| Cole's Pacific Electric Buffet | |
|---|---|
 Sign above the restaurant | |
 Interactive map of Cole's Pacific Electric Buffet | |
| Restaurant information | |
| Established | 1908 |
| Dress code | Casual |
| Location | 118 East 6th Street,Los Angeles,Los Angeles,California, 90014, United States |
| Coordinates | 34°02′41″N118°14′58″W / 34.04478°N 118.24943°W /34.04478; -118.24943 |
| Website | www |
Cole's Pacific Electric Buffet, also known asCole's P.E. Buffet, is arestaurant andbar located at 118 East6th Street in theHistoric Core of downtownLos Angeles, California. It is the oldest restaurant in Los Angeles that has operated at same location since its founding.
Cole's was founded in 1908 by Henry Cole on the ground floor of thePacific Electric Building, which served as the main terminal for thePacific Electric Railway. Cole's table tops were made from the varnished doors of retired Red Cars of thePacific Electric Railway.[citation needed]
Cole's claims that theFrench dip sandwich was invented at Cole's the year it opened. NearbyPhilippe's makes the same claim. Some[who?] have suggested that Philippe's is correct, as the sandwich was named "French" dip because of the restaurant's proprietor's French heritage.[1] According to carvers at Cole's, Henry Cole first dipped the French bread injus at the request of a customer who had recently had dental work. The bread was too hard and it hurt the customer's teeth, so Henry dipped the bread to soften it. Other customers requested Cole do the same for them - and thus the French dip was born.[2]
Cole's was designated aLos Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument in 1989.[3]
The restaurant shut down for remodeling on March 15, 2007. The new owner was claimed the restaurant would reopen in time for its 100th anniversary in January 2008,[4] however, the project was delayed[5] and did not reopened until December 2008.[6] Cole's original tables were removed and reportedly moved to the developer's corporate headquarters aboveClifton's Cafeteria as part of this renovation.[citation needed]
The restaurant announced on July 7, 2025 that it would close on August 3, 2025, with no plans to reopen.[7] The closing date was later moved to September 2025,[8] then to November 1,[9] then again to December 31, 2025 due to an influx of customers following the July 7th announcement.[10]
Cole's resembles the bar fromWho Framed Roger Rabbit, complete with reference to “French dip” on menu.[citation needed]
