WHY To enjoy delicious food and drink in an elegant room without a hint of stuffiness.

WHAT The team behind Elements Café & Catering operates this attractive white-tablecloth restaurant in the charming, Spanish-style Pasadena Playhouse complex. With a menu organized around key ingredients (‘elements’) that change with the seasons, this is a fun restaurant for foodies, and the cooking is creative (don’t miss the duck confit eggrolls). The adjacent lounge is a great spot for a bite to eat and a cocktail.

WHO Most of Pasadena, it seems. Not the spot for a clandestine meeting.