Today marks the end of Starbucks as it's known.
The coffee giant opened the first La Boulange Restaurant in Los Angeles Thursday, transforming the well-known San Francisco bakery into an all-day café that features sandwiches, burgers, and a bar.
Yes, a bar. Complete with beer, wine, and a selection of cocktails. But don’t worry, if that’s not your style, milkshakes and Starbucks coffee are also available.
Avid Starbucks fans likely noticed a change in its pastry department last year. The coffee chain replaced its traditional loaves of pastries with petite squares that look like they belong in a French Café, a result of the company’s acquisition of La Boulange two years ago.
"I was waiting for the best bread of San Francisco to be here (in Los Angeles), I don't want to hear about anyone else now," said Brentwood resident Simone Joseph, who was the new restaurant's first customer Thursday morning. "La Boulange is for me the bread, the croissants...it's very unique."
San Franciscans who have made the move down the coast., like Joseph, who says she was San Francisco's first La Boulange customer as well, can still rest easy knowing the taste of their beloved La Boulange will still hold true, even with its new owner.
The Bay Area chain’s menu featured breakfast, brunch and lunch items, but La Boulange in Los Angeles will be the first to host the expanded dinner menu, complete with build-your-own burgers and a croissant bun option.
Right now Starbucks is going with a “wait and see” technique for the all-day café, as there are no known plans of further restaurant expansion.
However in 2012, Starbucks bought out La Boulange’s parent company for $100 million with the intention to take the bakery chain national.
You can visit Starbucks’ newest venture at 359 S. La Brea Ave.
NBC4's Adrian Arambulo contributed to this report.
