Pioneering Cafe Banquette Closes After Eight Years
Eric Richardson
[Flickr]
The normally-busy patio outside Old Bank District cafe Banquette sits empty the evening after the eatery posted word of its closure.
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — The doors have closed at Old Bank District pioneer Banquette Cafe, where owner Monica May today posted a note thanking friends in the Downtown community for their support.
Dear Friends and Family,
Banquette is closed. After 6 long years and many struggles we've decided to shut our doors.
Thank you for letting us help create this downtown community which is thriving so well. It's nice to know we were a small part of this process. To our friends who have supported us for so long, all we can say is thanks. We wouldn't have any of this without you.
Here's to the New Year.
Best Wishes,
Monica
May acquired the cafe in late 2004, but it actually first opened in 2002. It was owner Cedd Moses' first Downtown venture, opened a year and a half before the Golden Gopher.
We will be putting together a more complete story on the cafe's closure on Tuesday, but in the meantime let's look back: What's your favorite memory from the Banquette patio?
Wednesday: Our story on the closure is now online.
Guest on January 03, 2011, at 11:38PM – #1
The cute girls who worked there. Someone tell me where they land.
Bert Green (@bgfa) on January 03, 2011, at 11:47PM – #2
So many stories.
Among my favorites: Don Garza signing opera in the rain late at night to a rapt audience; Foxy the OBDVD dog guarding and hosting the patio.
It was THE meeting place for the Historic Core before anything else opened, and remained that for many until last week. Sorry to see it go. The neighborhood has lost a treasure.
Fabricio Vai (@dataxy) on January 04, 2011, at 03:04AM – #3
Wow... I didn't know. Does anyone know the reason?. My memories are going to Banquette on Saturdays around noon; It was a nice time to get breakfast/lunch and the ambiance was nice. Great wines and pastries. It was pretty much the reason I went to the area. I started going around in the area because of Banquette. Too bad it won't be there anymore.
Guest on January 04, 2011, at 04:07AM – #4
I was there nearly everyday with my dog, first Barnaby and then Beethvoen. I don't think I could name just one memory. It could've been the time we were all carving pumpkins for Halloween. Or maybe those summer dinners they used to do in the summer. Whatever the memory, I know that I met most of the people I know downtown at Banquette. I'm very sad to see them closed, it's like when your best friend moves away from home.
Marc Loge on January 04, 2011, at 08:42AM – #5
WOW, what a loss. I too was at the dinner the night Don Garza sang .. just astounding! He ROCKED the room with Opera! I couldn’t believe my ears. But my favorite memory was the times I got ill and Monica would go into hyper drive "MOM" mode and cook special soups and put together hot meals and take it up to my loft until I was feeling better... That's the type of spirit that is the driving force that built this downtown community!
DavidAC on January 04, 2011, at 08:44AM – #6
This is awful. Its like the death of a good friend.
Favorite memory - lazy breakfasts with newspapers and friends on Saturday mornings on rainy days.
Vero Queero on January 04, 2011, at 09:06AM – #7
Do any landlords ever consider lowering the rent, helping to keep their tenants in business? Is it not better to take a cut in the rent than have no rent at all?
Allison C on January 04, 2011, at 10:39AM – #8
Is there any word yet as to why it closed? Was it for the new restaurant hoping to open late this summer? With all the business space in the old bank district, why not move there?
Everyone loves the area for it's neighborhood feel, including the businesses who want to be here. So I don't see the logic in pushing out those establishments that are part of the neighborhood fabric.
Eric Richardson (@blogdowntown) on January 04, 2011, at 11:07AM – #9
Let's keep comments here on-topic for the question that we asked. Like I said above, we're working on putting together a story about the closure itself.
Guest on January 04, 2011, at 11:44AM – #10
After I was kick out of the westside for smoking cigars. I began to hang out at Banquette. That was almost six years ago. It was great place and so close to home. I met some great friends and romantic adventures as well. It was in essence a part of my life and now this chapter has closed. What's next? Javier A. Rodriguez
Thomas K Nagano on January 04, 2011, at 03:32PM – #11
Ken Rosenfeld was a regular. A prolific Downtown LA Artist. Always generous with his Art, I hope you all had a chance to meet him at Banquette. - TK
DavidAC on January 04, 2011, at 04:07PM – #12
We really need a 'Goodbye Banquette' party...
Guest on January 04, 2011, at 04:31PM – #13
Unless a person has personally run a small business, it's easy to be unaware of just how difficult it is to keep things running correctly. Most crucially of all, how tough it is to make enough money so that red ink doesn't start flowing like a river. To top that off, there are the problems posed by LA city fees, ordinances, inspections, taxes, workers comp, flaky clientele (which could even include panhandlers hanging around the front door) and unreliable employees.
But the bottom line is the bottom line: If Banquette were generating a fairly good monthly sales figure, a buyer probably could be found to take the place over and keep it going, or move it somewhere nearby.
Joel Covarrubias on January 04, 2011, at 04:45PM – #14
Banquette's lease was up, and a different restaurant signed a ten-year lease on the space. It's as simple as that.
NancyJean at Pet Project on January 04, 2011, at 06:46PM – #15
Oh boy. Too many stories to go over but I guess one is sitting at Banquette when Artwalk was just a baby and meeting up with a gang of friends, taking over the whole patio! Fun! Or like Sara, the "family style dinners" that Monica would throw during the summer. With Sangria! Watching the hook-ups, love connections and breakups. I'll miss the neighborhood feel that 4th and Main Streets had.
Guest on January 04, 2011, at 11:02PM – #16
Losing Banquette is so sad. It's almost as if sharing my best memories is to risk letting them go along with the cafe. I'd best keep them inside where it's safer and closer to my heart.
Guest on January 05, 2011, at 12:00AM – #17
It is hard to express my feelings about what many see as just a little cafe. So many emotions and memories are wrapped up with Banquette. It will forever be in my heart and I'm so sad to say goodbye to this time.
Jenni Simcoe on January 05, 2011, at 11:46AM – #18
Flo was always there.
Guest on January 05, 2011, at 03:25PM – #19
^Aunt Flow is more like it.
Don Garza on January 05, 2011, at 08:48PM – #20
Gonna miss banquette! But not gonna miss that Monica May will continue to be successful at making the hardest places to do business become a reality... and make it work...
Sara Jones on January 05, 2011, at 09:30PM – #21
Flo is like another grandmother to me and many people down here.
Guest on January 06, 2011, at 12:06PM – #22
Thanks, Tom ans Jerry.. (Not the cat and mouse or are they?)
Guest on January 08, 2011, at 01:30PM – #23
When I moved to DTLA 3 years ago and went wandering for a place to get breakfast, Banquette was the first place I found. I enjoyed their breakfast dishes (better than Nickel Diner, frankly) and they made the best café au laits I'd ever had.
Bianca Suzanne on February 06, 2011, at 11:08PM – #24
I met Josh Gray-Emmer there, with my boyfriend, Theo! He was so excited to see an article for his new Vodka bar opening featured in blogdowntown weekly! They had the BEST BLTs.... So sad!!!