Amara Café
Venezuelan, coffee shop · Pasadena
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About Amara Café
En Amara Café, te damos la bienvenida a un rincón acogedor donde podrás disfrutar de auténticos sabores sudamericanos, desde nuestras deliciosas arepas hasta nuestros irresistibles churros. Acompáñalos con un reconfortante chocolate caliente o un café de especialidad, y déjate transportar por la cal...
En Amara Café, te damos la bienvenida a un rincón acogedor donde podrás disfrutar de auténticos sabores sudamericanos, desde nuestras deliciosas arepas hasta nuestros irresistibles churros. Acompáñalos con un reconfortante chocolate caliente o un café de especialidad, y déjate transportar por la calidez de nuestra atmósfera. ¡Te esperamos para compartir un pedacito de Venezuela en cada bocado!
What Customers Say About Amara Café
Amara Cafe is a Pasadena gem, celebrated for its authentic Venezuelan cuisine, especially arepas and cachapas. Customers rave about the friendly service, warm atmosphere, and quality coffee. Many recommend it for brunch and highlight the churros.
Popular Dishes
Best For
Tip: Try the churros and arepas, and consider adding a spicy kick to your coffee. The patio is dog-friendly.
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What to see nearby
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Explore the area around Amara Café
Amara Café is located in Pasadena, surrounded by cultural and historical points of interest. Here are some of the most notable places nearby.
Museums
- Armory Center for the Arts (A 399m) — nonprofit visual arts organization in Pasadena, California, United States
Religious Buildings
- St. Andrew's Catholic Church, Pasadena (A 657m) — church in California, USA
Parks & Gardens
- Central Park (A 318m) — park in Los Angeles County, California, United States of America; geonames ID = 5335557
- Pasadena Memorial Park (A 439m) — park in the United States of America
Other Points of Interest
- The Hotel Carver (A 187m) — building in Pasadena, California, United States
- Apple Pasadena (A 248m) — Apple retail store in Pasadena, California
- Pasadena Conference Center (A 489m) — convention center in United States
- Robinson Memorial (A 519m) — public monument in Pasadena, California
- Templo Masón de Pasadena (A 633m) — building in Pasadena
- Ambassador Auditorium (A 657m) — auditorium in Pasadena, California
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Frequently asked questions about Amara Café
Amara Café Pasadena Reviews
This place is more than deserving of its stellar reputation. Everything about the experience was exceptional from the food, to the coffee, and the service. Very kind, knowledgeable,and hospitable employees. A true gem and one of one kind of place. My croissant sandwich was delightfully buttery and fresh, the bacon was flavorful and crispy, and the eggs were whipped up to perfection. The latte is the Vanilla Panelon, which is used with real vanilla and an inhouse made panelon syrup. The ambience was very relaxing too. Highly recommend
Coffee is delicious as well as the tequeños! We came first to this place when it was brand new like 13 years ago. Glad to see is still in business and thriving! Congrats Alex and Amara, hard work is paying off! Orgulloso de ustedes! 💪🏻
Amazing gem in the heart of Old Town Pasadena. So happy we stumbled upon this restaurant while strolling around the area. The ambiance was very welcoming, both inside and the outdoor patio, and the staff made us feel like family. We ordered the Arepa pabellón with beans and plantains, which was packed with flavor. We also ordered Tekes or Tequeños, a Venezuelan delicacy (crispy dough filled with melted cheese) - rich, flavorful, definitely filling. We balanced that out with a generous salad (we really liked the number of healthy options offered in the menu, we will come back to try a few of those too!). We ended our meal with an order of Venezuelan hot chocolate (the right way, thick and dark) and churros (also the right way, perfect crunch, not smothered in sugar or cinnamon). Parking is super convenient, as the entrance is just a few seconds away. I would give this place 10 stars if I could! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Obsessed. Perfect way to get a gluten-free sandwich that isn’t a substitute. The combo of meat and plantains is so delicious. Also, the Venezuelan hot chocolate with a toasted marshmallow is incredible.
The ideal place for quality and fast breakfast with perfectly made Venezuelan cuisine. We’ve had Meat & Plantains Cachapa with pork and el Criollo plate with chicken. Everything was authentic and delicious- probably best Venezuelan place across CA and Utah which we tried. Friendly and fast service! Maybe a little bit expensive, but well worth it!
