Philippe's facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Philippe's |
|
|---|---|
Philippe's main entrance
|
|
| Restaurant information | |
| Established | 1908 |
| Current owner(s) | Martin and Binder families |
| Food type | French dip sandwiches |
| Dress code | Casual |
| Street address | 1001 N. Alameda Street |
| City | Los Angeles |
| State | California |
| Postal/ZIP code | 90012 |
| Country | United States |
| Coordinates | 34°03′35″N 118°14′13″W / 34.059588°N 118.236896°W |
| Reservations | No |
Philippe's, also known as "Philippe the Original" (pronounced fi-LEEPS), is a famous restaurant in downtown Los Angeles, California. It is one of the oldest restaurants in Los Angeles, having been open continuously since 1908. Philippe's is also well-known for claiming to have invented the delicious French dip sandwich.
The restaurant has been at its current spot, 1001 North Alameda Street, since 1951. This location is near Chinatown, the Historical District of Los Angeles, and Union Station.
The Story of Philippe's
Philippe Mathieu moved from France to Los Angeles in 1903. In 1908, he opened his first Philippe restaurant. He served different kinds of roasted meats and sausages.
In 1918, Philippe moved his restaurant to a new spot. This is where he first started serving his special French dipped sandwiches. To avoid rising rent, Mathieu bought his own building in 1925. Two years later, in 1927, he sold the restaurant to the Martin and Binder families. These families have owned and run Philippe's ever since!
From 1927 to 1941, Philippe's was open 24 hours a day. In 1951, the restaurant moved to its current home because of the construction of the Hollywood Freeway.
Another restaurant, Cole's Pacific Electric Buffet, also claims to be very old. However, Cole's closed for renovations for a while. This means Philippe's holds the record for being the longest continuously operating restaurant in Los Angeles.
The restaurant was even featured on the TV show Visiting... with Huell Howser.
Who Invented the French Dip?
The true origin of the French dip sandwich has been a topic of debate for many years. Cole's Pacific Electric Buffet also says they invented it in 1908. At Philippe's, there are three main stories about how the French dip started:
- The Customer's Idea: In 1951, Philippe Mathieu told a reporter that a customer saw some gravy at the bottom of a pan of roast meat. The customer asked if he could dip one side of his French roll in the gravy. Philippe did, and soon many others wanted the same! He quickly ran out of gravy but realized he had a great idea.
- Saving Stale Rolls: Another story says that a fireman came in when there were some leftover, slightly stale rolls. The fireman complained his roll was dry. So, Philippe dipped it in jus (meat juices) to make it softer and get rid of the roll.
- The Happy Accident: The most common story is that Philippe accidentally dropped a roll into the pan drippings. The police officer who ordered the sandwich agreed to eat it anyway. This story is often told when people don't know the real origin of something.
Originally, Philippe Mathieu just called it a "dip sandwich." But because the restaurant was sometimes called "Frenchy's," the name eventually became the "French dip sandwich."
What's on the Menu?
Philippe's is a traditional delicatessen-style sit-down restaurant. It has many old-fashioned touches. You'll see rows of tables that different groups share. There are even wood shavings scattered on the floor! The walls and floor are made of dark brown wood. You can also see old newspapers from important U.S. events. Displays on the walls show the history of circuses and railroads in Los Angeles.
The restaurant is famous for attracting all kinds of people. From everyday workers to important city leaders, everyone comes to eat here. During busy times, customers often stand in long lines. They wait for staff to prepare their meals at the serving stations. Meals are served cafeteria-style on paper plates. Customers carry their food on trays to their tables. People from all walks of life sit together at the long tables. They often ask each other to pass the jars of Philippe's homemade mustard. In 2008, the health department asked them to remove the mustard jars. But after a short time, the jars were replaced with plastic squeeze bottles. The mustard was back on the tables!
Besides their famous French dip sandwiches, Philippe's serves other old-fashioned foods. These include fresh soups, beef stew, chili, and baked apples. They even have pickled pigs' feet! Side dishes include potato salad, macaroni salad, and coleslaw. You can also see jars of purple pickled eggs on the counter. Healthier options like turkey sandwiches and salads were added to the menu later on.
Philippe's offers canned soft drinks, fresh iced tea, lemonade, coffee, and some wines and beers. They used to make their own wine! The current owner, who likes wine, added a small selection of California wines. For a long time, Philippe's was known for selling cups of regular coffee for just 9 cents. This was a nod to old-fashioned prices. In 2012, the price went up to 45 cents. Before that, the price had last changed in 1977 from 5 cents.
On its 85th, 90th, 95th, and 100th anniversaries, Philippe's sold French dip sandwiches for only 10 cents. Coffee was just 5 cents for a few hours during these celebrations!
See also
- List of James Beard America's Classics
- Original Tommy's
- The Hat
