Cole’s French Dip, the historic downtown LA eatery, is closing after 117 years

The historic Cole’s French Dip in downtown Los Angeles is closing its doors on Aug. 3, citing a “litany of reasons” that couldn’t be overcome, the owner confirmed Monday.

“After exhaustive deliberation and numerous attempts at last-ditch efforts, our beloved Los Angeles institution, Cole’s, Originators of the French Dip, has made the difficult decision to close its doors,” owner Cedd Moses said in a statement. “The litany of reasons for closing is not unique to Cole's alone; they are affecting most independent restaurants in Los Angeles.”

He pointed to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Hollywood actors' and writers' strikes, crime, rising labor and goods costs, high rents and mounting bureaucracy as contributing factors.

The social media account DTLA Insider first reported the news over the weekend after receiving a tip from the DTLA Weekly.

Cole’s history

Originally known as Cole's P.E. Buffet, it served as a public house on the Pacific Railway system, beginning operations in 1908 and making it L.A.’s oldest continuously running restaurant and bar, as well as a significant landmark in downtown’s historic district.

It was during that time that the establishment began selling French dip sandwiches. Cole’s has laid claim to being the inventor of the sandwich, a claim that has remained a subject of fierce debate among Angelenos in light of another nearby restaurant, Philippe the Original.

In 1974, Cole's was designated a Historical Landmark by the city of Los Angeles and a state Point of Historical Interest.

Cole’s on a hazy afternoon, before the downtown L.A. resurgence of the early 2000s.

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In 2007, Cedd Moses, of 213 Hospitality (now known as Pouring With Heart), revitalized the property, investing a reported $1.6 million to improve and restore the interior. Two years later, it was a recipient of the Los Angeles Conservancy's coveted Preservation Award, recognizing outstanding achievement in the field of historic preservation.

The move signified larger changes as part of a broader urban renewal effort in downtown L.A.’s core, along with other properties that Moses and his group oversaw, such as the Golden Gopher, Broadway Bar (which closed earlier this year) and Seven Grand.

Cole’s brought a new era of cocktail culture to Los Angeles, along with its since-closed hidden speakeasy, the Varnish, which helped usher in a new era of nightlife downtown.

Grab a stiff drink and some pickled eggs to enjoy with your French dip -- the next few weeks will be your final chance.

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Courtesy Pouring With Heart

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At Cole’s, where the red leather banquets are dusted with decades of French dip crumbs and downtown memories.

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Courtesy Pouring With Heart

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Downtown in flux

Local preservationists Kim Cooper and Richard Schave of Estouric tours told LAist it was “supposed to be the start of something.”

“But downtown got frozen in place; I can only imagine how hard it is to run a place like Cole’s with such a large staff, a big space, and a lot of rent to pay,” Cooper said. “It's like a coral reef. If you take one part away, it won't thrive. And for Cole’s to continue, I think Cole’s has to change.”

Moses says they're trying to sell the business. “ On the website we have a link and on our social media we have a link to a broker that's representing us," he said.

"We do have people that are interested, but we're screening for people that want to respect the history of Cole's and keep it intact.”

Given the building's historic status, there will undoubtedly be a large amount of red tape involved. According to Cooper, any developer who purchases the building would be required to preserve and honor the character-defining features that the city recognizes as being of historic merit.

Moses says he's particularly sad for his employees.

" I love our staff.  I know they've worked really hard to make Cole’s successful, so I'm eternally grateful for them and for our guests that have frequented Cole’s over the years,” he said.

“ So thank you to the city of Los Angeles for your patronage.”