Novel Cafe

This vintage-style café is a nostalgic gem with cozy decor and charming details. The lavender coffee is exceptional—smooth, aromatic, and unforgettable. A perfect spot to unwind and savor the past.

Such a cute and cozy place to sit and enjoy a lovely latte and bagel! The staff was super friendly and kind and make the place feel very homey. They have alternative milks and their bagel topping portions are very generous. I particularly enjoyed how fragrant the rose latte was! 🌹

Caroline

Feels like the comfy coffee shop of my 90s dreams. Worn in comfy seats, vintage furniture, delicious coffee, chillest vibe. On one of the cutest streets in Pasadena if you’re a local with lots of shopping.

Lisa

We stumbled in this place when the first place we tried was closed. It wasnt what I was initially looking for but we totally enjoyed chilling in here. The food was really yummy and my coffee drink was off the chain. I had 2 of them. A very different experience. Check it out. Would like a little broader of a food offering. The huge croissants were talking to me. Maybe next time.

Eve Morrigan

I love how cozy and comfortable this coffee shop is. The unique comfy chairs and the whimsical decor are so interesting to look at. There are far too many corporate, modern, and uncomfortable coffee shops these days that this place is such a welcome change. It's like some of those other places don't want you to sit and hang out for a time. I had the lavender latte and a guava pastry, and both were delicious. I will definitely be back. The parking in the area is a little challenging, but it's worth the trouble.

Stacey M

Super cozy little spot. Warm and relaxing with eclectic decor. (Approx) 6 tables with comfy chairs. Service was fast and friendly. All the electronic payment options. Delicious coffees, pastries, bagels, plus full breakfast options.

Angela Wu-Martin

This is a new-ish place in Old Town Pasadena and it’s so nice! Totally feels like Central Perk from Friends. It’s already become my favorite go-to for a chill cafe hang out. The drinks are perfect every time and the food is really good. The staff are very nice too :). They have amazing bagel sandwiches and dessert breakfasts. [bonus: they are dog friendly<3].

Fang Phattha

This cafe decor is really nice. The seatings are very cute. The staff was very nice. Just the right atmosphere for breakfast/brunch in pasadena. I think the pastries are great. They’re large and delicious. The breakfast plate is good, especially the scramble eggs. I heard their bagels are good but I’m not a big fan of bagels so I didn’t try.

John

Stepping into “Nostalgic Cafe” is like a warm embrace from the past. The nostalgic vibe here is both comforting and inviting. Every corner whispers stories of yesteryears, yet with all the modern amenities that make for a cozy hangout spot. The Coffee? Simply Divine. ☕ Each sip promises a rich and robust flavor, a testament to the quality of beans and the skill of the barista. Whether you’re a latte lover or an espresso enthusiast, “Nostalgic Cafe” delivers perfection in every cup. But it’s not just about the coffee here - their food options are equally impressive. We tried two different bagels, and oh my, they were delightful! Verdict: “Nostalgic Cafe” is more than a coffee shop; it’s an experience worth indulging in. Whether you’re seeking nostalgia, great coffee, or delectable bites, this place has it all. 🕰️🍵🥯 P.S. If you’re a time-traveler, this might just be your favorite spot.

Mei Chi Siu

Laid back, cozy coffee place with nice sofa/ chairs. We ordered lavender latte and double expresso. Both did the job of boosting us with enough caffeine for the day.

Edward Oueilhe

Amazing coffee, amazing, atmosphere, and a wonderful staff. Got here before they opened and they were still kind enough to let me in! I’ve been living in Pasadena for almost 10 years and can say this is my new coffee shop. :)

Elsie Zheng

This vintage-style café is a nostalgic gem with cozy decor and charming details. The lavender coffee is exceptional—smooth, aromatic, and unforgettable. A perfect spot to unwind and savor the past.

Christy Covington

Such a cute and cozy place to sit and enjoy a lovely latte and bagel! The staff was super friendly and kind and make the place feel very homey. They have alternative milks and their bagel topping portions are very generous. I particularly enjoyed how fragrant the rose latte was! 🌹

Luis Ciriaco

Love this place! The vibes are relaxing and chill. They serve fresh high quality coffee here and the food is simply amazing! They just opened and they are already up to amazing things Check them out! Staff is also very friendly and welcoming!

Kevin Buck

My wife and I came to try this place for their soft opening today. This cozy cafe has a cool vibe; complete with comfortable mid-century modern furniture, antique decor, soulful jazzy tunes, and a small-bites menu of fresh eats with a healthy spin on the classic brunch. We paired the prosciutto bagel and the French toast with the dark chocolate and matcha lattes. We also ordered a chocolate chip cookie "for later." The dill herbs and cucumber on the bagel sandwich was so refreshing. The matcha late, which we overhead is made with tea from Japan, was full in flavor and not too milk-forward, as with most American coffee shops. They also have several sweetness level options, though I did not personally find 100% sweetness level to be unfavorably sweet. I have been making my way through the list of the top coffee shops by state and Nostalgic definitely levels up with some of the best shops I've visited.

Great coffee, cozy ambiance, and beautiful decor! Loved the fresh bagels and the honey latte — perfect combo. Definitely a charming spot to relax or catch up with friends.

