WHY Three reasons: Old-fashioned service with a smile. Famed meats from Alexander’s. And classic goodies from Lisa’s Bakery. WHAT This compact, all-purpose market is worth a detour. Look for the Harris Ranch beef, dry-aged prime cuts, excellent marinated poultry and carne asada, and locally made empanadas and tamales. The wine selection is very good, too. [...]
WHY For inventive (but not too risky) food and good party management. WHAT Onil Chibas is Pasadena’s hippest caterer (and restaurateur, at Elements), with food that combines the comfort of American classics with lots of Asian and Latin influences. Passed dishes might include Vietnamese-style beef skewers with chili and lemongrass as well as Italian-style caprese [...]
WHY Hey, they’ve got game! (Try the buffalo burgers.) The frozen turkey meatballs are great, too. WHAT Run by a goofy bunch of guys in butcher’s whites, Harmony specializes in wild game and organic, free-range lamb, turkey, beef and chicken. Great for superb lamb chops and first-rate Thanksgiving turkeys and prices much lower than the [...]
WHY Intensely aromatic rotisserie chicken, the skin soaked just right with salt and seasonings. WHAT The spits never stop spinning at Zankou, which turns out hundreds of richly flavorful chickens a day, either to eat here or take home. Once the chicken drops below the finger-melting temperature (which takes a while), you tear it up [...]
WHY Profoundly addictive crisp-skinned chicken, one of the most delicious in town, marinated in citrus juice, garlic and chiles and spit-roasted over a wood fire. WHAT A friendly Peruvian café with amazing roast chicken and fries, as well as good seafood dishes, including ceviches. Make sure to try the Peruvian chile sauce with your chicken. [...]
WHY Unusual and very good pizza made with a cornmeal crust that’s almost like a good hush puppy, crunching with each bite. Try the one with pancetta and red onions. WHAT A tiny, cheerful café flagged with market umbrellas and small outdoor tables, serving unusual and delicious pizza by the slice or whole, to eat [...]
WHY Cheeseburgers and banana cream pie. WHAT This no-frills diner with a long counter and even longer lines serves fantastic burgers, very good short-order breakfasts and house-made pies that are famous enough to draw folks from around Southern California. In fact, just about every food group on the wall-mounted menu has its passionate devotees, including [...]
WHY The Kobe burger, made with American Kobe beef, smoked mozzarella, caramelized onion, tomato, mixed greens and herb mayo on a ciabatta bun, attracts burger buffs from as far away as Woodland Hills. WHAT This born-in-1952 fast-food institution has been spiffed up for a new era, with gleaming tile and shiny tables. The food is [...]
WHY A chance to live the California dream without actually checking in. WHAT Ah, the good life: lunch at an umbrella-shaded table overlooking the pool of this grande dame hotel, iced tea or Chardonnay in hand. Order a flawless chicken Caesar, a gorgeous Cobb or a rich turkey pesto panini and watch the world’s troubles [...]
WHY A dessert case packed with dreamy retro desserts, including Hostess-never-had-it-so-good chocolate cupcakes. WHAT Heirloom’s first-rate breads and baked goods, fine sandwiches (try the Cuban) and excellent salads (especially the Cobb) have made it one of the most popular breakfast and lunch spots in South Pasadena. The setting is stylish, hip and friendly, and the [...]
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