6 Best Restaurants in Pasadena, Los Angeles

There’s a Michelin-quality Italian restaurant hiding in plain sight in Pasadena. The small and homey space where Northern Italy meets California is typically filled to the brim as diners await heaven-sent local wild mushrooms with polenta or the squid-ink lumache (shell pasta) with Maine lobster. Make sure you come with a healthy appetite and a desire to drink—the wine list will not disappoint.

This creative farm-to-table eatery uses all local ingredients to whip up fine cuisine in a chic environment. Savory musts include the shaved brussels sprout salad with toasted pine nuts as an appetizer, followed by the outstanding Mediterranean sea bass. Upon entry you'll notice a wood-beam ceiling, brick-laden bar, and hanging Edison lights that set the stage. Open for dinner with a revolving weekly special, the Arbour's cocktail menu includes a spicy mezcal margarita emblematic of its Pasadena roots. Happy hour doesn't disappoint, with sub-$10 offerings like yellowfin tuna crudo.

Those who normally skip vanilla ice cream because it's so—well—vanilla should shelve their preconceptions and order a scoop of Carmela's beloved brown sugar vanilla bean. But this local fave also encourages a dive into more complex flavor profiles like carrot orange ginger sorbet. The toothsome ice cream sandwich will make you feel like a kid again.

Since 1963, this small and charming diner has done two things really well—pies and burgers. Most seats are counter-style, with a griddle searing up patties. Along with limited outdoor seating, there's also a smattering of tables for larger groups, where you can spy on the oversize cake and pie slices in the back. Burgers are on the simple side, but the pies range from banana and lemon meringue to apple and blackberry. It's the perfect way to end your day after a long trudge in the Huntington Gardens.

The coolest kid on the Pasadena block, the Raymond 1886 is carved out of an old Craftsman cottage and has an expansive patio with long wooden tables and hanging lights. Chefs dish out everything from mushroom bucatini with shaved black truffles to Chilean sea bass with lemongrass coconut curry sauce and "forbidden" rice. Inside can be a little more claustrophobic, but makes for a perfect spot for intimate daters to get a little closer. Keep an eye out for live jazz nights. Be sure to explore the daring seasonal and evergreen cocktail menus, with intriguing historical references like the Red Line paired with zany offerings like the Alien Pool Party. Don't miss the truly killer chilaquiles on the brunch menu.

With pierced, steel-paneled walls covered with fanciful designs, this tucked-away, twin-concept Thai palace has an extensive menu that varies a bit between the two neighboring locations; compare the menus before settling on a location. Next door to the indoor Saladang proper, Saladang Garden offers an outdoor dining space that's also used for special events. You'll find all the SE Asian favorites, including satays, curries, and pad Thai. But also consider the restaurants' other specialties, like Saladang Garden's Thai omelet with ground chicken or the fried taro rolls served with a cucumber salad. Be sure to save room for the mango with sweet sticky rice for dessert.