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Los Angeles Times
29-05-2025
- General
- Los Angeles Times
Our favorite L.A. restaurants: Gone, but not forgotten
In their soul, everyone has a historic restaurant they miss dearly in Los Angeles. Some fell victim to the mounting challenges that restaurants face in L.A.: gentrification, rising retail rental costs, and a prolonged financial fallout following pandemic closures, Hollywood industry strikes and the devastating January wildfires. Despite their untimely end, the city's most iconic restaurants have not faded from our collective memory. In the following list, Food writers reflect on some of L.A.'s bygone restaurants and what they meant to us. Whether it was the food, atmosphere or reliably warm service, these are the places that can never be replicated, and that we'd reopen if we could. Just recently, we've lost stalwarts including the century-old Original Pantry Cafe in downtown L.A. and Papa Cristo's, a bustling Greek market and restaurant in Pico-Union for 77 years. Which restaurants would you reopen if you could? Scroll down to the response form at the bottom to share your memories of our city's hallowed haunts. — Danielle Dorsey The final demise of Pacific Dining Car — the iconic steakhouse inside of a railway car on 6th Street — was a heartbreaker for Los Angeles. How many times did I slide into one of its green upholstered booths at a white-cloth table at any hour of the day or night (since it was open round the clock)? We ordered baseball steaks on Fridays to kick off the weekend, gathered for brunch to celebrate graduations, and ended up there for middle-of-the-night burgers or chocolate soufflés after shows or my sister's late shift as a waitress downtown, or when we'd exhausted all other options at 2 a.m. We were unruly but were always welcomed by the veteran waiters and received the same polished, patient service every time. The Pacific Dining Car, as well as its satellite site in Santa Monica, never reopened after the 2020 pandemic shutdowns. Two fires since 2024 finally led to the Westlake original's demolition in March. — Betty Hallock Shortly after moving to L.A. in the 2000s, I was running around with a group that included a bank teller, a stylist, a Diesel jeans person and two hairdressers, where the only thing that unified us was deep house and party clothes. One weekend morning that began with red wine before breakfast found us tumbling westward with no destination from Echo Park, till someone told us to meet them at the Overland Cafe in Palms. By the time we got there, the room was popping with ebullient singles energy, transmitted upon plates of eggs benedict, pancakes and so, so many mimosas. It was a riotous morning. We charmed the server to the point that she doubled up the Champagne, several times, and if memory serves, she actually agreed to hang out with us after her shift. And did! Palms wasn't 'cool' at the time, but the Overland Cafe was; there for the good old times, or an awkward first business meeting, reliable. In 2023, the Overland Cafe closed after 50 years in operation. How many sloppy mimosa brunches did you have there? Teardrop. — Daniel Hernandez Before I moved to L.A., friends and I would drive up from Riverside on weekends to attend concerts at the Knitting Factory and House of Blues, only to end up at Roscoe's on West Pico Boulevard afterward. The parking lot doubled as an after-party, with groups crowded on the hoods of cars that vibrated with the bass of hip-hop tracks as they waited for their parties to be sat. There was nothing better than rehashing the night over the Carol C. Special (one chicken breast and one waffle) paired with Lisa's Delight, a pucker-sweet iced tea lemonade, before we braved the freeway back home. The legendary location closed in 2023 after 32 years, making way for a larger outpost at the corner of Washington and La Brea. An honorable mention goes to the Pasadena location of Roscoe's that my family frequented after Sunday church and dance recitals when I was growing up. It closed last year. — D.D. When Yujean Kang's opened in 1991, it helped transform sleepy Pasadena into a culinary destination, introducing diners to Kang's distinctly haute takes on regional Chinese cuisines. I still dream of his miniature pork wontons swimming in an addictively tangy chile and vinegar sauce; the crispy beef in a sweet and spicy glaze and the tea-smoked duck, nestled into delicate crepes with perfect plum sauce. — Jenn Harris No Jewish-deli closure rocked the city so hard as Greenblatt's, which shuttered with little warning in 2021 after 95 years of pastrami and smoked-fish