| Giant Artichoke | |
| Artist: | Ray Bei |
| Year: | 1963 |
| Medium: | Concrete and rebar |
| Subject: | Artichoke |
| Dimensions: | tall wide |
| Coordinates: | 36.7624°N -121.753°W |
Giant Artichoke, also known as the World's Largest Artichoke, is a large sculpture of an artichoke in Castroville, California, commonly referred to as the "Artichoke Capital of the World". It is located adjacent to the New American cuisine-serving restaurant of the same name. It is made from concrete and rebar.[1] [2]
Ray Bei, the owner of a roadside restaurant and vegetable stand, built the sculpture in 1963.[1] [2] [3] He was the son of a local artichoke farmer and found a way to convert the crop into a tourist attraction. Bei's fruit stand still stands next to his restaurant as of 2015.[4]
The restaurant next to the sculpture, also called the Giant Artichoke, serves a variety of artichoke-themed dishes, including deep-fried artichoke, steamed artichoke, roasted artichoke, artichoke pizza, artichoke dip, artichoke bread, artichoke cupcakes, and artichoke nachos.[2] [3]