We were traveling to Pasadena and I wanted to get a little something to nibble on. I was walking along and found Amara by accident. The shop is cute, the food is Cuban, and the coffee delicious. I had the Arepa with egg, cheese, beans and chicken and one other with pork. Both were delicious! I have an allergy to soy and they were very accommodating with checking ingredients. I appreciate this so much because it is a hassle to ask and not everyplace knows what their ingredients are. I also tried their Dulce de Leche latte and it was so good, I went back again to order another one the next day.
The food is delicious! I highly recommend their guava and cheese pastry and their lavender matcha latte. It actually tasted like lavender! If you want a quick breakfast or a chill place to get some work done then this is the place. The employees are also very nice!
You’ll get to taste some traditional Venezuelan flavors, including arepas and cachapas. If you’ve had this food before, it’ll be time and space traveling. If you’ve haven’t, you are in for a treat. The place and atmosphere are very chill, comfortable, and the servers super nice. One of those places that you are likely to come back soon.
Amara’s Cafe is a Venezuelan cafe that makes mornings feel special. I stopped by around 8 a.m. and immediately loved the calm, relaxed atmosphere with no crowds and no wait. It was the perfect time to enjoy breakfast with good coffee. I ordered the Galipan cachapa, a traditional Venezuelan dish that is basically a sweet corn pancake cooked until golden and folded over with salty cheese. The plate came with flavorful black beans, fluffy scrambled eggs, tangy sour cream, a bright green salsa, and tender shredded meat. It was a perfect balance of sweet, savory, and creamy in every bite. For a seasonal touch, I had the pumpkin latte which was smooth, spiced just right, and not too sweet. As an added surprise, they brought out a complimentary plate of churros with chocolate. The churros were crisp and warm and the chocolate sauce was rich and glossy, a perfect way to end the meal. The service was just as good as the food. The cashier was welcoming and gave excellent recommendations that made it easy to choose dishes worth trying. Overall Amara’s Cafe delivers authentic Venezuelan flavors with a relaxed modern cafe setting. The food is thoughtful, the service is warm, and the morning ambiance is calm and inviting. It is definitely a place worth visiting again.
I was sooo happy to find this Venezuelan cafe one day before starting work. The arepas are authentic, the “Caracas” latte is delicious with a little bit of cinnamon, and the rich Venezuelan hot chocolate transports me back to enjoying a mug with my abuelita. The staff are so friendly and everything I’ve tried has been delicious. They have forever gained a customer when I am in Pasadena or anywhere nearby. You just have to try this place!!!!
First time here, and this was such a delightful place! The owners were WONDERFUL, so warm and welcoming, elevated the entire experience for me. We had the arepas, morning bun, coffee, and churros. The churros were so warm and tasty, highly recommend getting a spicy kick in your coffee, arepas were good too (slightly small for the price, but decently filling).
We tried the trio plate and the Llanera Cachapas with pork and Madrid style churros. 5/5 on everything. Guava lemonade is nice and tart and cuts right through the richness of our dishes. Just the comfort food I needed this weekend. Trust the hype on this one. Also, the lovely woman working the register this morning is amazing.
This place is DELICIOUS! Lives up to all of the hype. We tried the tequeños and the guava sauce is amazing and a great mix of salty and sweet. We also tried La Reina and this was my favorite meal we had because it tasted so fresh. Also highly recommend the empanadas and cachapa with pork, beans, and plantains. And ofcourse you can’t leave without trying the churros. Valeria and the staff were so incredible, the place has a great ambience AND it’s pet friendly which is a huge plus. Couldn’t recommend it more!
Nice little place to get some Venezuelan food. The portions aren't huge but it was all tasty. We will definitely be going back to try the other food. They lady at the register was nice and gave us good recommendations. All the food coming out of the kitchen looked good. They have indoor dining and a couple of table outside. There is a parking structure right next door to them and if I remember correctly it's $1 for first two hours and $2 each additional hour.
I really enjoyed the meat empanadas, the arepas and coffee. No soy Venezolana este Domingo llevo 3 amigas a Amara. Muy rica la comida.
I really enjoyed the meat empanadas, the arepas and coffee. No soy Venezolana este Domingo llevo 3 amigas a Amara. Muy rica la comida.
I really enjoyed the meat empanadas, the arepas and coffee. No soy Venezolana este Domingo llevo 3 amigas a Amara. Muy rica la comida.
