Cole’s, one of the oldest continuously operated restaurants in Los Angeles, will now close on March 29, 2026. The 117-year-old restaurant initially slated its closure for August 2025, but extended its run due to overwhelming local support. Hospitality group Pouring With Heart, owned in part by Cedd Moses (Seven Grand, Las Perlas) and Mark Verge, will cease running Cole’s to allow for a slate of new buyers vying to acquire the business. “Los Angeles saved us, and now we’re going to give it a great send-off,” Verge told Eater over the phone. “We have three interested groups who will keep it as a Cole’s. This is an LA icon that’s not going away.”
In July 2025, Cole’s announced it would close permanently in August, with Moses citing the ongoing effects of the pandemic, labor strikes, rising costs, and increased city bureaucracy as reasons for the closure. After a massive response from diners who wanted to get their last taste of Cole’s, the restaurant remained open through the fall and early winter, continuing to operate in order to accommodate prospective buyers. Now, Moses and Verge have decided to finally end their tenure with the iconic restaurant; the group has put a minimum price tag of $500,000 on the business, which also includes the former Varnish cocktail space that closed in 2024.
Through the next few weeks, Verge and Moses promise various chef collaborations, including one with Father’s Office chef Sang Yoon, as well as fundraising events for victims of the Eaton and Palisades fires. Verge said he imagines the new buyer would likely want to lightly refresh the space but doesn’t expect it to see a significant change.