The Cat & Fiddle
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England in Hollywood:
or more than 40 years, The Cat & Fiddle has served as Hollywood’s unofficial British embassy. At this cozy pub—now located on Highland Avenue—families and rock stars rub shoulders and enjoy pints and British staples like fish and chips. The story of The Cat & Fiddle begins with Kim Gardner, a British bassist who came to America as part of the 1960s British rock invasion. Gardner played with many English groups, most prominently the English band The Birds (Not to be confused with the American band, The Byrds) with future Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood. While rock ‘n roll would always be Gardner’s passion, it was in 1982 that he discovered his true calling: creating an English pub in Hollywood. Kim and Paula had first met in New Orleans, and moved to LA. By chance, some friends had a restaurant space in Laurel Canyon. Although it was a busy time for the Gardners—not only did the couple have a threeyear-old daughter, but Paula was pregnant with twins. Still, The Cat & Fiddle opened in October 1982, and soon became popular with the city’s Brits and the entertainment community. The twins were born two weeks later.
by Michael Darling
Chinese restaurant Mouling. “When we married we bought a little book of coupons that had coupons for cleaners and restaurants and one of them was for this space. When we walked in, we said “Oh my god, we’ve been here before,” recalled Paula. While Kim Gardner sadly passed away from cancer in 2001, the Cat has remained a family business with Paula and the couples’three daughters running the show. For the Gardner sisters; Eva, Ashlee, and Camille, this is a natural extension of
ABOVE: Newspaper article shows Kim Gardner, proud new restauranteur, in front of the first Laurel Canyon location. RIGHT: An industry favorite for over thirty years, The Cat's Sunset Blvd. outside patio. TOP RIGHT: In its newest incarnation, on Highland Ave. just north of Melrose. By 1984, the Cat had become a little too popular. It was hard for patrons to find a seat in the small bar, and the bar’s neighbors weren’t happy with the traffic and late night noise. According to Paula Gardner, there was also a zoning issue that became a problem. “It was not zoned properly and technically it was supposed to be an ice cream parlor,” says Paula. Again, a friend at their bank told the Gardners about a restaurant space opening on Sunset Boulevard. The 1920s Spanish-style plaza had been built by silent film cowboy Fed Thompson, and had been home to several restaurants over the years including the 16 DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD / WINTER 2024
their growing up at the pub. “We went to school across the street at Blessed Sacrament, right next to Crossroads of the World. I went there from first grade to eighth grade, so when we were old enough, we’d just walk across the street to the pub and do our homework,” says Ashlee Gardner. “We’d always help the host do little tasks to keep us busy and not too loud.” In return, the Cat’s staff and regulars would help the girls
