This article has been revised and corrected from its original version.

Downtown L.A.’s iconic Original Pantry Cafe is reopening in May with a new philanthropic edge.

Originally founded by Dewey Logan and run by former mayor Richard Riordan for 42 years, the Pantry has remained in the same one-story building, an enclave of L.A. history surrounded by modern skyscrapers and the nearby Crypto.com Arena. For 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the Pantry has sated the hearts and appetites of generations of Angelenos. The likes of Humphrey Bogart, Marilyn Monroe and Martin Luther King Jr. patronized the centenarian eatery along with a steady stream of tourists and locals since 1924.

Shuttered last March amidst union disputes and subsequently bought by real estate developer Leo Pustilnikov, the Pantry returns in collaboration with North Hills-based Hope the Mission to serve its iconic meals – and now, every penny earned will go to homeless shelters by the philanthropic nonprofit around L.A.

“Hope the Mission (is) where everybody and everything gets a second chance,” said Ken Craft, chief executive of Hope the Mission. “And this restaurant is getting a second chance…it’s going to be called the Original Pantry Cafe, but the tagline is ‘a second serving.’”

Hope the Mission is one of the largest rescue missions in the U.S. and the largest provider of interim housing in L.A. It operates 33 homeless shelters with 3,000 beds and plans to open 11 more this year with another 650 beds. While this is the first time the nonprofit taps into the restaurant business, it is not a novice when it comes to cooking – it currently serves 8,000 meals a day to its sheltered community, cooked by its own chefs. 

The projected opening date is in May. When Craft first shared the news with Unite Here Local 11, which represented the workers at the Pantry, all former workers at the meeting raised their hands to come back.

“This is exactly the kind of story that we need right now in Los Angeles, one of hope, one of bringing people together and breaking bread at the Original Pantry – one of the greatest restaurants in the city of Los Angeles.” said Unite Here Local 11 Co-president
Kurt Petersen.

Jesus and Jose Moran, two brothers who have been working side-by-side in the Pantry for almost 50 years, shared their happiness and excitement at the opportunity to come back.

“They’re like family. Him and his co-workers…got along very, very well,” said Maria Hernandez of Unite Here 11, translating for Jose Moran. “His family is also very happy, very excited that they get to go back to work in that space, in that setting, which they love
so much.”

Trials and tribulations

The Pantry has suffered its fair share of trials and tribulations.

The onset of the Covid-19 pandemic closed the restaurant for a short period and dramatically reduced its staff from 80 to 25. Then, after Riordan died in 2023, his family trust began having second thoughts about running the restaurant on valuable land that it could sell for a good price – potentially getting even better as the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games roll closer. Eater reported that the trust said it was legally obliged to “maximize the value of the real estate,” including the land under the Pantry and Riordan’s Tavern next door.

The trust also got tangled up in the crosshairs of the union, which had been representing the workers for almost 50 years. The trust told Eater that the contract would have to be amended to continue the operation of the restaurant, a term that the union was reluctant to accept. The trust also alleged that the union made “unacceptable” demands such as requiring the new owner to run a restaurant on the lot, retain all employees and continue the same union contract.

What ensued was an abrupt closing of the restaurant as negotiations failed, until Pustilnikov bought the lot for $5.5 million last September that it sprang back on the scene.

“The resilience of the Pantry is in many ways proof of the resilience of downtown as a whole. Both have had ups and downs, and both will emerge stronger and more vibrant for future generations of Angelenos,” Pustilnikov said last year upon purchasing the restaurant.

‘A second chance’

While the new season at the Pantry brings back a familiar cast of workers, some changes are underfoot.

Designated in 1987, the L.A. Historic-Cultural Monument is currently under renovation. Customers would find new floors and new menu items while the classic decorations of the place stay unchanged.

Jason Moniz, senior director of food services at the rescue mission, said that Korean and Latino dishes are under consideration for the Pantry’s new roster.

“We definitely want to bring the menu current. We don’t want to lose the bones of the menu itself…we’re just going to update a little bit,” said Moniz. “What we’re trying to do is honor what L.A. has become in this very multicultural city with such a diverse food scene.”

The Pantry also aimed to generate about $50,000 in net proceeds a month, an approximate number that aligns with previous earnings and foot traffic. With expenses deducted, the Pantry would support other Hope the Mission establishments by providing funds for shelter and food. Craft said the goal is to grow towards a 24/7 service once the Pantry gets its feet firmly on the ground.

Businesses can also help. They can now sponsor tables to bear their names, and menu items may be named after them too, Craft said. A plaque on the walls of the Pantry would memorialize the names of all those that helped, a situation Craft called “win-win-win” – a win for businesses, the rescue mission and the homeless it serves.

“If you want to experience L.A., you got to go to the original pantry…it’s not just a great eating establishment. This is a very rare establishment where it does social good,” Craft said. “If you’re going to spend money, why not spend money and actually know that those dollars are going to help make Los Angeles better?”

Moving forward, Craft said the Pantry would be open to hire formerly homeless individuals, who may obtain their training at the union’s Hospitality Training Academy.

“We want to help people that have come through the programs to land on their feet,” Craft said. “We have people that are working in our shelters formerly homeless, and so this will be no exception.

“We say people deserve a second chance. How about a second chance at a restaurant that just got a second chance to help other people that are getting a second chance?” he added.