Readers share memories of the Original Pantry Cafe, gone after 101 years

Los Angeles Times

05-03-2025

A fixture in L.A.'s dining scene since 1924, the Original Pantry Cafe closed on Sunday after a union contract dispute between the owners and staff, many of whom had worked at the Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument for decades.
Fans came out in droves for the restaurant's last day of service, lining up at dawn and waiting hours to eat one last meal at the iconic diner known for its hearty breakfast plates, endless coffee refills and sourdough toast.
We asked L.A. Times readers to share their favorite memories of the restaurant. The responses include generations of patronage, celebrity sightings, staff who became like family and countless celebrations. Here's what they said:
'In 1993, just after my dad became mayor, we rode our bikes from the Westside, down Olympic, to have breakfast at the Pantry.' — Patricia Riordan Torrey
'My dad starting taking me to the Pantry in 1979, when I was a 2-year-old. As I grew up, we would go there once almost every weekend. We would stand alongside the wall for 45 minutes to an hour, watching people purchase newspapers and magazines from the newspaper stand. Once we made it inside we couldn't wait for the staff to hold up two fingers and we were able to get a seat. We'd always get the same thing — hamburger steak, potatoes and sourdough toast. My dad always had his coffee in the classic Pantry mug. It felt like home. I truly hope they find some way to bring the Pantry back because it truly is the heart of the city.' — Eric LaClair
'The ties I have to the Pantry are strong and generations old. My mom grew up going there with my grandpa. The mac and cheese was something she craved while pregnant with me.
'However, my favorite memory of that beloved diner is a recent one. It's actually a major detail in one of the best days of my life. On Oct. 25, 2024, my boyfriend and I took the first flight out of Austin, Texas, to LAX. Earlier that week, I had decided I wasn't going to miss a World Series for my favorite team in my hometown. Having landed around 10 a.m., it was perfect timing for breakfast. As is my preference, we sat at the counter. Two eggs scrambled, potatoes and toast (always sourdough). The same order, every time, since I was big enough for my own plate. It was the perfect meal to hold us over before we could eat one too many Dodger dogs.
'Later that day, Freddie Freeman hit a walk-off Grand Slam to win Game 1 of the World Series. It was a day that will feed my homesick soul for years to come.' — Amanda Flores
'They have the best coleslaw and toasted sourdough bread ever!' — Annette Perales
'I don't actually remember my first visit to the Pantry, because I was an infant. But I've been told that my mom took me there with my grandparents, and after seeing that Andy Garcia was dining there as well, she pretended I was being fussy so she would have an excuse to walk me around and pass his table.
'As a child, my dad took me there before afternoon Kings games down the block at Staples Center. The first time we drove. After that we started taking the train in.
'As a teenager, I went with my grandpa to fuel up before going record shopping at Amoeba. And ever since, anytime I've ever promised to show someone the L.A. that I love, I've always taken them to the Pantry at some point.
'The Pantry was one of the first things that made me fall in love with L.A. It made me feel like there was a place for me in the world. More specifically in this city. It was also the first place that made me fall in love with L.A. as a food city. Growing up in the suburbs, I mostly only knew chains. The Pantry had great food, but it also had character. It felt like a living piece of the city, and its closure very much feels like a death.
'I'm grateful that this past Friday I was able to go there with my parents to say goodbye. We waited two hours to be seated, but it was worth it. I'd happily wait two more.' — Alec Cole
'I happened to take a seat at the counter early one morning a few months ago, looked around, and my memory took me back to when I was in that same seat 40 years earlier during my final year as a student at USC, having the same large ham and eggs order for breakfast.' — Tom Hoffarth
'The large portions of food. Favorite meal of lamb chops, mashed potatoes with gravy and the large side of coleslaw. Large slices of sourdough bread.' — Michael Tokmakoff
'In 1992 I worked at an ad agency in the building next door. When I became pregnant with my first child, the morning sickness was severe, and the only thing I could keep down was the Pantry's egg salad sandwich. I had many an egg salad sandwich during my first trimester! I'll be forever grateful to the Pantry for getting me through that.' — Heather Hoffman
'For 20 years, every December I took my children to the wholesale flower mart on a Saturday at 6:00 a.m., where we oohed and aahed and bought an evergreen wreath and a bouquet for mommy. As it was getting light, we then went to the Original Pantry for a hearty, warm breakfast. We felt that, by waking up in the dark, driving downtown, and walking through the flower mart, we had earned our pancakes, eggs and — best of all — fried potatoes. The Pantry's diverse clientele, with people from all walks of life, was always an added bonus.' — John Caragozian
