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Grilled beef with sticky rice at Chim Thai Street Food.
Grilled beef with sticky rice at Chim Thai Street Food.
Cathy Chaplin

18 Essential Pasadena Restaurants

French bistro fare, Armenian-style cured meat, and more

by Cathy Chaplin and Farley Elliott Updated
7 comments / new
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Grilled beef with sticky rice at Chim Thai Street Food.
| Cathy Chaplin
by Cathy Chaplin and Farley Elliott Updated
7 comments / new

Historically, Pasadena is better known for its idyllic suburban neighborhoods and annual Rose Parade than for its culinary offerings, but scratch beneath the chain restaurants to find plenty of gustatory breadth and depth. With a slew of new openings over the past few years and always-busy standbys scattered around town, Pasadena has quietly become one of the busiest dining scenes anywhere in Southern California. Here now are 18 essential Pasadena restaurants.

Removed: Copa Vida, Garo’s Basturma, Luggage Room, Saso

Added: Chim Thai Street Food, Paper Rice, Top Restaurant

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Su-Beoreg & Monta Factory

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Come into this family-owned shop for two Armenian specialties: su beoreg and sini-monta. Think of su beoreg like a lasagna — layers of thin, house-made dough complemented with feta, mozzarella, and chopped parsley. Buy a whole pan or snag a slice. The sini-monta are open-faced beef dumplings seasoned with sumac and red pepper slathered with spicy pepper paste and a tangy yogurt-based garlic cream sauce. 

1531 E Washington Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91104
(626) 398-1525
(626) 398-1525
A tray of dumplings with yogurt sauce.
Sini-monta
Joshua Lurie

Also featured in:

Old Sasoon Bakery

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Opened by Haroutioun Geragosian in 1986, Old Sasoon Bakery is named after the village in Armenia that his grandparents left after World War II. The beorags (savory hand pies) and the lahmajoun (flatbreads) make for perfect on-the-go eating, but sit down for a well-made khachapuri if time allows. This Georgian breakfast staple comes topped with a blend of cheeses, a single runny egg, and a few pats of melted butter — all in a boat-shaped flatbread. 

1132 Allen Ave, Pasadena, CA 91104
(626) 791-3280
(626) 791-3280
Khachapuri at Old Sasoon Bakery in Pasadena.
Khachapuri at Old Sasoon Bakery in Pasadena.
Cathy Chaplin

Also featured in:

Roma Market

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The creation of Roma’s owner Rosario Mazzeo, “The Sandwich” consists of a sturdy Italian roll drizzled with olive oil, sprinkled with salt, and layered with provolone, mortadella, spiced coppa, and salami. It’s renowned for its simple and satisfying prowess.

918 N Lake Ave, Pasadena, CA 91104
(626) 797-7748
(626) 797-7748
The sandwich from Roma Market in Pasadena.
The sandwich from Roma Market in Pasadena.
Cathy Chaplin

Also featured in:

Rodney's Ribs

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Catch Rodney Jenkins and his smoker-on-wheels Wednesdays through Sundays at the CVS parking lot on North Lake. He’s open for lunch and dinner and serves outstanding pork ribs and beef brisket sandwiches that are smoked on-site.

902 N Lake Ave, Pasadena, CA 91104
(626) 818-7427
(626) 818-7427
The brisket at Rodney’s Ribs is served between plush Hawaiian buns with a drizzle of tangy-sweet sauce.
Beef brisket sandwich at Rodney’s Ribs.
Wonho Frank Lee

Also featured in:

Namaste Spiceland

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Namaste Spiceland is a grocery store-slash-cafe with a location in Pasadena and another in Thousand Oaks. Sip on a mango lassi while perusing its shelves or better yet, sit down for a casual meal that spans both north and south Indian fare. The shop’s owner recommends the googli paratha.

