Legendary Clifton's Cafeteria Unveils New Signage Downtown

Good news, old school eatery lovers! Just in time for Classics Week 2015, Brigham Yen and his DTLA Rising blog have uncovered the next phase in the long (2011), long (2012), long (2013) awaited revival of classic downtown eatery Clifton’s Cafeteria on Broadway.

Progress has been slow and less-than-steady in the gathering years since Clifton's went under the knife. The plan since 2010 (!!!) has been to entirely revamp the building from the floor up, offering a wider array of services under the tutelage of Andrew Meieran (The Edison). That includes a higher-end restaurant above the ground floor, the original cafeteria space, a ground floor take-out option and a handful of lounges/bars, including one tiki bar. Oh, and there's supposed to be a bakery, too.

Per Brigham Yen, recent construction has focused on new signage for the front of the building. The ancient facade was first revealed back in 2012, but has since been given a bit of a spit-shine. There are now holes out front where incoming signage is presumed to land, as well as a working neon light that reads "established 1932." Otherwise, there's little to indicate an arrival date, though it's worth noting that construction crews don't seem to be messing with the iconic frontage much. That, at least, is a good sign.