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*Last updated on January 15, 2023.

If you’re looking for the best coffee shops in Pasadena, we’ve got the perfect list for you. Pasadena has plenty of coffee shops to choose from, but these are our favorites when it comes to ambiance, quality, and service.

1. Coffee and Plants

62 W Union St. Unit 2 (MAP)

This adorable cafe recently opened its doors and is already a huge hit. Their grand mission is to help the planet one cup at a time and we just adore the flowery decor here.

Do you see Zooey and Captain playing in the corner?

They are the first 100% plant-based cafe in LA and are super pet-friendly. Not only have they partnered with the National Forest Foundation, but they also donate a portion of their proceeds to abused and neglected animals in need.

Plant-based Pastries — Plant-Based Pastries

Your fur baby can order a puppacinno off the menu, which consists of coconut whipped cream topped with a vegan biscuit. We love that the pups are treated to healthy alternatives.

2. Little Flower

1424 W Colorado Blvd. (MAP)

Crystal loves dessert shops, so whenever she is visiting California, I always try to find a spot where we can grab some sweet treats. We ordered matcha mochi, brownie, olive oil cake, crumb cake, and a chocolate chip cookie. Everything was absolutely divine.

We couldn’t stop thinking about the matcha mochi, so we went back the next day to get some more. They didn’t have the matcha mochi so we tried the lavender coconut mochi and also ordered a couple of sandwiches. You must also try their baguette if you’re a fan because it is phenomenal.

3. Republik Coffee

854 E Green St. (MAP)

When Republik Coffee first opened its doors, we wanted to try their signature Black Vanilla Latte but we hesitated to visit since the location is in the South Lake Business District of Pasadena. Parking can be tricky during the week, but when we visited on a Sunday, parking was a breeze.

Avocado Toast and Iced Black Vanilla Latte

We were blown away by the service, food, and drinks as everything was delicious and presented so beautifully. The outdoor space was on a beautiful tree-lined street and Zooey really liked the cushioned seating. We ordered an avocado toast, a variety of pastries, and the signature black vanilla latte.

The latte and avocado toast was fantastic, but what we really enjoyed was their pastries. So much so that we put in another order to take some of their pastries home. Our absolute favorite was the Hazelnut Espresso Bread.

4. Dots Cafe

3819 E Colorado Blvd. (MAP)

This neighborhood cafe has a bright and cheerful space and offers an array of adorable mini cupcakes. They bake regular sizes too, but we prefer the mini ones so that we have room to try a variety of flavors.

Bright and colorful space inside Dots Cafe

Their packaging is adorable and makes for the perfect gift for someone who loves cupcakes. We tried a handful of flavors and our favorite was the carrot cupcake. We noticed they had a cupcake for dogs on their menu, but unfortunately we were told that it had to be ordered ahead of time.

We recommend checking out their website for the weekly specialty flavors that are only baked on certain days of the week. Don’t forget to pop back to the side of their building to capture a shot of the “Welcome to Pasadena” mural. We personally think it’s the cutest one in Los Angeles.

5. CAR Artisan Chocolate Manufactory & Cafe

1009 E Colorado Blvd. (MAP)

We are not huge chocolate fans, but we read so many great reviews that we decided to give it a try. For a fairly new establishment, they were surprisingly busy with a constant flow of locals and pups.

We discovered that they source high quality cacao beans from around the world and then they process all of it in-house. They even bake their own pastries.

We had to try the Choco Latte and were reassured that it wasn’t too sweet (we both are not huge fans of sweet beverages). We also ordered the Salted Honey Latte. This was a bold choice for Crystal who typically drinks straight black coffee.

As soon as we heard that the croissant were baked in-house, we went a little overboard and ordered four of them in three different flavors: Chocolate, Almond, and Butter. Everything was delicious and the Choco Latte was amazing.

For not being a chocolate enthusiast, Candy really enjoyed it. There was a hint of chocolate and it didn’t overpower the flavor of the coffee.

6. Mandarin Coffee Stand

380 South Lake Ave. (MAP)

Mandarin Coffee stand is a new addition to the Burlington Arcade shopping center and it’s already a huge hit. The Burlington Arcade has serious Harry Potter-esque vibes and its atmosphere definitely reminded us of our visit to London.

Burlington Arcade Shopping Center Pasadena — Burlington Arcade shopping center

The cafe specializes in high-quality Chinese specialty coffee and carries smaller roasters from farmers around the world. The atmosphere is delightful and it was quite busy on a weekday afternoon when we made a visit.

Sitting in front of Boat House Pasadena — Seating Area at the Burlington Burlington Arcade

Drinks from Mandarin Cafe — our Drinks from Mandarin Coffee Stand

We enjoyed our drinks and wanted to order some light bites, but they were already sold out. Make sure to get there earlier than we did so you don’t miss out on them.

7. Boba Cha Cha

26 North Raymond Ave. (MAP)

We were drawn to Boba Cha Cha when we saw that they served both colorful drinks and desserts. The ordering experience is all done by one of their touchscreen kiosks, so grab your seat before you order if you want to secure a spot.

Drinking tea at Boba Cha Cha with dogs — Boba Cha Cha Seating

The atmosphere is great with fun board games to pass the time. It also seems like it would be a great place to bring your laptop and get some work done as they provide free WiFi.

The only thing we wish they provided were dishes and silverware for their desserts. Everything we ordered came in to-go containers, which was a missed opportunity for beautiful pictures.

Boba Cha Cha Interior in Pasadena — Boba Cha Cha Pasadena, CA

Boba Cha Cha Strawberry Smoothie — Strawberry Smoothie

Hope you enjoyed our list of cute cafes! Let us know in the comments below if you have more recommendations for the Pasadena area.

The great thing is that the majority of these cafes we listed are dog-friendly as well. We saw dogs at all of these locations except for Dots Cafe (since they do not have any seating outdoors).