Philippe the Original — Los Angeles, CA
2025 Centurion Award winner

Philippe the Original

Best French Dip in Los Angeles · Los Angeles, CA

Restaurant · Los Angeles, CA · Since 1908

The overview

Home of the French dip sandwich since 1908.

Philippe the Original has claimed the invention of the French dip sandwich since 1908, when founder Philippe Mathieu (as the story goes) dropped a French roll into the roasting pan and a Los Angeles institution was born. Diners still line up at the long counter, order beef, pork, lamb or turkey dipped in jus, and carry trays to communal tables over sawdust floors.

More than a century on, it remains one of the oldest and most beloved restaurants in Los Angeles — and the 2025 Centurion Award winner.

What they're known for

  • The original French-dipped sandwich
  • House hot mustard
  • Sawdust floors & 10-cent coffee heritage
The public record

What reviewers already knew.

A Centurion Award doesn’t replace the public record — it verifies it. Read it for yourself, on the platforms where it lives.

Public-record snapshot as of July 2026. Live ratings are always current on each platform.

The verification

Why this business cleared the bar.

Selection is by the published criteria, evaluated on public evidence. Philippe the Original cleared every one.

  • Years in operation. Operating in Los Angeles since 1908 — 118 years of continuous business.
  • Sustained online presence. An established local institution with a consistent public footprint — listings, coverage, and word of mouth in Los Angeles.
  • Established customer track record. A deep public track record: Los Angeles has kept Philippe the Original busy for 118 years.
  • Liked by customers and the community. Genuinely beloved by Los Angeles regulars and visitors alike — a bona fide community favorite.
  • Recognition in the local community. Named best French dip in Los Angeles for 2026 as a claimed birthplace of the sandwich itself, with sawdust floors and communal tables that haven't changed in a century.

The full verification report — the specific data behind this award — is held by the business. The exact thresholds stay internal so the bar can’t be gamed. Read the methodology.

Award record

2025

Best French Dip in Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA · Awarded under the 2025 evaluation

All awards for Philippe the Original →

Visit Philippe the Original

Location1001 N Alameda St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
In business since1908
Find them onFacebook · Instagram · Yelp · tiktok
Facts at a glance

The sourceable record.

Clean, checkable facts about Philippe the Original — for readers, search engines, and answer tools alike.

Legal / trading name
Philippe the Original
Category
Restaurant
Founded
1908, Los Angeles, CA
Founders
Philippe Mathieu
Location
1001 N Alameda St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Centurion Award
Best French Dip in Los Angeles — 2025
Record last verified
July 2026

A signal you can check.

This is a dated award record, published by The Centurion Awards after Philippe the Original cleared the 2025 evaluation for its market and category. It was not bought, voted on, or sponsored — the criteria are public, only winners are published, and an award that stops holding up is revoked, not quietly removed. Awards run one calendar year and renew only if the business clears the bar again. For everything else — hours, bookings, live reviews — go straight to the business itself.

Quick answers

Frequently asked questions.

What is Philippe the Original?

Downtown LA institution founded in 1908 and credited as a birthplace of the French dip sandwich, still serving them at communal tables near Union Station.

Is Philippe the Original award-winning?

Yes — Philippe the Original is the 2025 Centurion Award winner for Best French Dip in Los Angeles, a verified, criteria-based award. Named best French dip in Los Angeles for 2025 as a claimed birthplace of the sandwich itself, with sawdust floors and communal tables that haven't changed in a century.

Where is Philippe the Original?

Philippe the Original is in Los Angeles, CA.

Run a business like this one?

If you’ve put in the years, you may already clear the bar. Evaluation is free, private, and never for sale.