Founded in 1924, the diner famed for staying open 24/7 and serving generous portions began humbly with five employees and a hot plate but grew to a downtown destination serving visiting luminaries like civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. and countless Angelenos through the century. In March 2025, it closed abruptly following pandemic-spurred hardships and a labor dispute.
But like another historic downtown restaurant, Cole’s, the Original Pantry is coming back.
Stephanie Breijo is a reporter for the Food section and the author of its news column on openings, events and other happenings. Previously, she served as the restaurants and bars editor for Time Out Los Angeles, and prior to that, the award-winning food editor of Richmond magazine in Richmond, Va. Born and primarily raised in Los Angeles, she believes L.A. to be the finest food city in the country and might be biased on that count but doesn’t believe she’s wrong.
Lara Hochuli is the senior editor on the Los Angeles Times’ Editorial Video team. In a 15-year career, Hochuli has helped bring more than one newsroom into the modern age, including a decade at the San Diego Union-Tribune and a previous stint at The Times with “LA Times Today.” Her work has been recognized with a number of acknowledgments from the Society of Professional Journalists, a handful of San Diego Press Club accolades, and four Emmy Awards.
