While restaurants may come and go in the tough food business, there are some Los Angeles eateries that have defied the odds and stayed open for a century or more.
Many of these places have rightfully become local icons often with generations of loyal customers dining at their tables. These long-running restaurants can range from fancy steakhouses to classic diners to sandwich spots to places serving international cuisines. But they are all Los Angeles culinary legends.
Here are 10 of the county’s oldest restaurants, some of which have been serving hungry locals for more than a century.
The Original Saugus Cafe
25861 Railroad Ave, Santa Clarita; 661-259-7886 or on Instagram @thesauguscafe
Founded: 1886
This is the granddaddy of old restaurants, since it was established way back in 1886, so yes, this roadside diner is Los Angeles County’s oldest restaurant. It has even served presidents like Theodore Roosevelt, who reportedly had a steak there in 1903. Today it still has that old diner feel with bar seating, green booths and a menu that includes hefty breakfast and steak dishes.
Big Dean’s Ocean Front Cafe
615 Ocean Front Walk, Santa Monica; 310-393-2666 or bigdeansoceanfrontcafe.com
Founded: 1902
Located at the foot of the Santa Monica Pier, this beachside bar and restaurant first opened as Laring’s Lunch Room and predated the pier by seven years. In its long history it’s been a biker bar, a hangout for bodybuilders and lifeguards and today is still a popular fun spot with a beach/sports bar vibe and hefty servings of comfort food.
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Cole’s French Dip
118 E. 6th St, Los Angeles, colesfrenchdip.com
Founded: 1908
This is one of two old L.A. restaurants that claim to have invented the French Dip sandwich. The other is Philippe. Regardless of who invented the famous dish, Cole’s is deeply dipped into the cultural fabric of the city and was even declared a City of Los Angeles Historical Landmark. Thanks…
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