270 N Hill Ave, Pasadena, CA 91106
(626) 345-5514
(626) 345-5514
Daily lunch combo from Namaste Spiceland in Pasadena.
Daily lunch combo from Namaste Spiceland in Pasadena.
Farley Elliott

Also featured in:

Chim!

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A menu chock-full of Thai street food classics rules the roost at Chim. Whether dining in or out, an order of the roti is a must — the flat and flaky bread is served with a spicy curry for dipping. Also terrific is the herbaceous grilled beef served with sticky rice. The seasonal mangos with sticky rice are worth saving room for.

910 Union St, Pasadena, CA 91106
(626) 796-3636
(626) 796-3636
Grilled beef with sticky rice at Chim Thai Street Food.
Grilled beef with sticky rice at Chim Thai Street Food.
Cathy Chaplin

Also featured in:

Osawa

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Opened in 2013, Osawa is Pasadena’s go-to for dependable Japanese cooking that spans from sushi to shabu shabu and more. The menu has been in flux in recent years, but rest assured that the ingredients are as good as it gets and the cooking is always skillful.

77 N Raymond Ave, Pasadena, CA 91101
(626) 683-1150
(626) 683-1150

Also featured in:

Bone Kettle

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At Bone Kettle, there’s more marrow and bone broth than diners can shake a stick at. Owner Erwin Tjahyadi offers up salads, fried oxtails, Singapore-style chile-fried lobster, a 36-hour prepared broth with options that include a fatty brisket, and a cold bar with oysters and steak tartare.

67 N Raymond Ave, Pasadena, CA 91103
(626) 795-5702
(626) 795-5702
Bone Kettle
Bone Kettle’s 36-hour bone beef broth ramen
[Official Photo]

Also featured in:

Perle Restaurant

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Dean Yasharian, the longtime executive chef of Chateau Marmont, serves up French bistro fare at this Old Pasadena hot spot. The menu includes standbys like steak tartare and escargot, along with fetching vegetarian spins, like the coq au vin. The tarte tatin is a must-have for dessert.

43 Union St, Pasadena, CA 91103
(626) 460-8819
(626) 460-8819
Escargot at Perle in Pasadena.
Escargot at Perle in Pasadena.
Cathy Chaplin

Also featured in:

Union Restaurant

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Chef Christopher Keyser prepares some of the best plates of pasta in town. Twisty torchetti comes topped with a spicy Calabrese pork ragu, while the squid ink lumache plays well with Maine lobster and truffle butter.

37 Union St, Pasadena, CA 91103
(626) 795-5841
(626) 795-5841
Torchetti with Calabrese pork ragu at Union in Pasadena.
Torchetti with Calabrese pork ragu at Union in Pasadena.
Cathy Chaplin

Also featured in:

Maestro Restaurant

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Start with the tacos ahogados, delightful taquitos stuffed with shredded chicken and served in a slurp-able broth, and share the seared scallops served on a bed of huitlacoche (corn smut) rice. A well-made cocktail to sip is an absolute must.

110 Union St, Pasadena, CA 91103
(626) 787-1512
(626) 787-1512

Also featured in:

Paper Rice

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There’s never a bad time for Vietnamese spring rolls, salads, and sandwiches. Paper Rice serves a simple menu highlighting the trio of dishes, as well as an option to build-your-own spring rolls and noodle bowls. Nab an order of the xoi chien (fried sticky rice patties filled with ground pork, shrimp, onion, and wood ear mushroom), a Saigon street food rarely seen in these parts.

20 Union St #150, Pasadena, CA 91103
(626) 345-5333
(626) 345-5333

Also featured in:

Top Restaurant

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Located a stone’s throw from Pasadena City College, Top Restaurant brings flavorful Hawaiian and Indonesian cooking to a quieter stretch of Colorado Boulevard. The crisp and golden Indonesian fried chicken is the thing to get, while the Spam musubi never fails to hit the spot.

