Fans from as far away as Santa Monica make the trek to this gelateria tucked into a run-down shopping center at the top of Lake Avenue. With rich cream-based flavors (pistachio, from Sicilian nuts; zabaglione; stracciatella; seasonal fruits; chocolate of many kinds, including with red pepper or orange) and the intense sorbettos and rough-textured granitas […]
Keep in mind that you must first pay admission to the Huntington plus the $25 price for tea. But this plentiful serve-yourself buffet has six kinds of finger sandwiches, fresh fruit, salads, spreads, little cakes. The two daily selections of hot tea are nothing to write home about, but the servers are friendly and helpful, […]
Sure, it’s yuppie and overpriced, but it’s the best sushi in Old Town, and you could do worse than the fatty tuna sashimi and crab dynamite roll, especially if you’ve just come out of a movie. A sleek design, trendy cocktails and model-pretty hostesses complete the illusion that you’re in West Hollywood instead of boring […]
A hidden gem, Zephyr is a Craftsman cottage suffused with Zen-like beauty and calm. All the rooms have comfy sofas, and the patios have tree-shaded tables; regulars chat just like they’re in their own home, or settle in at a table for a few hours with a laptop or a newspaper. There’s often-worthwhile live music […]
A sophisticated, spacious spot with great jazz on the stereo, Perry’s is a terrific place to hold small business meetings or to work on your laptop (free WiFi). Good coffee, tasty sandwiches and a full range of Dreyer’s ice cream. 2051 Lincoln Ave., Northwest Pasadena, 626.798.4700, perrysjoint.com, Café. Mon.-Fri. from 8 a.m., Sat. from 10 a.m. MC, […]
We pride ourselves on our nose for good coffee, so it was distressing to discover that Jameson Brown has been lurking right in front of us for three years now. Well, not right in front — the location on Allen at Locust, just south of the 210, is not exactly on the beaten path, so […]
This quaint little patisserie only opened in November 2009, but it has already won many hearts, and not just because it’s a French oasis in the the Asian-food-dominated south San Gabriel Valley. The crème brûlée is torched when you order, the bread pudding is wonderfully sweet with cinnamon and chocolate chips, and the napoleon is […]
Tiny and vividly colorful, this coffeehouse next to the Pasadena Playhouse has a Mexican flair, from the music to the décor to the heavenly Mexican hot chocolate. Seating is on the sidewalk or in the charming upstairs room. 15 S. El Molino Ave., Pasadena, 626.793.2334, zonarosacaffe.com, Café/Mexican. Mon.-Sat. from 7:30 a.m., Sun. from 9 a.m. Cash only. […]
Gourmet food truck confabs are increasingly popular, but not all are created equal — and the gathering headed for the Americana at Brand on March 30th is better than the norm. Some of our very favorites will be there from 6 to 9 p.m., including the Buttermilk Truck, Komodo, the Grilled Cheese Truck and Frysmith. The […]
Nothing could be finer than lunch on the shaded sidewalk terrace fronting this impossibly charming café and gourmet-to-go store. The chopped salad with grilled chicken, roasted vegetables and pesto, the lamb sandwich with caramelized onions on rosemary bread, the brownies . . . we get hungry just thinking about it. Breakfast is swell, too: dreamy […]
