French dip sandwich
Photo: Vranak · CC BY-SA 3.0

History

Two LA institutions long claimed the French dip, but only one is still serving. Philippe the Original on North Alameda dates the dish to 1918, when owner Philippe Mathieu accidentally dropped a sliced beef sandwich into a roasting pan; the customer ate it anyway and asked for the same the next day. Cole's, in the Pacific Electric Building on East 6th Street, claimed an earlier 1908 invention; Cole's closed permanently in August 2025 after 117 years, citing pandemic, rent and downtown headwinds. Philippe's pre-dips the roll, slices the meat on a deli slicer, sells the sandwich under 12 dollars and still queues at lunchtime in its 1918 building.

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Common allergens: Gluten

Make it at home

Yield 4Hands-on 30 minTotal 3 hrDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 1.2kg beef top round, tied
  • 2 tbsp neutral oil
  • Sea salt, black pepper
  • 1 onion, halved
  • 1 carrot, halved
  • 2 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 sprig thyme
  • 750ml low-sodium beef stock
  • 60ml dry red wine
  • 4 torpedo rolls or short baguettes
  • Hot mustard or horseradish, to serve

Method

  1. Heat oven to 135C. Pat the beef dry, season heavily with salt and pepper.
  2. Heat oil in a heavy pot. Sear the beef on all sides until well browned, about 8 minutes total.
  3. Add the onion, carrot, garlic, bay and thyme to the pot. Pour in stock and wine.
  4. Cover and roast 2 hours until the beef reaches 54C internal for medium-rare. Rest 20 minutes on a board.
  5. Strain the cooking liquid into a saucepan. Reduce by a third over medium heat, taste, salt to taste.
  6. Slice the beef as thin as your knife allows, against the grain.
  7. Split the rolls. Pile the beef inside. Pour the hot jus into a small bowl for dipping at the table.

Tip from the editors. Pre-dipping the bottom half of the roll the moment the sandwich is built is the LA style. Wait, and the meat steams the crumb.

Where to eat french dip sandwich

French dip sandwich in Los Angeles

Philippe the Original ★ 4.2

$ French regional

Philippe the Original on North Alameda, Los Angeles claims the 1918 invention of the French dip and still serves it on sawdust-floored cafeteria benches.

TryOriginal French dip sandwich

Directions

Langer's Delicatessen ★ 4.8

$ Russian

Langer's Delicatessen on Alvarado, Westlake, Los Angeles has hand-sliced pastrami since 1947. The #19 with Russian dressing, coleslaw and Swiss is the order.

TryHand-sliced pastrami #19 sandwich

Directions

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