Panissra Naksompop

Great coffee, cozy ambiance, and beautiful decor! Loved the fresh bagels and the honey latte — perfect combo. Definitely a charming spot to relax or catch up with friends.

The place is adorable. And the drink I had (brown sugar latte with oatmilk) was very well made. However I probably wouldn’t eat here again, I felt a little bit ripped off, I paid way too much for the quality/amount of food I got. The bagels are not worth $17. Other than that? Good music, good coffee. Nice seating, nice staff!

Beautiful design. Great place to talk or study. Coffee was ok, not exceptional in taste but decent.

We went for the vibe of the coffee spot. We shared a guava pastry and we each ordered a latte. To our surprise they charged for the ice in the ice latte. The other drink was a vanilla latte, and there was barely any flavor.

Nostalgic Cafe is a quaint vintage-style coffee shop tucked away in the heart of Old Town Pasadena. This cafe creates an atmosphere reminiscent of the past as evidence by its light fixtures, aged wood furnitures and art decor. I think it is a blooming new addition to the Pasadena coffee scene, providing customers with a cozy space, a moment of peace and a delicious menu of coffee, breakfast, pastries, bagels and more! One can posit that the owners did due diligence on the decorations and layout of the coffee shop. We ventured to check-out this new cafe; we were perfunctorily greeted by a middle aged grey bearded male staff on the counter. I perused their modest menu. And I decided to procure a French toast x berries and a hot Levander Latte. The food was fresh, warm and delightful. Similarly, the hot latte was perfectly made to my liking. Service was on point. Staff were professional and competent. Atmosphere was relaxing. Indoor and outdoor seats were limited. Free wifi. Finding street Parking in the area is always challenging but plenty of parking lots. Overall, I enjoyed their latte and F/T breakfast. I will definitely come back and try other stuff. And I recommend this nostalgic cafe.

Abe S

Beautiful design. Great place to talk or study. Coffee was ok, not exceptional in taste but decent.

Al

The place is adorable. And the drink I had (brown sugar latte with oatmilk) was very well made. However I probably wouldn’t eat here again, I felt a little bit ripped off, I paid way too much for the quality/amount of food I got. The bagels are not worth $17. Other than that? Good music, good coffee. Nice seating, nice staff!

E Graze

We went for the vibe of the coffee spot. We shared a guava pastry and we each ordered a latte. To our surprise they charged for the ice in the ice latte. The other drink was a vanilla latte, and there was barely any flavor.

Carlo N.

Nostalgic Cafe is a quaint vintage-style coffee shop tucked away in the heart of Old Town Pasadena. This cafe creates an atmosphere reminiscent of the past as evidence by its light fixtures, aged wood furnitures and art decor. I think it is a blooming new addition to the Pasadena coffee scene, providing customers with a cozy space, a moment of peace and a delicious menu of coffee, breakfast, pastries, bagels and more! One can posit that the owners did due diligence on the decorations and layout of the coffee shop. We ventured to check-out this new cafe; we were perfunctorily greeted by a middle aged grey bearded male staff on the counter. I perused their modest menu. And I decided to procure a French toast x berries and a hot Levander Latte. The food was fresh, warm and delightful. Similarly, the hot latte was perfectly made to my liking. Service was on point. Staff were professional and competent. Atmosphere was relaxing. Indoor and outdoor seats were limited. Free wifi. Finding street Parking in the area is always challenging but plenty of parking lots. Overall, I enjoyed their latte and F/T breakfast. I will definitely come back and try other stuff. And I recommend this nostalgic cafe.

A beautiful place to sit and sip a coffee, read, or catch up with friends. But my iced vanilla latte was not worth the price. Found it flavorless, even after adding in an extra shot. -1 star for being totally tasteless -0.5 star for milk alternative surcharge -0.5 star for low price value

Arman Ahmed

A beautiful place to sit and sip a coffee, read, or catch up with friends. But my iced vanilla latte was not worth the price. Found it flavorless, even after adding in an extra shot. -1 star for being totally tasteless -0.5 star for milk alternative surcharge -0.5 star for low price value

While the place looks fantastic, I did not really enjoy the food. They did not taste bad, but the flavor did not justify the price. Also, seating is very limited.

Mario Ochoa

While the place looks fantastic, I did not really enjoy the food. They did not taste bad, but the flavor did not justify the price. Also, seating is very limited.

The service was not great as the server was glaring at me the whole time and her smile dropped every time I approached. I even tipped and wish I hadn't with how unfriendly the staff was. I had ordered a avocado breakfast bagel and while it wasn't terrible, it is definitely not worth $18. Usually I would justify it if it came with a variety of food or even a fun, weird, nontraditional ingredient. But something like that I would find from $6-10 with even better flavor at another local place. The interior is cute, so if you're grabbing a quick coffee to sit and yap then maybe it wouldn't be bad. But personally I would rather support a store that wants it's customers to feel welcome. A $40 very subpar breakfast bagel, regular cream cheese bagel, and 2 lattes experience. I would rather spend that much at Republik and get a tasty, filling, friendly experience.