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 (flat breads) 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. 

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.

This no-frills spot turns out incredible Jamaican cooking and expertly fried seafood. As the restaurant is still takeout-only, call ahead to place an order and tuck into all that’s good in the front seat or comfortably at home. Order the well-spiced beef patties, stewed oxtails, and crisp sand dabs.

Tibet Nepal House is one of a couple Himalayan restaurants within a few blocks of each other in the heart of Pasadena. While both restaurants served up popular lunch buffets in the Before Times, Tibet Nepal House edges out on having superior momos. The Tibetan/Nepalese dumplings are crimped with care and dutifully constructed, resulting in a slightly chewy skin that gives way to the savory filling.

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

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.

There’s no arguing that Russell’s is an absolute Pasadena mainstay, thanks to its perfectly crispy hash browns and old-school hamburger with all the backyard cookout fixings. There may be no busier place to dine in the whole city than this timeless diner on a Saturday morning.

This ramen shop is an offshoot of a famous Japanese brand by the same name. The menu plays to the founders’ tonkotsu sensibilities, with bowls of rich broth, noodles, and pork. There are a couple of additional sushi roll and bowl options on the menu, but mostly this is a place for very good ramen.

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.

Agnes, which wife and husband team Vanessa Tilaka and Thomas Kalb opened earlier this summer, brings together fine cheeses and regional American cooking, taking inspiration from the Midwest, California, and beyond. 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.

This popular pizzeria from the La Grande Orange restaurant group (whose Pasadena flagship is right next door) is housed in the former luggage area of the train depot. Employing a wood-fired oven and churning out thin crust personal pies, it’s a solid place for quality pizza in the neighborhood.

Pasadena’s Mijares lays claim as the oldest restaurant in the city, and among the oldest anywhere in Southern California, with a legacy that dates back to 1920. The traditional spot on Palmetto is still going strong after all these years, serving Mexican and Mexican-American staple dishes almost daily.

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.

No list of “Essential Pasadena Restaurants” 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 in that draws out the night owls.