The Original Pantry Cafe

Waiting on line at The Pantry (can you find Tim?)

Watching other people run a marathon can really open one's appetite, so we high-tailed it down to The Pantry after waving good-bye to Mike. Located on 9th and Figueroa, The Pantry has been a downtown L.A. institution since 1924. And yet, amazingly, Tim and I had never eaten there together.

Everyone waits on line to get inside The Pantry. An employee staffs the door to monitor the traffic flow and make sure no one cuts in. When we were two people away from the front, we asked if we could sit at the counter. Happily, there were two seats available in front of the grill, which we hungrily eyeballed.

The grill: pancakes, French toast, bacon, sour

dough toast, and, oh yeah, a plate of bacon being kept

warm below (yum!)

It had probably been 35 years since I'd eaten at The Pantry, so Tim took control. He ordered bacon and eggs with potatoes and suggested that I get pancakes, so we could share. I was a bit dubious—I usually need my own order of bacon and potatoes when we go out for breakfast!—but he was right. The portions were massive. We had a feast and still didn't finish everything. The bacon was crispy, the potatoes fresh, and the pancakes sweet and light. 

Sitting at the counter, waiting to eat

What a feast!

Breakfast is served 24/7 at The Pantry. When can we go back?