Philippe's

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Philippe's

Philippe's is a restaurant located in downtown Los Angeles, California. It is just adjacent to Chinatown. Continuously operating (although not at its original location) since 1908, it is famous for being one of the oldest restaurants in Los Angeles. It is also renowned for the claim that it is the home of the original French Dip sandwich, being invented by accident when Philippe Mathieu, the original owner of the restaurant, dropped a roll of French bread into au jus and the police officer it was served to having enjoyed it better than a normal one. Cole's, also in downtown, also makes this claim. Philippe sold the restaurant to another family in 1927, and their descendants still operate the establishment.

The style of Philippe's is a traditional delicatessen-type sit-down restaurant, having old-fashioned traditions such as rows of tables being shared by several parties, wood-shavings scattered on the floor, dark brown wood for the walls and floor, and newspapers from historical United States events that happened from the time the restaurant opened to the 1950s (up to the 1980s as well, if you look around), as well as a displays dedicated to the history of railroading Los Angeles from the Los Angeles Historical Railroad Society and another dedicated to circuses. The building in which it is located has two stories, both containing tables for eating, and is located one block away from Union Station. The skyscrapers of the downtown area are not visible from the restaurant (at streetlevel), despite how close it is.

The restaurant is famous for attracting hungry patrons from all walks of life, from poverty-stricken, to working class, to the city's elites. At peak meal periods, customers often find themselves standing in lines that can be ten deep as they wait for waitresses to prepare their meals at one of the serving stations at the restaurant's counter. Meals are served cafeteria style on paper plates and customers carry their meals on trays to their tables. The democratizing effect of the restaurant has been noted, as people from various economic strata bump elbows at the long communal tables and ask each other to pass over the jars of Philippe's homemade mustard.

In addition to their main attraction of French Dipped sandwiches, other old-fashioned foods are served, including freshly made soups, beef stew, baked apples, and pickled pigs' feet. Jars of purple pickled eggs are arrayed on the counter. The current owner is a wine aficionado, and has added a small selection of California wines to the menu.

Philippe's serves cans of soft drinks, however, they are not the famous national brands. For example, Philippe's serves Dad's Root Beer, rather than A&W or Barq's. They also serve freshly brewed iced tea and lemonade.

Philippe's is also famous for serving cups of regular coffee for 9 cents to this day, in honor of old-fashioned prices. The price was last raised from 5 cents in the 1970s.

On its 85th anniversary, French Dip sandwiches were sold for 10 cents every business day for one week.

The restaurant is located just adjacent to Chinatown, in the Historical District of Los Angeles, two blocks north of Olvera Street (the oldest street in Los Angeles) at 1001 N. Alameda Street.