New owners bring Cole's French Dip back for the holidays

Sean Maloney and Jeremy Fall are preparing to reopen Cole’s French Dip before the Thanksgiving holiday. The new ownership team is targeting a launch date in late November, aiming to restore the historic downtown Los Angeles restaurant to service after its closure earlier this year.

The pair discussed their plans on LAist 89.3’s AirTalk. They announced an updated menu that features a new pastrami French dip. This sandwich will use thin-sliced pastrami from Langer’s Deli and a custom loaf from Clark Street Bread. Maloney, who worked with Nancy Silverton’s Mozza group, noted that Fall persuaded him to take on the project. He added that he would have saved the restaurant if no one else had stepped in.

Fall grew up two blocks from the establishment, where his family operated a different restaurant. He stated that the goal is to attract diners from across Los Angeles to provide more reasons for visitors to come downtown. Maloney said many former staff members are returning to work. He wants the space to function like a Cheers-style gathering spot while remaining financially viable.

The owners are restoring the building’s historic elements within its landmark protections. They are adding more seating options, including banquettes. The bar will remain unchanged, but the overall atmosphere will shift toward a sit-down dining experience rather than a nightlife venue.

Cole’s has operated since 1908, originally serving Pacific Electric streetcar commuters as Cole’s P.E. Buffet. The restaurant claims to have invented the French dip sandwich, a title it has long contested with Philippe’s the Original in Chinatown. In 2007, Cedd Moses of 213 Hospitality, now known as Pouring With Heart, spent a reported $1.6 million restoring the interior. That project earned a Los Angeles Conservancy Preservation Award in 2009.

The 2007 renovation also contributed to the revival of downtown cocktail culture, particularly through the Varnish, a hidden speakeasy located within the building. In July 2025, Moses announced the closure, citing the pandemic's lingering effects, the Hollywood strikes, crime, rising rents, and high operating costs. Fans lined up for final visits as Moses delayed the closing date multiple times before the doors shut in March.