E. Fourth St. Hours: 7 a.m.- 10 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays, 7 a.m.-11 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays

Staff writer Vivian Chow contributed to this report.

Contact the writer: nluna@ocregister.com