The return of Cole’s French Dip

Cole’s French Dip, the iconic downtown Los Angeles restaurant that closed its doors in March, is set to return. New owners Sean Maloney and Jeremy Fall are looking to open by Thanksgiving.

The new owners were recent guests on LAist 89.3’s AirTalk, where they discussed their vision for the space. They said they're planning an updated menu, with a new pastrami French dip using thin-sliced pastrami from Langer’s Deli and a custom loaf from Clark Street Bread.

Maloney, who comes from Nancy Silverton’s Mozza group, joked that Fall had talked him into it — but that if no one else had saved Cole’s, it would have been him.

Behind the bar at Cole’s before it closed in March.

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Courtesy Pouring With Heart

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Fall grew up two blocks from Cole’s, where his family ran a restaurant, and said he wants to draw diners from all over L.A. to give people more reasons to come downtown.

Many former staff members are returning, Maloney said. He wants to create a “Cheers”-style space that’s also financially sustainable.

Both remain committed to preserving the building’s historic elements, which they're restoring within its landmark protections. They're also adding more seating, including banquettes. The bar will stay the same, but the overall feel will shift toward a sit-down restaurant.

Storied history

Cole’s is one of L.A.’s oldest restaurants, dating back to 1908, when it began as Cole’s P.E. Buffet, serving Pacific Electric streetcar commuters. Its main claim to fame is having invented the French dip sandwich, a title it has long disputed with Philippe’s the Original in Chinatown.

In 2007, Cedd Moses of 213 Hospitality, now known as Pouring With Heart, restored the interior with a reported $1.6 million. The restoration earned a Los Angeles Conservancy Preservation Award in 2009.

The move also helped spark downtown’s cocktail and nightlife revival, along with the Varnish, Cole’s hidden speakeasy.

In July 2025, however, Moses announced Cole’s would close, citing the pandemic's ongoing effects, the Hollywood strikes, crime, rising rents and operating costs. As fans continued to line up for a final visit, Moses pushed the closing date back several times until it finally shut its doors in March.