The Hat is a

Southern California Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and Cultural area, cultural List of regions of California, region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Its densely populated coastal reg ...

fast-food restaurant chain specializing in

pastrami Pastrami is a type of cured meat originating from Romania usually made from beef brisket. The raw meat is brined, partially dried, seasoned with herbs and spices, then smoked and steamed. Like corned beef, pastrami was created as a way to pres ...

dip sandwiches. The eatery, once local only to the

San Gabriel Valley The San Gabriel Valley (), sometimes referred to by its initials as SGV, is one of the principal valleys of Southern California, with the city of Los Angeles directly bordering it to the west and occupying the vast majority of the southeastern ...

, has been offering its "World Famous Pastrami" to Southern California residents since 1951. In 2000, it was stated that, in sum, its customers consume 13 to 15 tons of pastrami per week.

History

The original Hat Restaurant is located at Garfield & Valley in Alhambra. The Hat has been serving World Famous pastrami dip sandwiches since 1951. The current company has kept to its roots by keeping its retro neon signs featuring a chef’s toque and the words "World Famous Pastrami”. In 1981, brothers Joseph (Joe) and Corky Conzonire purchased The Hat and became the new owners of the Alhambra location, which was the only The Hat store at the time. Joe Conzonire became the chain's sole owner following Corky Conzonire's death in 2021.

The pastrami dip sandwich is the restaurant's signature item. It comes on a French roll with mustard and pickle. The restaurant also serves burgers, dogs, sandwiches, onion rings, fries and chili cheese fries. The Hat may have been one of the first places to feature the pastrami burger. The Hat offers no table service, so all of the items are wrapped to go, but paper plates are given to customers who wish to "dine in."

Locations

There are 11 locations around Los Angeles, Riverside, Orange, Ventura, and San Bernardino counties.

Gallery

File:Menu of The Hat in Lake Forest, CA April 2022.jpg , Menu of The Hat in Lake Forest, CA as of April 2022.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hat Restaurants established in 1951 Restaurants in California