Sometimes, the building that houses a restaurant has a history deeper than the bottomless cups of coffee they serve inside. There are a number of examples that dot the country, and RealClearLife has cooked up a list of eight restaurants that have a unique, hidden history:
Slice House – San Francisco, California – Located in the Haight Ashbury district, the epicenter of the counterculture movement of the late ’60s, Slice House is your average neighborhood pizza parlor on the inside. (Locals claim it serves one of the better New York–style slices in town.) But the pizza house’s address—1535 Haight Ashbury—is anything but average: It was once the site of the Psychedelic Shop, a sort of hippie hardware store, which first opened in January 1966, and served the local population with books, records, concert tickets, and paraphernalia. Below, watch a vintage news report from when the shop got raided by the police.
Clifton’s Republic – Los Angeles, California – Clifton’s is about as eclectic a restaurant as you will find in L.A. For one, it has a 250-pound meteorite on display. Secondly, it has actual trees inside. Big ones. That’s before a diner even gets to the bar to order a drink. But we would be remiss to say that Clifton’s predecessor, Clifton’s Cafeteria, was an even hipper spot. Originally opened in 1931, it is said to have been the leading inspiration for Disneyland. Well-known sci-fi author Ray Bradbury was a regular. To make its legacy even more impressive, the eatery’s founder helped fight corruption in L.A., and in the process, inspired movies such as Chinatown and L.A. Confidential. Below, take a tour of the renovated restaurant courtesy of CBS Los Angeles.
Lawry’s The Prime Rib – Chicago, Illinois – A Windy City spinoff of the classic L.A. steakhouse, Lawry’s has been known since it opened in 1974 for—you guessed it—its prime rib, among other succulent cuts of beef. But it’s all about location, location, location. In the 1890s, the spot was the site of the McCormick Mansion (a prominent Chicago family, Robert R. McCormick was an early owner and publisher of the Chicago Tribune); while in the ’30s, it was the site of the Kungsholm Miniature Opera Theater, which featured singing and acting puppets. For more on Lawry’s, watch the video below.
The Rotunda at the Pierre Hotel – New York, New York – The five-star Pierre has some pretty majestic rooms. Stay in the Presidential Suite, and it’ll put you back just under $20,000 a night. But the main event is its restaurant and bar in the Rotunda room, a mainstay of the black-tie crowd for decades. In its heyday, the place served the likes of actors Elizabeth Taylor and Cary Grant—and changed its decor as a nod to the times (for example, during World War II, it was decked out in red, white, and blue). Take a tour of the room below.
Le Petit Paris – Los Angeles, California – A bustling upscale French bistro that serves up everything from old French faithfuls like Croque Monsieur to burgers, pizzas, and salads, Let Petit Paris wears a number of berets. The building it inhabits, on the other hand, is straight out of Hollywood film lore. Once the El Dorado Hotel, it was a favorite spot of silent movie sensation Charlie Chaplin.
The Church Brew Works – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – One of the largest neighborhoods in Pittsburgh, Lawrenceville is as up-and-coming as Brooklyn was a decade ago. And the Church Brew Works serves up some of the finest draft and bottled beer in the area. For those who have had the pleasure of visiting, it sits in a restored 19th century church, with the pews having been removed for seating and a bar. The altar is now where the beer is brewed. It’s truly one of the greatest experiences for beer lovers on the planet. Take a video tour below.
The Barn – Evanston, Illinois – To get to this meataholic’s dream, diners have to stumble down a dark alley in this Chicago suburb. But don’t be afraid: what you’ll find behind its door is nothing short of a Disneyland of proteins, all expertly cooked to order. Somewhat ironically, the restaurant’s building was built in 1883 to stable the Borden Condensed Milk Company’s horses. (Thankfully, the menu doesn’t not include in a bolog-neighs.)
Simone – Los Angeles, California – So new it doesn’t even have its own website yet, Chef Jessica Largey’s Simone will be the chef’s first solo venture and is set to open sometime this coming summer in L.A.’s rejuvenated art district. The restaurant is already off to a good start in terms of the spot’s unique provenance. Built in 1909, it was originally owned by prolific ad man and photographer Don Miller, who was using it as his studio. The building’s tiny upstairs attic also cameoed in the feature film Being John Malkovich.
—Will Levith for RealClearLife
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