I have been on the hunt for a family run arepa shop because anyone knows it's difficult to find here in LA. The staff is so kind and warm, and the menu is extensive. You can tell everything tastes li…
Arepas for lunch! Yes please. They have delicious food from Venezuela. Plus sandwiches, salads and breakfast items. It's a cute little shop with patio seating. My favorite is La Suegra which has plan…
Arepas for lunch! Yes please. They have delicious food from Venezuela. Plus sandwiches, salads and breakfast items. It's a cute little shop with patio seating. My favorite is La Suegra which has …
Arepas for lunch! Yes please. They have delicious food from Venezuela. Plus sandwiches, salads and breakfast items. It's a cute little shop with patio seating. My favorite is La Suegra which has pl…
the churros and the reina & gouda arepa were phenomenal! the portion size of the arepa was a bit small in my opinion but filling nonetheless. quick service and nice laid back atmosphere with outdoo…
the churros and the reina & gouda arepa were phenomenal! the portion size of the arepa was a bit small in my opinion but filling nonetheless. quick service and nice laid back atmosphere with outdoo…
LOVE IT HERE! \n\nsuch a good brunch spot literally everything here is so good and yummy. I cannot stress enough how perfect this place is. I recommend trying their churros its a must have. as for …
And once again, simply delicious: Amara latte and chicken/raisin empanada ... a dream in plain daylight.\n\nPREVIOUS REVIEW 2\nReturn for a quick late lunch bite, and once again was not disappointe…
I recently went around the Christmas holiday and wow I was very impressed with the customer service. I had one bad experience but I really like their cachapas. I'm happy I gave them a second chance…
Amazing Café in Pasadena!\n\nAmara Chocolate & coffee is my new fave coffee spot in Pasadena. I had the beef empanada with olives, the avocado sauce, and a latte with condensed milk, everything w…
This is one of the hidden gems of Pasadena and I can't believe I just tried this out! I don't think I've ever really had Venezuelan food so it's a good try for breakfast/brunch.\n\nThe hot chocolat…
the best venezuelan /international food in california . the owner's care , and amazing service, goes along with the great food . note: ask for the new, high quality chocolate they sell
Food is delicious highly recommended. The service was great. They have great customer service and they will have a table ready to serve.The ambiance is family friendly and even pet friendly highly …
Amara has a great selection for every taste. The people that frequent it are just as international as our family, which makes for a great ambiance. The young short waiter with a baseball hat that n…
My husband and I tried Amara for the first time a few weeks ago for weekend brunch, despite having passed by it multiple times while going through Old Town Pasadena. It was busy and full of people …
Can't go wrong with a Venezuelan breakfast of Galipan Cachapa with Perico eggs, shredded beef and Mano cheese! With a Caracas latte AND a side of Spanish Churros with guava and chocolate dipping sa…
Honestly best chicken quesadilla I've ever had not even close. Super impressed! Coffee is excellent too.
Their coconut dulce de leche latte was okay. I would give it an 8/10 overall. There was no special flavor shining through, however the drink had the perfect balance between the coffee's bitterness …
Amara has always been one of our favorite breakfast spots in Pasadena, but the way I was treated today was unacceptable. Most people send one person to order while the other finds a table, that's a…
First time here. Food and service were ok, but honestly paying $98 for: 6 mini empanadas, 5 tequeños (sauce not included), 1 cachapa, 2 juices and 2 coffee is just outrageous. I understand California is way more expensive than other states, but a hundred dollars for some appetizers IS NOT OK. Thanks for bringing Venezuelan food to the area but please reconsider your prices. I drove one hour to try this place but unfortunately won't be coming back. I've owned restaurants in the past and understand food costs, we left hungry and feeling they took advantage of us.
My partner and I had brunch here with a few friends, some of whom have been dining at Amara’s since 2014. Given that history, I was surprised and disappointed by an unfortunate service experience. We ordered the Tequeños and Dips along with several other items. All of our food arrived except the tequeños, so we asked about them and were told they were on the way and would just take a little longer. After we finished our meal, we inquired again. At that point, the staff checked and informed us that the tequeños had never been ordered. Despite the fact that we received the dips that accompany the dish, the staff attempted to place the blame on us for not ordering the item. Neither the staff nor management took accountability for the mistake, which resulted in an overall negative experience. It’s disappointing to see a local, much-loved establishment lose the level of customer care that once defined it. While we were interested in continuing to support this small business, we will unfortunately be choosing to spend our money elsewhere going forward.
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55 S Raymond Ave, Pasadena, CA 91105
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55 S Raymond Ave, Pasadena, CA 91105
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