1842 E Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91107
(626) 792-1412
(626) 792-1412

Me + Crepe

Copy Link

Vancouver-based mini-chain Me + Crepe is all about the jianbing, one of China’s most popular street foods comprised of paper-thin pancakes stuffed with things like fried eggs and Peking duck.

89 E Green St, Pasadena, CA 91105
(626) 345-5291
(626) 345-5291

Also featured in:

Agnes

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Wife and husband team Vanessa Tilaka and Thomas Kalb bring together fine cheeses and regional American cooking — taking inspiration from the Midwest, California, and beyond — at Agnes. Grab a seat in the lush 1,200-square-foot patio and dig into cheese and meat boards, scratch-made pastas, and hearth-roasted proteins.

40 W Green St, Pasadena, CA 91105
(626) 389-3839
(626) 389-3839
A long eclair-like piece of bread with a wide spread of chicken liver on top, spotted by cherries.
Chicken liver mousse on a cornbread eclair.
Wonho Frank Lee

Also featured in:

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The Arbour

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The Arbour continues to surprise Pasadena residents who tend to opt for chain restaurants along Lake Avenue. This modern, upscale California stop is instead a delightful one-off date night destination for reliable cocktails, starters, and mains like duck two-ways and seasonal risotto.

527 S Lake Ave #120, Pasadena, CA 91101
(626) 396-4925
(626) 396-4925

Also featured in:

Pie 'n Burger

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Pasadena notoriously claims to be the birthplace of the cheeseburger, and while the truth of such things is lost to history, there is no denying the enduring prominence of Pie ‘n Burger. A legend since 1963, this diner turned ode to all things burgers continues to turn out impeccable California classics, complete with special sauce and lightly melted American cheese.

913 E California Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91106
(626) 795-1123
(626) 795-1123

Lucky Boy

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No list of places to eat in Pasadena would be complete without the inclusion of Lucky Boy, Pasadena’s after-hours greasy spoon takeout with a killer breakfast burrito. What’s really remarkable is Lucky Boy’s hours — in a city where everything closes early, it’s one of the few spots that draws out the night owls.

640 S Arroyo Pkwy, Pasadena, CA 91105
(626) 793-0120
(626) 793-0120
Breakfast Burrito at Lucky Boy, served in a cardboard box next to chili cheese fries. Wonho Frank Lee

Also featured in:

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Su-Beoreg & Monta Factory

1531 E Washington Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91104

Come into this family-owned shop for two Armenian specialties: su beoreg and sini-monta. Think of su beoreg like a lasagna — layers of thin, house-made dough complemented with feta, mozzarella, and chopped parsley. Buy a whole pan or snag a slice. The sini-monta are open-faced beef dumplings seasoned with sumac and red pepper slathered with spicy pepper paste and a tangy yogurt-based garlic cream sauce. 

1531 E Washington Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91104
(626) 398-1525
(626) 398-1525
A tray of dumplings with yogurt sauce.
Sini-monta
Joshua Lurie

Old Sasoon Bakery

1132 Allen Ave, Pasadena, CA 91104

Opened by Haroutioun Geragosian in 1986, Old Sasoon Bakery is named after the village in Armenia that his grandparents left after World War II. The beorags (savory hand pies) and the lahmajoun (flatbreads) make for perfect on-the-go eating, but sit down for a well-made khachapuri if time allows. This Georgian breakfast staple comes topped with a blend of cheeses, a single runny egg, and a few pats of melted butter — all in a boat-shaped flatbread. 

1132 Allen Ave, Pasadena, CA 91104
(626) 791-3280
(626) 791-3280
Khachapuri at Old Sasoon Bakery in Pasadena.
Khachapuri at Old Sasoon Bakery in Pasadena.
Cathy Chaplin

Roma Market

918 N Lake Ave, Pasadena, CA 91104

The creation of Roma’s owner Rosario Mazzeo, “The Sandwich” consists of a sturdy Italian roll drizzled with olive oil, sprinkled with salt, and layered with provolone, mortadella, spiced coppa, and salami. It’s renowned for its simple and satisfying prowess.

