It’s National Coffee Day! I love coffee. I started PasadenaMom as an excuse to leave the house with my newborn and visit coffee shops around Pasadena. While I enjoy good coffee, it is also the whole experience of going to a cute coffee shop and sitting down for a moment out of the day to sip that perfect latte that I love. There are so many great coffee shops in Pasadena and to celebrate this day, I’m going to share, in no particular order, my favorite “local to Pasadena” coffee shops! ☕️♥️
Lavender & Honey Espresso Bar
1383 E Washington Blvd
Pasadena, CA 91104
I know I said no particular order, but L&H has a little piece of my heart because I’ve been coming since day one when they opened and to see how much they’ve grown in the community the past few years makes me so happy. I also workout right across the street so you’ll probably find me here at least a couple times a week if not more… I also love the story how owner, Melanie, and her husband, Charlie, came to open this perfect little coffee shop - you can read her story here.
Jameson Brown Coffee Roasters
260 N Allen Ave
Pasadena, CA 91106
The low-key super chill vibe of Jameson Brown makes it a great place to grab a coffee and read a book or do some work. We’re so lucky to have so many coffee shops in Pasadena that roast their own coffee because it really does make the difference in taste. They recently added more seating to their open layout space which is great because it does tend to get quite busy in there being so close to PCC. Parking is not the easiest to find, so I usually try to get there early or during off-peak times during the day.
Copa Vida
70 S Raymond Ave
Pasadena, CA 91105
Another coffee shop that found its roots in Pasadena and just blossomed! It’s located where the old Red, White & Bluezz restaurant used to be (if you’ve lived in Pasadena long enough to remember!) and I had my reservations when Copa Vida opened there because so many other food businesses had failed in that location. Copa Vida not only thrived in that location, but they have grown into a wholesale coffee roasting business and has opened 5 other locations! Wow! Can you say Pasadena business success story? I love the vibe of this place. You know this coffee shop is a winner when my husband and I will drop the kids off down the street at Kids Klub for a Friday date night at Copa Vida!
Jones Coffee Roasters
693 S Raymond Ave
Pasadena, CA 91105
Jones Coffee Roasters is such a coffee staple of Pasadena, there’s a high chance you are sipping on coffee roasted by Jones in one of the many coffee shops in Pasadena. My husband and I met Chuck once when we were thinking about starting our own coffee shop (still a dream of ours!) and his passion for coffee and this city translates into why this place thrives in Pasadena. There are 4 locations that are operated directly by Jones and they are all worth checking out. This includes their latest spot, Jones Coffee Hut, taking over the old Gotta Java/Willa’s Coffee hut on Arroyo Parkway. There is a fun eclectic vibe about Jones that isn’t pretentious - it really is about good delicious coffee.
Republik Coffee Lounge
854 E Green St
Pasadena, CA 91101
Republik is a newcomer to the Pasadena coffee scene, and I’ve found myself here a lot the past few months since they’ve opened. Good coffee brings me here, but the great service keeps me coming back. You’ll often find the owner right there behind the counter with his staff taking orders and helping out. At my last visit, the barista gently pushed me out of my comfort zone and suggested that I get something new other than my plain oat milk latte. They offered to make me my usual if I didn’t like it… and guess what, I loved it! It was a lightly sweetened honey lavender oat milk latte - I love my oat milk. During their grand opening back in July, they offered an early bird 50% off drink special, so it was a no brainer for me to come every day after my 5am workout. Their promo worked because it got me hooked!
There you have it! My favorite “local to Pasadena” coffee shops! These are the spots I find myself going to the most when I just want a cup of good coffee. What are some of your favorite coffee spots?