Cole's Pacific Electric Buffet, Historic restaurant in Downtown Los Angeles, California
Cole's Pacific Electric Buffet is a ground-floor restaurant inside the Pacific Electric Building in Downtown Los Angeles. The room is fitted with a long mahogany bar, Tiffany-style light fixtures, and solid oak tables that came from old railway cars.
The restaurant opened in 1908 to serve passengers of the Pacific Electric Railway, which connected cities across Southern California at the time. Los Angeles declared it a city monument in 1989, recognizing its place in the city's story.
The name comes from its founder, Rene Cole, who ran the place for decades and made it a neighborhood fixture. Regulars and newcomers alike still gather at the long mahogany bar, which anchors the room and sets its tone.
The restaurant sits in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles and is easy to reach on foot from many nearby points of interest. It serves food throughout the day, making it a convenient stop whether you are looking for a full meal or just a drink at the bar.
During the 1930s, the founder cashed checks for customers directly from a table inside the dining room, a banking service that no one else in the area was offering from a restaurant. This made the spot a practical stop for workers in the neighborhood who needed quick access to their money.
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