10 Of The Best Eats In Pasadena, California
Nestled in the San Gabriel Valley, Pasadena is the birthplace of cooking icon Julia Child and a great place to get your grub on. Away from the traditional Asian restaurants of the San Gabriel Valley, Pasadena offers a unique, eclectic array of good food for every meal or occasion. We list some of the best choices here.
1. Ración
Ración
Travel to Spain while feasting on classic tapas with a modern spin from Ración. Perfect for a date night or a celebration dinner, Ración has become a food critic’s favorite in Pasadena. While the price is a bit on the higher side, each dish is presented beautifully and cooked to perfection. Because tapas are like mini dishes, you will be able to sample a wide variety of their menu, with highlights being the chicken croquettes, beer braised octopus, and crispy prawns.
Ración, 119 W. Green St., Pasadena, CA, USA, +1 626 396 3090
2. La Grande Orange Café
Cafe, Restaurant, American, French
3. Euro Pane Bakery
Bakery, Cafe, Pastries
4. Amara Chocolate & Coffee
Cafe, Restaurant, South American, Venezuelan, Spanish
5. Slater’s 50/50
Slater’s 50/50
Pasadena is home to the only location of the super popular Slater’s 50/50 in Los Angeles. Offering amazing burgers and fried bacon mac n’ cheese balls, Slaters 50/50 is the place to go for some good old American comfort food. Following the trend, you can design your own burger masterpiece or choose off their menu.
Slater’s 50/50, 61 N. Raymond Ave., Pasadena, CA, USA, +1 626 765 9700
6. Mediterranean Café
Cafe, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, Greek
7. Pasadena Sandwich Company
Pasadena Sandwich Company
If you want to get a good bang for your buck, the place to go is the family-owned Pasadena Sandwich Company. PSC is only open for five hours a day, making it the perfect place to get lunch. The delicious sandwiches are piled to the top with veggies, sauces, meat, cheese, etc. The giant size of the sandwich allows you to comfortably split with your friend or take leftovers to go for a mid-day work snack.
Pasadena Sandwich Company, 259 Sierra Madre Villa Ave., Pasadena, CA, USA, +1 626 578 1616
8. Spinfish Poke House
Spinfish Poke House
The Hawaiian beach classic, poke, has finally made its way into Pasadena at Spinfish Poke House. Poke is a refreshing, flavorful dish that is perfect for the sunny SoCal weather. Spinfish, located in an easy-to-miss alleyway in the shopping epicenter of Old Town Pasadena, operates on a build-your-own concept that is very similar to Chipotle.
Spinfish Poke House, 36 W Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, CA, USA, +1 626 585 0988
9. The Pie Hole
The Pie Hole
‘Happiness one slice at a time’ is The Pie Hole’s mission. Offering sweet and savory pies, The Pie Hole does not often disappoint with their yummy fillings and buttery, flaky crusts. Customer favorites include the decadent and creamy maple custard pie and the chocolaty, pistachio topped earl grey tea pie. Pair your slice of pie with a cup of coffee or one of their specialty lattes.
The Pie Hole, 59 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, USA, +1 626 765 6315
El Taquito Mexicano Truck
Satisfy your late night craving with arguably the best tacos in the San Gabriel Valley from the El Taquito Mexicano Truck. Parked in the parking lot of an auto body shop, the taco truck is open until 1 AM to 3 AM depending on the day. They offer everything from carne asada tacos to lengua tacos to chicharron tacos.
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