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It is one of Los Angeles’ oldest restaurants, one of the two discussed founders of French dip, and is the birthplace of the cornerstones of the city’s modern cocktail scene. But next month, Cole will close the door forever.
Downtown LA Restaurant, the main stay on Sixth Avenue since 1908, will cease operation on August 3, 2025.
The news surfaced over the weekend – first discovered by DTLA Weekly – Eater has since spoken with owner Cedd Moses, who confirmed the plans and cited the prolonged impact of the pandemic. “We cherished our time serving our downtown community and will continue to make great drinks and our famous French dip sandwiches until we shutter,” Moses said in a statement shared with the publication.
If you’ve ever sat in one of Cole’s shiny red booths on garlic fries and old-fashioned late-night plates, you’re probably going to have a sense of history here, from its famous French dip to its frequent appearances in films and television (probably the most beautifully shot man). (Please forgive the smartphone quality from 10 years ago as you can see in my photos below from my visit in 2014).
Photo: Michael Giuliano in timeout
In 1908, Coles began service as a sandwich shop and bar on the first floor of the Pacific Electric Building, and later as a terminal for LA’s large streetcar system. The red car eventually disappeared, but the call continued, and as he entered the service of the second century he found a new place in the LA cooking scene. The Moses ownership group poured hearts in (213 Hospitality at the time) and announced its renovation in 2008. A year later, Varnish began offering some of the city’s best cocktails in the back room. This is the early entrance to LA’s contemporary speaking-easy style bar (closed last year).
Photo: Courtesy 213 Hospitality
But the greatest claim to fame may just be exposed, as is the inventor of French dip. As the story progressed, French dips were born in 1908 as chef Jacques Garlinghouse dipped hand-carved sandwiches into meat juice to soften French bread. However, Philip the Original, Chinatown, which opened in 1908, also claims to have a French dip that was accidentally dropped on a roast bread 10 years later. Which is the actual originator? We probably never know, as there is no difficult evidence in either camp.
As for the future of Cole’s space, it is a designated Los Angeles historic and cultural monument, so any major changes or threats of destruction must be approved by the city committee.
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