"Most days of the week, you can count on a parade of customers patiently waiting for crusty, fermented rings from Courage Bagels. In Chinatown and Pasadena, diners still line up for Nashville-style hot chicken from Howlin' Ray's, which opened its first location in 2016. In Historic South-Central, trails of people queue outside of Mercado La Paloma hours before it opens each day, hoping to try Yucatecan-style mariscos from Holbox, the chart-topping counter stall from Gilberto Cetina."
"July saw crowds wrapped around the corner of 6th and Main streets after Cole's French Dip - the city's oldest restaurant and saloon - . A few months before that the Original Pantry Cafe, a century-old diner in downtown L.A., drew similar lines when the restaurant abruptly shuttered. I queued up at Papa Cristo's before the 77-year-old Greek restaurant and market closed its doors forever this spring."
Angelenos regularly wait hours for popular foods from neighborhood institutions such as Courage Bagels, Howlin' Ray's and Holbox. Local restaurants face mounting operational and financial challenges, prompting crowds to gather for farewell meals when closures are announced. Recent closures and abrupt shutdowns drew long lines, including Tokyo Fried Chicken, Cole's French Dip, the Original Pantry Cafe and Papa Cristo's. Some customers reported waiting in line for an hour before ordering and then waiting another hour for food. Lines include loyal neighborhood patrons, families and citywide foodies seeking signature dishes and one final dining experience before venues close.
Read at Los Angeles Times
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]