The Top 11 Places to Eat and Drink in Pasadena
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Rank 2. Perle Restaurant
French
Perle occupies a snug corner of downtown Pasadena with mahogany tables and coffered ceilings that whisper old Paris without shouting it. Chef Dean Yasharian executes classical bistro cooking—Burgundy snails in herbed butter, duck à l'orange, a Grand Marnier soufflé—with the restraint of someone who understands that some wheels need no reinvention.
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- Los Angeles Times 2025 · #89 · The 101 best restaurants in Los Angeles
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Rank 3. Union
Italian
In Old Pasadena's brick-walled dining room, chef-driven pastas made fresh daily arrive in bold, shareable portions—roasted carrots on labneh, a platter-sized spaghetti and meatballs, torchetti wound with pork ragù and ricotta. The cooking speaks without hesitation, and the locally sourced ingredients taste like they mean it.
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Rank 4. Bone Kettle
Southeast Asian
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Rank 4. Agnes Restaurant & Cheesery
American
You enter through a cheesery lined with bottles, past owners who understand that good food begins with good cheese and wine. The open hearth commands the room while the kitchen cycles through fried chicken with sambal honey and house-made pastas that taste like they know their source.
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Rank 4. Panda Inn
Chinese
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Rank 8. HomeState
Tex-Mex
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Rank 8. Arturo's Taco Truck
Mexican
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Rank 8. Saucy Chick
Mexican/Indian
- LAist 2023 · Birra de Chivo Bowl · Best Bites
- Los Angeles Times 2024 · Birria queso taco · The 101 Best Tacos in Los Angeles
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Rank 8. King Taco
Mexican