A friend once described Pasadena to me as “looking just like Milan” and I’ve been intrigued ever since. So naturally the next weekend, I dragged my husband and dog along to explore Pasadena and see what gluten-free goodies we could find.
Food Stop 1: Mandarin Coffee
First order of business: COFFEE!
I ordered the Iced Vienna Latte (fresh sweet cream, house espresso, brown sugar syrup, oat milk) and Chadd got the Iced Toasty (organic rooibos milk tea, house espresso, brown sugar syrup, cinnamon).
I would genuinely drive back to Pasadena just for that Vienna Latte. It was the perfect balance of creaminess and sweetness.
On the other hand, the Toasty wasn’t my favorite. It tasted like someone mixed sweet milk bubble tea with coffee. Not necessarily bad, just not for me.
Food Stop 2: Hello You’re Welcome
Next up, gluten-free pastries!
I was SO excited to try Hello You’re Welcome because of its dedicated gluten-free treats. Unfortunately, I was a little underwhelmed.
We ordered the Seasonal Egg Veggie Breakfast Biscuit and two donuts: passionfruit and strawberry.
The biscuit was delicious! The bread was super moist and I loved the layers of egg and pesto inside. The egg was perfectly cooked.
The donuts were just okay. They tasted more like muffins or cakes with frosting than actual donuts. Not bad, but not really what I was hoping for.
Overall, I’d say it’s worth stopping by if you’re already in Pasadena but I wouldn’t make a special trip for it. I’ll be sticking with my tried-and-true Modern Bread & Bagel!
Food Stop 3: Amara Cafe
After wandering around Old Town, we worked up an appetite for lunch and decided to grab some arepas to go from Amara Cafe.
I was so excited to discover that their arepas are made with corn flour and are gluten-free!
I ordered the Beef & Cheese Pelua Arepa, and Chadd got the Cubano Arepa. Both were SO good, although I will say they’re not the easiest thing to eat in a car. We learned that the hard way. My only regret was not ordering extra avocado sauce. It was delicious and I wanted more with every bite.
Still not sure I’d compare Pasadena to Milan, but I definitely understand the appeal. Already adding a few more spots to my list for next time!