'My first visit to the Pantry was as an 18-year-old in 1972, having ridden the Greyhound from New England with a buddy and spending the night at the old La Figueroa hotel before thumbing back home. The last visit was as a corporate partner at a Boston law firm after staying up all night closing a securities offering for a major tech company. Both were great. I'll miss knowing it was still there, and bringing my daughter, who will be at UCLA Law this fall.' — David Walek
'Back in the early '70s, my grandfather used to take my two cousins and I fishing up in Malibu. We'd leave South Pasadena at 4 a.m. and drive to the Pantry for breakfast and then on up to Malibu for the day on a sport fishing boat. Of course those are all gone now as well. I'll always remember the Pantry. Damn shame it closed.' — Tom Montgomery
'My favorite memory is Gene. We would come downtown on Saturday mornings and sit at the counter with our backs to Figueroa Street circa 2008/2009. The main reason for our visit was Gene and his genuine kindness and hospitality. The food was pretty good, too. He had worked there for several decades, but once he passed we couldn't go back because it wasn't the same without him. You could say that he was maybe the closest thing we had to family in our early L.A. days. We are grateful to have been touched by him.' — Johannes Masserer
'Being an L.A. native and going to school at USC, I have many happy memories of the Pantry. But my favorite memory is taking a dear friend and her family there after her citizenship ceremony at the nearby L.A. Convention Center. My friend was born in El Salvador and she and her family lived in Orange County so they were unfamiliar with the Pantry. They loved it! It was a special day for all.' — Gloria M.
'Like many, my memories go back many years. I often would wait to get the end seat at the counter, right by the window. I had a recurring DJ gig every other Thursday at the Ham and Eggs Tavern over on 8th Street, and would leave there around 2 or 3 a.m., completely ravenous, and usually more than a little drunk. The Pantry was a beacon of light, open 24 hours (before COVID), and I'd go all out, ordering eggs, bacon, potatoes, pancakes and their sourdough toast. The friendly staff kept the coffee coming, and the food was delicious. Their potatoes were especially magical, and I'd often take home a side order to crack a couple of eggs on the next day.
'The servers were hard working, never kept you waiting and made you feel at home. It felt like you got to know them a bit, after being waited on so many times over years of patronage. Even if it was a while between visits, the waiters would recognize you the next time you'd come in, asking, 'Where have you been?' It's truly sad that an institution like this has come to an end.' — Colin Nasseri
'When I started dating my now husband we were both students and working. Time was tough to find for us to go out, so I suggested we hit up this 24-hour spot. He loved it and said it was the kind of place he pictured America would have everywhere when he moved here. Ten years later, one of my favorite pictures is one he took while peeking into the kitchens that night. When put in black and white, the place is really a time capsule.' — E. Soleena Lytle
'Many years ago during a meal, I asked our waiter what they do with the old coffee cups with the Original Pantry logo. He said that they throw them away. In an exaggerated voice, I said, 'You throw them away?' A couple of minutes later he returned with a vintage cup that I still have.' — Jose Suarez
'I always liked the ham omelette, there's no other restaurant that makes an omelette that way, also the coleslaw was incredible and unique.' – Greg Gonzales
'My favorite memories of the Pantry are intertwined with the mid-'90s into the early 2000s, a time when downtown Los Angeles was transforming.
'I lived near MacArthur Park and worked at a downtown stock brokerage as it transitioned into the internet age. I worked long hours and by 10:30 p.m. or so, I would stroll over to the Pantry, sit at the counter, read the news and enjoy breakfast amid the din. With Mayor Riordan in office, there was always a chance he'd stop by, triggering a minor spectacle. But those of us perched at the counter remained unfazed, content with our eggs, buttered sourdough, ham, sausages and pancakes. At some point, I stole a Pantry mug — it's still in my house today, almost 30 years later.
'After that job ended in the early 2000s, I sometimes found myself restless late at night, looking for a place to go and see others out and about. Nothing felt better than heading downtown at 4 a.m., finding a parking spot on Figueroa and walking to the corner diner where other nocturnal souls gathered — seeking light, sustenance and a fleeting sense of community.' — Adam Bray-Ali
'There was a waiter who'd serve my family quite often when I was a little kid in the '80s. He was quite smitten with my aunt who was single. They always had playful, flirty exchanges. It was always fun and something we all looked forward to when we'd go with my aunt. All the grown ups would tease her and encourage her to go out with the waiter, who my family affectionately called 'El Bigotes,' Spanish for mustache, as he had a healthy mustache.
'When I frequented the Pantry on my own as an adult, I always greeted the servers who remembered me and my family, and I was so happy to see Bigotes a couple more times. He has since retired. I hope he is well.
My aunt stayed single and she's in her late 80s now. We all still lament and tease her that she should have given El Bigotes a chance.' — Hector Alvarez