Cole's French Dip postpones closure amid outpouring of support

Cole's French Dip postpones closure

The beloved DTLA restaurant, which opened in 1908, will be open until mid-September.

LOS ANGELES - Iconic downtown Los Angeles restaurant Cole's French Dip is reportedly staying open a little longer.

What we know:

Owner Cedd Moses confirmed the good news to Eater that it's all thanks to the outpouring of support in the last month from patrons who lined up for hours to get the popular French dip sandwich. 

The 117-year-old restaurant, which opened in 1908 and is credited with creating the popular French dip, will remain open for another 45 days, until mid-September, Eater reports.

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Local advocacy groups such as the DTLA Residents Association and the Independent Hospitality Coalition also acted on behalf of Cole's to help extend its final closing date. 

The backstory:

Standing as the city's oldest-operating restaurant and bar, Cole's originally announced on July 7 it would permanently shut its doors on August 3. 

Since then, long lines have formed outside the restaurant every night, some even showing up hours before its usual afternoon opening time.

In a post, the restaurant said there were many contributing factors to their closure: the COVID-19 pandemic, the actors and writers' strikes, crime, rising cost of labor and goods, and high rent. They said their situation is not unique and added that several local restaurants are facing the same struggles. 

"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 on August 3rd. The litany of reasons for closing are not unique to Cole's alone; they are affecting most independent restaurants in Los Angeles. Many Historical Independent Restaurants are struggling under the weight of these issues and have already closed, while those remaining are fighting to survive," a part of their statement read. 

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In addition to being known as the inventor of the French dip sandwich, Cole's said their cocktail programs influenced bars and restaurants throughout the city. The bar previously hidden in the back of Cole's, The Varnish, shut down last year.

"We have cherished our time serving the Downtown community, and will continue to craft great drinks and our renowned French dip sandwiches until we shutter. We care deeply about our family of staff and are immensely grateful for our amazing guests who have supported Cole's over the years. We invite you to come in to see us this month before our departure, to laugh, to cry, to raise glasses, to eat, and to say your goodbyes right alongside us," their statement said. 

In 2009, Cole's was awarded for outstanding achievement in the field of historic preservation by the Los Angeles Conservancy's coveted Preservation Award.

What you can do:

To get a taste of Cole's before they permanently close, you can visit the restaurant at 118 E. 6th Street nightly starting at 2 p.m. They also serve Happy Hour Sunday through Thursday from 10 p.m. to close.