Langer's Delicatessen ★ 4.8
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.
OrderHand-sliced pastrami #19 sandwich
Sliced roast meat on a torpedo roll, dipped in pan jus. Invented in Los Angeles in 1908, eaten standing at the counter at Philippe the Original near Union Station.
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.
2 editor picks for French dip sandwich in Los Angeles, ranked by editorial score. All Los Angeles signature dishes · French dip sandwich across every city.
Philippe the Original ★ 4.2
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.
OrderOriginal French dip sandwich
Learn to cook it, or eat it with a guide
French dip sandwich makes more sense with someone from Los Angeles explaining it. These are the classes and tours we have checked, with booking links.
Book food experiences in Los Angeles
2.5 hours
Los Angeles: Handmade Spaghetti with Italian Mamas & Lunch
Learn to make authentic Spaghetti alla chitarra in an apartment complex in Los Angeles. Enjoy a full Italian meal with crostini, tiramisu, and Italian espresso.
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2 hours
Los Angeles: Thai Cooking Class (Includes 4-Course Meal)
Mix, stir and plate your way through four bold Thai favorites with Chef Marc. From crunchy papaya salad to silky coconut soup, savory noodles and mango sticky rice, ev...
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2 hours
Los Angeles: Vegan Cooking Class (Includes 4-Course Meal)
Join Chef Jackie for a hands-on plant-based cooking class. Create global dishes with a vegan twist, including a fig and avocado salsa, a Caribbean curry, and a dark ch...
from$180 Check dates