918 N Lake Ave, Pasadena, CA 91104
(626) 797-7748
(626) 797-7748
The sandwich from Roma Market in Pasadena.
The sandwich from Roma Market in Pasadena.
Cathy Chaplin

Rodney's Ribs

902 N Lake Ave, Pasadena, CA 91104

Catch Rodney Jenkins and his smoker-on-wheels Wednesdays through Sundays at the CVS parking lot on North Lake. He’s open for lunch and dinner and serves outstanding pork ribs and beef brisket sandwiches that are smoked on-site.

902 N Lake Ave, Pasadena, CA 91104
(626) 818-7427
(626) 818-7427
The brisket at Rodney’s Ribs is served between plush Hawaiian buns with a drizzle of tangy-sweet sauce.
Beef brisket sandwich at Rodney’s Ribs.
Wonho Frank Lee

Namaste Spiceland

270 N Hill Ave, Pasadena, CA 91106

Namaste Spiceland is a grocery store-slash-cafe with a location in Pasadena and another in Thousand Oaks. Sip on a mango lassi while perusing its shelves or better yet, sit down for a casual meal that spans both north and south Indian fare. The shop’s owner recommends the googli paratha.

270 N Hill Ave, Pasadena, CA 91106
(626) 345-5514
(626) 345-5514
Daily lunch combo from Namaste Spiceland in Pasadena.
Daily lunch combo from Namaste Spiceland in Pasadena.
Farley Elliott

Chim!

910 Union St, Pasadena, CA 91106

A menu chock-full of Thai street food classics rules the roost at Chim. Whether dining in or out, an order of the roti is a must — the flat and flaky bread is served with a spicy curry for dipping. Also terrific is the herbaceous grilled beef served with sticky rice. The seasonal mangos with sticky rice are worth saving room for.

910 Union St, Pasadena, CA 91106
(626) 796-3636
(626) 796-3636
Grilled beef with sticky rice at Chim Thai Street Food.
Grilled beef with sticky rice at Chim Thai Street Food.
Cathy Chaplin

Osawa

77 N Raymond Ave, Pasadena, CA 91101

Opened in 2013, Osawa is Pasadena’s go-to for dependable Japanese cooking that spans from sushi to shabu shabu and more. The menu has been in flux in recent years, but rest assured that the ingredients are as good as it gets and the cooking is always skillful.

77 N Raymond Ave, Pasadena, CA 91101
(626) 683-1150
(626) 683-1150

Bone Kettle

67 N Raymond Ave, Pasadena, CA 91103

At Bone Kettle, there’s more marrow and bone broth than diners can shake a stick at. Owner Erwin Tjahyadi offers up salads, fried oxtails, Singapore-style chile-fried lobster, a 36-hour prepared broth with options that include a fatty brisket, and a cold bar with oysters and steak tartare.

67 N Raymond Ave, Pasadena, CA 91103
(626) 795-5702
(626) 795-5702
Bone Kettle
Bone Kettle’s 36-hour bone beef broth ramen
[Official Photo]

Perle Restaurant

43 Union St, Pasadena, CA 91103

Dean Yasharian, the longtime executive chef of Chateau Marmont, serves up French bistro fare at this Old Pasadena hot spot. The menu includes standbys like steak tartare and escargot, along with fetching vegetarian spins, like the coq au vin. The tarte tatin is a must-have for dessert.

43 Union St, Pasadena, CA 91103
(626) 460-8819
(626) 460-8819
Escargot at Perle in Pasadena.
Escargot at Perle in Pasadena.
Cathy Chaplin

Union Restaurant

37 Union St, Pasadena, CA 91103

Chef Christopher Keyser prepares some of the best plates of pasta in town. Twisty torchetti comes topped with a spicy Calabrese pork ragu, while the squid ink lumache plays well with Maine lobster and truffle butter.

