Chong Ching Yao Mei

Restaurants & Dining in Pasadena

Trying new cuisines is one of the most thrilling experiences for taste buds and cultural immersion. Pasadena is home to over 650 restaurants, where upscale restaurants, ritzy steakhouses, charming cafés, modern eateries, mom-and-pops, food halls, pop-ups, breweries, sports bars, cocktail bars, and food trucks culminate to unearth global cultures through a celebration of food.

The late Pasadena resident and celebrated Pulitzer Prize winning food chronicler Jonathan Gold was a champion of Southern California’s diverse culinary landscape. His legacy carries on as Pasadena’s food scene sees a culinary renaissance with an exciting blend of longtime locals, immigrant families, and world-class chefs in the kitchens. With rideshares and parking abound, come and enjoy the flavors.

Explore Pasadena’s new restaurants and food trends, eat your way through the award-winning restaurants, find innovative vegan restaurants, cheer on your favorite team at lively sports bars, dive into our guide to Asian food, indulge in the sweet satisfaction of must-visit bakeries, and get into the celebratory spirit with our cocktail guide.

Take-Out

Dots Cafe & Bakery

A bright & cheerful neighborhood cafe for picking up a handcrafted coffee or family meal, prepared with California farm fresh ingredients. Items are baked...

Take-Out

Dots Cupcakes Old Pasadena

Come experience this boutique style cupcake shop. Cupcakes are known to increase levels of happiness and fulfill sweet cravings.Baked fresh daily, Dots...

Exclusive to Pasadena

Drips Cheesecake

Drips Cheesecake is the first brand in the United States to specialize in chocolate-dipped cheesecake. They bake every single cheesecake using an original...

Active Life and Sports

Eaton Canyon

Hiking Trails in Pasadena. Eaton Canyon is a 190-acre zoological, botanical, and geological nature preserve at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains. While...

Outdoor Dining

Edwin Mills by Equator

Old Pasadena Gastropub. Edwin Mills by Equator is a gastropub that can only be accessed through on of the historic alleyways of Old Pasadena. The space is...

Outdoor Dining

El Cholo Café

Authentic and Traditional Mexican Food. El Cholo restaurants feature authentic and traditional Mexican dishes, many of which have come from family recipes...

Outdoor Dining

El Metate Café

El Metate Café. El Metate Café is an family-owned authentic Mexican sit-down café located in the Playhouse Village. It is great for breakfast, lunch and...

Outdoor Dining

El Portal Authentic Yucatan Mexican Restaurant

Pasadena's authentic Yucatan restaurant, El Portal is an ideal place for dinner and a filling meal. Most nights, there's even a mariachi band that will...

Outdoor Dining

Entre Nous French Bistro

Based in a small cottage, Entre Nous is relatively "new" to Old Pasadena and offers classic French delicacies like escargot, salmon tartar, and filet mignon....

American

Europane

French-inspired. Europane is walking distance from the Pasadena Convention Center off of historic Route 66. Since 2010, Europane has served breakfast and...

Venues

Everson Royce

Craft Wine & Spirits. Everson Royce is a boutique wine, spirits and beer shop that specializes in small production labels and they offer three weekly wine...

Historic Building

Fair Oaks Pharmacy

A South Pasadena Landmark. Located in the heart of South Pasadena, Fair Oaks Pharmacy is a historic old fashion pharmacy originating in 1915. Fair Oaks...