salads. Los Angeles has lost so many over the years, namely stalwart chain Jerry's Famous Deli (a childhood favorite of mine due to its stacked sandwiches) and Fairfax's Diamond Bakery. A two-story West Hollywood behemoth bedecked in stained glass, brass and dark wood, Greenblatt's doubled as a bottle shop but more importantly served as a gathering place for so many generations of Angelenos. It counted Marilyn Monroe, Marlon Brando and Janis Joplin as customers. It's where one of my best friends asked me to be her bridesmaid over a shared pastrami on rye and bowl of matzo ball soup. I sped over to the Sunset Strip on its last night of service to survey the scene and chat with its decades of fans who'd dropped by for a farewell bite — the gravity of the closure seemed to weigh on everyone there. We knew what we were losing, and it still stings. — Stephanie Breijo My first solo apartment as a student attending UCLA was in an alley behind Masayuki Ishikawa's unconventional French-Japanese restaurant Sawtelle Kitchen. I got to know Ishikawa (he parked his car in the spot next to mine) well enough that I could walk downstairs to Sawtelle Kitchen's back door and order coffee jelly (despite the fact that there was no takeout) and return the empty parfait glass after I'd finished the dessert. But I also loved eating inside the tiny, wooden house of a restaurant and ordering my favorite pasta: spaghetti with butter, shiso and ume, or pickled plum. I ate it so many times that I can still make a fairly close approximation. — B.H. It's true, the food wasn't exactly exceptional. But, open between 1989 and 2023 in a century-old bungalow off Vine Street in Hollywood, Off Vine for many occupied that ideal station: a California 'comfort' restaurant that gave you a fuzzy feeling for simply existing. By the time word of its permanent closure got around two years ago, old-timey locals of every stripe poured out their goodbyes. One of these was Associated Press reporter Linda Deutsch, the undeniable legend of ace courtroom journalism. Well into retirement but still somehow always reporting, Deutsch (whose star rose covering the O.J. Simpson trial) approached our desk with the news tip and offered to write the Off Vine obituary herself. She penned a stirring, diligently reported opus to the place, her veritable second home. 'It's not just a restaurant,' the last co-owner, Richard Falzone, told her. 'It's a home where there's love, good food and good cheer.' Deutsch worked hard on the piece, hustling as if she were a cub reporter all over again, the sign of a real one. And it would be her last byline. Deutsch died a year later at 80. — D.H. Many of the Silver Lake and Echo Park standbys that I'd cycle between in my early 20s have closed. Spaceland, Silver Lake Coffee, Pizza Buona. Brite Spot was a diner friends and I would land at after bouncing between Gold Room, Short Stop and the Echo, or because everything else was closed and we sought a florescent-lighted, vinyl-upholstered haven for pre-dawn yapping. The food was always mediocre, but the atmosphere, people-watching and round-the-clock hours made it a retro-hued oasis for neighborhood night owls. — D.D. My first introduction to Thai food was in the Pasadena dining room of Taste of Bangkok restaurant in the early 1990s. My family feasted on Sue and Phil Balderama's stir-fried noodles, curries and mango with sticky rice weekly. After more than two decades in business, the restaurant was forced to close to make room for a hotel restoration project. I'll always remember Sue's food, and how she made us feel like family. — J.H. For a few brief years one of the world's most famous film directors answered the question, 'What if you could eat submarine sandwiches inside of a submarine?' From 1994 to 1999, a bright yellow faux sub protruded from a corner of the Century City Mall (now the Westfield), where every 45 minutes a simulated 'dive' would occur — blaring sirens, flashing lights and bubbling porthole windows included. To a child of around 8 or 9 years, Dive! — from entertainment impresarios Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg and Steve Wynn — was a wonderland. This wasn't just lunch, it was adventure. Kitsch. Insanity even in an era of Planet Hollywood and the Rainforest Cafe. I have never forgotten Dive! In fact, for Halloween in 2023, I dressed as Spielberg promoting the restaurant, sourcing vintage Dive! merch off EBay. I can't remember much of the food there, but I'll never forget the experience of sitting inside this singular, aquatic-themed, 11,000-square-foot extremely '90s restaurant with my dad, red lights blasting around us. — S.B.
