Café 2001
Cafe · Historic Core
2001 E 7th St North Entrance, Los Angeles, CA 90021
Highlights
Japanese-European bistro offering katsu sando & natural wine
Japanese-European bistro offering katsu sando & natural wine
"A daytime extravaganza by Giles Clark (Den Tokyo, St. John London) — who came stateside with mentor Junya Yamasaki (who helms Yess next door) — occupies a unique industrial space featuring a wraparound mezzanine, skylights, and brick walls variously described as both Brutalist and Victorian (the grandma-style furniture evokes the latter). The food reads as modern British with Jamie Oliver energy but leans toward the niceness of Fergus Henderson: the country terrine is described as spectacular, studded with pistachios and cracked black pepper and wrapped so tightly that a slice of chopped pork becomes a lovely thing to behold. A cocktail-sized chilled borscht is a delightful summer soup; huckleberry jam and yogurt underneath smoked salmon on a crispy potato hash work despite the contrasts of sweet, creamy, and salty; the pork katsu sando forfeits a crispy exterior but gains juiciness; and merguez sausage with crispy, twig-like fries arrives with dense aioli and harissa as a nod to a Marseilles street food, though Clark often skips the bread and lets the finger-ready bites sit on a plate. The room was buzzing on a Thursday with every table full, and the reviewer describes the project as the kind of place that defies immediate understanding — an attribute the writer rather enjoys in an age of predictability. — Matthew Kang, lead editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest" - Eater Staff
"Ambiance isn’t Café 2001’s forte, but this quiet all-day bistro at least shines where it counts: serving an elegant Japanese-European menu that’s sophisticated enough for a proper sit-down lunch. For a place that serves elegant dishes like beautifully marbled terrines and pork tenderloin sandos with rosy cross sections, Café 2001 is speedy like a fast-casual restaurant. Everything arrives within minutes, so you can be in and out before your post-lunch meeting, but we recommend carving out time for Café 2001’s creative coffee drinks and a slice of one of its excellent fruit tarts." - brant cox, sylvio martins, cathy park
"Offers pork tenderloin katsu sandwiches, egg and relish salad sandwiches, and dinner options in a Brutalist-designed space." - Mona Holmes
"Café 2001 is more mysterious than it needs to be. Located behind Yess in the Arts District, the only signage for this all-day bistro is a large spray-painted sheet of plywood. It’s edgy but also a little eerie. The sounds of clinking cutlery are louder than the soft ambient music. The beat-up furniture looks like it was salvaged from the Queen Mary. Suffice it to say, Café 2001 doesn’t excel in ambiance. But it does shine where it counts: serving elegant Japanese-European dishes that are sophisticated enough for a proper sit-down lunch but casual enough for a midday coffee and pastry pop-in. photo credit: Sylvio Martins photo credit: Sylvio Martins video credit: Sylvio Martins The café is run by the former sous chef of Yess, and while the two neighboring spots do share a penchant for minimalism, the bistro classics at Café 2001 are otherwise a world apart. A thick slab of terrine—well-seasoned and beautifully marbled—is surprisingly light for being made of gelatinized meat and pork fat, even before you balance it with pickles and salad. Crispy, triangle-shaped hash browns serve as toasts for smoked trout and sour cream, and the pork tenderloin katsu sandwiches are 90% lean, juice-oozing pork. After 4pm, Café 2001 sheds its café persona and morphs into a wine bar scene with food options like oyster platters, hamburg steaks, and prawn dumplings. We’ll make sure to check that out soon and report back. Food Rundown photo credit: Sylvio Martins Smoked Trout, Hashbrowns, and Huckleberries If you love a bagel and lox plate situation, order this. The hash browns are light and fluffy, and the huckleberry jam and sour cream complement the salt-kissed fish. photo credit: Sylvio Martins Pork Tenderloin Katsu Sandwich Move over thinly pounded cutlets, we’re into these extra-girthy slabs of pork tenderloin. The soft milk bread and fried crust are more of a textural bonus for this delicious pig-centric sando. photo credit: Sylvio Martins House Terrine Plate This terrine is filling but looks much heavier than it is. Its specks of fat smear beautifully on the side of toast, and it comes with cornichons and a vinegary side salad to cut through the meaty pork bits. photo credit: Sylvio Martins Lemon Tart Café 2001’s lemon curd is so good you can order it separately with yogurt, parfait-style, but we prefer it as dessert, baked on a buttery shortbread crust instead. It’s as bright as a Teletubbies sunrise but not-too-sweet, and the side of sour cream enhances the citrus tang." - Sylvio Martins
"Cafe 2001 is a new restaurant in the Arts District, opened on February 3, 2025. It transitions from a sunny daytime cafe to a vibey wine bar hangout. The menu includes Japanese convenience store-style sandwiches, pastries, and a selection of drinks like matcha beer shandy and natural wine. The space features a bi-level former bank with exposed brick walls, Victorian chairs, and a commanding skylight. The ambience shifts from an easygoing American diner to a buzzy wine bar vibe in the evening." - Matthew Kang
