Du-par's is Downtown's New 24-Hour Dining Destination

Downtown will soon have a round' the clock dining option courtesy of the "always open" Du-par's Restaurant & Bakery, the popular 24-hour diner which has been in business since 1938 and has several locations in the Los Angeles area and one in Las Vegas. An outpost in the Midway District is no longer under the Du-par's banner; this Gaslamp location, opening at 440 J Street, will serve as Du-par's San Diego flagship.

Urban Strategies represented building ownership, HP Investors, in the lease transaction for the site, which has been vacant since Red Pearl Kitchen shuttered in 2013. HP Investors Vice President Ryan Simmons told Eater that they turned down more than five concepts for the space before ultimately selecting Du-Par's, saying, “Our project is uniquely located to attract best-in-class restaurants. The Oceanaire Seafood Room and Bice Ristorante have a long history of delivering the highest quality. Du-par’s will be a unique and great addition to the Gaslamp and Marina communities.”

CEO Biff Naylor tells Eater that what sets Du-par's apart from other diner chains is their commitment to from-scratch cooking, from grinding beef for its burgers and making all the jelly, pies and pastries in-house. At this location, a window will allow diners to see inside the bakery section of the kitchen.

Set to open by the end of October, the 24-hour eatery will have a new sidewalk patio and capacity of 165. Naylor says that this Du-par's will have also bar serving wine, beer and cocktails, which may offer happy hour specials.