Did The French Dip Sandwich Really Originate In California?

The French dip sandwich is an edible icon, with its pile of sliced roasted meat bursting from chewy bread, all submerged in a savory, super flavorful jus and served piping hot to a very lucky diner. Today, chefs like Bobby Flay offer secret ingredient jus suggestions for the perfect French dip, and home cooks can agonize over the roast beef cuts you need for the absolute best sandwiches, but the culinary inclined have been perfecting this tasty classic since its creation over a century ago.

Yet despite what the name may imply, the sandwich's origin story has no ties to Europe but to the American West Coast. Today, Los Angeles may be well known for its Hollywood stars and Thai restaurants you need to try (among others), but it may surprise some to learn that this bread-based creation came from the City of Angels. And while there seems to be no contesting that fact, there is some debate between two particular establishments over who gets to claim the invention of the French dip. 

Cole's (which also claims to be the oldest public house in Los Angeles) recounts a story that starts in 1908, when its chef, Jack Garlinghouse, began offering sandwiches with bread dipped in au jus for reasons that had more to do with function than flavor. Customers coming through the Pacific Electric building for a bite to eat may not have had the most optimal gum health, making it difficult to tear into that crusty French bread, so Garlinghouse softened the roll for them by soaking it first.

A competing opinion has Philippe the Original as the progenitor of the famous sandwich. And although this restaurant was founded the same year Cole's claims to have invented the dip, this establishment's first French dip tale doesn't take place until ten years later, in 1918. At that time, owner Mathieu Philippe apparently let a sandwich slip from his fingers and splash into a pan of drippings. The waiting customer was a police officer who couldn't be bothered with a replacement but wound up loving this softened, tasty sandwich so much that he returned for more the next day — this time with a crowd.

No matter which history you're inclined to believe, there's no doubt that a French dip sandwich is a crowd favorite. And for that, we have the great state of California to thank.