Los Angeles Times
05-03-2025
- General
- Los Angeles Times
Readers share memories of the Original Pantry Cafe, gone after 101 years
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
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Letters to the Editor: The employees were as good as the pancakes at Original Pantry Cafe
Even after a century, the closing of the Original Pantry Cafe comes too soon ("The Original Pantry Cafe closes after over 100 years," March 3). When the iconic downtown establishment closed its doors Sunday, a part of Los Angeles history was lost. I stand in solidarity with the staff and their union for fighting for stability and job security. Such a shame that an agreement couldn't be reached, but again, we see that profit triumphed over people. The dedicated and hardworking staff and servers, many of whom worked there for decades, made the restaurant what it was. For my family, the Original Pantry was a staple. My dad had been a patron for over 50 years, and he made me a regular for the past 20. Like countless Angelenos and tourists, I'll miss the Pantry's pancakes, portions and, most of all, the people. Tyler Renner, San Diego This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
05-03-2025
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
Letters to the Editor: The employees were as good as the pancakes at Original Pantry Cafe
Even after a century, the closing of the Original Pantry Cafe comes too soon ('The Original Pantry Cafe closes after over 100 years,' March 3). When the iconic downtown establishment closed its doors Sunday, a part of Los Angeles history was lost. I stand in solidarity with the staff and their union for fighting for stability and job security. Such a shame that an agreement couldn't be reached, but again, we see that profit triumphed over people. The dedicated and hardworking staff and servers, many of whom worked there for decades, made the restaurant what it was. For my family, the Original Pantry was a staple. My dad had been a patron for over 50 years, and he made me a regular for the past 20. Like countless Angelenos and tourists, I'll miss the Pantry's pancakes, portions and, most of all, the people. Tyler Renner, San Diego
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
After 101 years, the doors close on L.A.'s Original Pantry Cafe
Downtown Los Angeles on Sunday lost another iconic eatery with the closure of the Original Pantry Cafe, which had been serving up hot coffee, burgers and breakfast platters since 1924. News of the planned closure drew brisk business as patrons sought a farewell meal at the diner on the corner of 9th and South Figueroa streets. The shuttering itself was bitter. Once doors were closed, the diner's remaining 25 workers gathered inside, received manila envelopes containing their final checks and, with support from their labor union, refused to leave. "It's still open from their perspective," said Kurt Petersen, co-president of the Unite Here Local 11 labor union that Petersen said had represented workers at the diner for decades. "They told management they want them to change their mind." The restaurant built its Los Angeles legacy not on elegant fare (it had a mediocre 3.7 rating on Yelp) but on its 24-hour service, making it a haven for night owls and early risers. The diner had survived past threats. It dodged a freeway project in the 1950s, moving its location to make way for an off-ramp. Former Mayor Richard Riordan took over the restaurant in 1981 as part of a larger land deal. 'When I fell in love with the Pantry, I was at breakfast, drinking coffee, and I had a book I was reading,' Riordan was quoted as saying in The Times. 'I was very relaxed and the waiter came over and said, 'If you want to read, the library's at 5th and Hope.' I fell in love with it right then.' But the isolation policies of the COVID-19 pandemic delivered a heavy blow, forcing the diner to limit its hours. Despite $1.7 million in federal loans (all but $500,000 of it forgiven) to preserve 82 jobs at the restaurant, workers said only about two dozen employees remained by Sunday's closure. Los Angeles court records show a proposed class-action lawsuit was filed in April 2023 on behalf of Pantry workers alleging unpaid wages for overtime, rest and meal breaks. Two weeks later, Riordan died. The wage case remained in settlement talks as recently as February, filings show. Ownership of the diner transferred to Riordan's trust, which said it sought to sell the asset to support its philanthropic endeavors. The union attempted to negotiate terms that would require any new owner to honor the existing contract. That didn't happen, and the labor union filed a grievance with the National Labor Relations Board. Read more: The Original Pantry Cafe owner threatens to close historic diner over union contract dispute Attorney Carl McKinzie, chief executive officer of the trust's company that operates the Pantry, declined comment on Sunday. He referred a reporter to a lengthy prepared statement given to media earlier in the week saying sales talks have been ongoing since last summer. After the diner's doors closed Sunday, a representative of the trust arrived and attempted to distribute envelopes containing final paychecks. When workers would not step up to take them, she set them on a table. "They left the envelope on the table and left out the back," said a table server who gave only his first name, Alex. He said he had been employed at the diner 24 years. "No thank you. She don't say nothing." When workers attempted to stay behind, management called L.A. police, and officers eventually arrived to tell employees they faced trespass charges if they remained. The Pantry's workers left without incident, but Petersen from the union remained and was issued a citation, a union representative said. Alex was not certain what might happen next week, other than that the union would have people out front with placards and signs. Union officials said they did not know if there was already a new owner in the wings. The Pantry's online ordering service remained operational Sunday. A Times reporter was able to put in a takeout order for French toast first thing Wednesday. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
