By Rachel Lampert
Langer’s Deli is one of the top restaurants to dine at in Los Angeles. Norm Langer the son of Al and Jean Langer grew up visiting MacArthur Park across the street. He would spend his childhood playing as well as enjoying the scenic views the park offered. Los Angeles Times Columnist – Steve Lopez writes. “I grew up in the park,” Langer said, seated in a booth at the famous deli he now owns at 7th and Alvarado streets. “I’d play in the park, go for boat rides, take naps. There was this whole area on the 7th Street side where older people played shuffleboard, backgammon, gin, all kinds of card games.” Unfortunately, the way MacArthur Park was is not the way it is today.
Lopez says. “. It hasn’t for decades, and residents and police told me the long-festering urban nightmares — crime, extortion of local merchants by gangs, encampments, sales of stolen goods by street vendors, and rampant, out-in-the-open drug activity —.” Crimes have increased over the years and homelessness has expanded outward. Individuals feel the park has become highly dangerous for those nearby. Andrew Wolff who is president of the neighborhood council mentions. “You’ll see bodies on top of each other, completely passed out, with the stench of fentanyl everywhere, and as you look up the alley, there’s a fog from everyone smoking, and people are walking around like zombies…”
There are plans to help with those unhoused moving forward within Los Angeles and work still has to be done. Langer is hoping to continue to run the beloved restaurant. He says. “Every man needs two things. He needs a place to go when he gets up in the morning, and he needs people who are dependent on him.” If you are experiencing homelessness please visit depaulusa.org for programs and resources if you’re in the MacArthur Park region of Los Angeles. You could also call the Los Angeles location’s director Guillermo Vidaurri (213)-294-2440 x44 and message them on their website. The address for this location is 161 S. Alvarado St. Los Angeles, CA 90057
Hours: Monday – Friday 7:30 am-12:00 pm with hot breakfast served at 8:00 am.
References:
Depaul USA. (2024, February 20). Los Angeles. https://depaulusa.org/
Lopez, S. (2024, August 24). Langer’s Deli owner is starving for L.A. to clean up MacArthur Park, and thinking of closing. Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-08-24/column-langers-deli-owner-is-starving-for-city-to-clean-up-macarthur-park-and-thinking-of-closing