“We never close” is emblazoned on the Original Pantry Cafe’s iconic mug.
Well, the 100-year-old downtown institution was shuttered last March. The reliable crew, who served comfort food while clad in starched shirts and bow ties, 24 hours a day, left the building. Their departure created a gaping void for reliable, fairly-priced fare, which was open round the clock.
The closing cut deep impacting folks ranging from regulars to nostalgic former customers. However, the grills will be turned on again thanks to Hancock Park real estate investor Leo Pustilnikov, who bought the property in September. Pustilnikov announced an agreement with the labor union representing the staff that the bistro, which is as legendary as Pink’s Hot Dogs, Phillipe the Original and Langer’s Delicatessen Restaurant, will reopen in April of 2026.
Ruksana Hussain, author of the local culinary book “Around the World in Los Angeles,” is pleased the Cafe is coming back.
“It’s wonderful to see a community landmark that’s been around for a century persevere through adversity and continue to flourish today during what has been a difficult time for many businesses to even keep their doors open give the competitive market in the city,” Hussain said while calling from India. “It’s iconic, historic and I hope it continues to see many more decades in business.. For many folks, over the decades, this venue has been a gathering spot, for generations of families and friends. It’s the anchor that establishes relationships over a shared meal. People remember those moments with fondness.”
That’s so for Los Angeles’ Kenny Marks, 67, who reminisced about how the Original Pantry Cafe made an indelible mark on him while growing up during the ’60s and ’70s. “I started going to the Pantry when I was eight years old,” Marks said. “I didn’t go very often but it was very special. When I got my driver’s license when I was 16 in 1975, I was a regular there. Just like on ‘Cheers,’ everybody knew my name.”
During the ’90s John Bolton would frequent the Original Pantry Cafe after finishing his shift at Tower Records. “I worked at Tower from 1994-1997 and almost every night we would go there,” Bolton said. “We would say, ‘Are you ready to go to the set-up?’ “We called it that since they knew how to set it up. They would bring out macaroni and cheese and warm bread. It was such a nice experience after work. It was a very ’90s kind of thing for us.”
Bolton, 56, who lives in West Hollywood, rarely visited the Original Pantry Cafe since the turn of the century, but is happy the joint at Ninth and Figueroa is reopening. “I was really bummed when I learned that it was closing last year,” Bolton said. “But I’m pleased that it’ll be back. I haven’t gone there in some time but it was comforting to know that it was around. We really loved going there back then.”
That’s evident since it’s not a quick and easy drive from the Sunset Strip to Downtown Los Angeles. “It was a hassle getting there but it was worth it,” Bolton said. “We had to drive there and find parking. It wasn’t easy but we did it. We all loved the macaroni and cheese. It was creamy and it was baked so the top was crunchy. They knew what they were doing. I look forward to the Original Pantry Cafe coming back.”
Original Pantry Café has a nostalgic feel from the moment you step through its doors.
(Original Pantry Café/Submitted)
It’s uncertain if the Original Pantry Cafe will operate 24 hours but what is known is a deal was struck after Richard J. Riordan Trust, the restaurant’s former owner, abruptly closed the cafe. The Original Pantry Cafe went dark after employees insisted that any new ownership must protect their jobs and honor their union. Thanks to an outcry, which featured protests, pancake fundraisers and public pressure, workers and allies continued to battle.
“The Original Pantry Cafe coming back is not just a union victory but it’s also a Los Angeles victory,” Unite Here Local 11 Co-President Kurt Petersen said. “All of the workers have been offered their jobs back and most intend to return. You’ll see many of the same servers, hosts and those bussing back at the Original Pantry Cafe. They are the ones that have made the restaurant so iconic. This is a ray of hope for not just all of downtown but for all Angelenos. The Pantry will be part of the Downtown renaissance. God knows we need it.”
So, it ultimately worked out for everyone. They can have their cake and eat it too at the Original Pantry Cafe.
Folks from all walks of life, ranging from such icons as Marilyn Monroe and Humphrey Bogart to average Joes can once again congregate at the Original Pantry Cafe during the spring.
“Having such longstanding restaurants is a sign of not just business success but also community support,” Hussain said. “It’s part of the cultural fabric of the city.”