37 Union St, Pasadena, CA 91103
(626) 795-5841
(626) 795-5841
Torchetti with Calabrese pork ragu at Union in Pasadena.
Torchetti with Calabrese pork ragu at Union in Pasadena.
Cathy Chaplin

Maestro Restaurant

110 Union St, Pasadena, CA 91103

Start with the tacos ahogados, delightful taquitos stuffed with shredded chicken and served in a slurp-able broth, and share the seared scallops served on a bed of huitlacoche (corn smut) rice. A well-made cocktail to sip is an absolute must.

110 Union St, Pasadena, CA 91103
(626) 787-1512
(626) 787-1512

Paper Rice

20 Union St #150, Pasadena, CA 91103

There’s never a bad time for Vietnamese spring rolls, salads, and sandwiches. Paper Rice serves a simple menu highlighting the trio of dishes, as well as an option to build-your-own spring rolls and noodle bowls. Nab an order of the xoi chien (fried sticky rice patties filled with ground pork, shrimp, onion, and wood ear mushroom), a Saigon street food rarely seen in these parts.

20 Union St #150, Pasadena, CA 91103
(626) 345-5333
(626) 345-5333

Top Restaurant

1842 E Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91107

Located a stone’s throw from Pasadena City College, Top Restaurant brings flavorful Hawaiian and Indonesian cooking to a quieter stretch of Colorado Boulevard. The crisp and golden Indonesian fried chicken is the thing to get, while the Spam musubi never fails to hit the spot.

1842 E Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91107
(626) 792-1412
(626) 792-1412

Me + Crepe

89 E Green St, Pasadena, CA 91105

Vancouver-based mini-chain Me + Crepe is all about the jianbing, one of China’s most popular street foods comprised of paper-thin pancakes stuffed with things like fried eggs and Peking duck.

89 E Green St, Pasadena, CA 91105
(626) 345-5291
(626) 345-5291

Agnes

40 W Green St, Pasadena, CA 91105

Wife and husband team Vanessa Tilaka and Thomas Kalb bring together fine cheeses and regional American cooking — taking inspiration from the Midwest, California, and beyond — at Agnes. Grab a seat in the lush 1,200-square-foot patio and dig into cheese and meat boards, scratch-made pastas, and hearth-roasted proteins.

40 W Green St, Pasadena, CA 91105
(626) 389-3839
(626) 389-3839
A long eclair-like piece of bread with a wide spread of chicken liver on top, spotted by cherries.
Chicken liver mousse on a cornbread eclair.
Wonho Frank Lee

Related Maps

The Arbour

527 S Lake Ave #120, Pasadena, CA 91101

The Arbour continues to surprise Pasadena residents who tend to opt for chain restaurants along Lake Avenue. This modern, upscale California stop is instead a delightful one-off date night destination for reliable cocktails, starters, and mains like duck two-ways and seasonal risotto.

527 S Lake Ave #120, Pasadena, CA 91101
(626) 396-4925
(626) 396-4925

Pie 'n Burger

913 E California Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91106

Pasadena notoriously claims to be the birthplace of the cheeseburger, and while the truth of such things is lost to history, there is no denying the enduring prominence of Pie ‘n Burger. A legend since 1963, this diner turned ode to all things burgers continues to turn out impeccable California classics, complete with special sauce and lightly melted American cheese.

913 E California Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91106
(626) 795-1123
(626) 795-1123

Lucky Boy

640 S Arroyo Pkwy, Pasadena, CA 91105

No list of places to eat in Pasadena would be complete without the inclusion of Lucky Boy, Pasadena’s after-hours greasy spoon takeout with a killer breakfast burrito. What’s really remarkable is Lucky Boy’s hours — in a city where everything closes early, it’s one of the few spots that draws out the night owls.

640 S Arroyo Pkwy, Pasadena, CA 91105
(626) 793-0120
(626) 793-0120
Breakfast Burrito at Lucky Boy, served in a cardboard box next to chili cheese fries. Wonho Frank Lee

Related Maps