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Amara Chocolate & Coffee

4.5 (2.2k reviews)
Open 7:30 am - 5:30 pm
Updated 3 weeks ago

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AMARA CHOCOLATE & COFFEE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Classy
Casual
Happy hour specials

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Recommended Reviews - Amara Chocolate & Coffee

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Arepa  breakfast
Matty A.

Meet Amara at the Pasadena Junior league, what an inspirational woman , I had to check out her coffee spot The food was amazing the arepa's breakfast and coffee were delicious!! And they are doggie friendly too ! They have patio seating, nice relaxed atmosphere !!

Avocado, eggs, queso fresco with a green mild sauce. English Breakfast tea with whole milk foam and honey.
Kim J.

I woke up early to jog around Old Town and saw that this Venezuelan cafe was open at 7am. When I was done, I decided to stop by and order their avocado/eggs/queso arepa and it didn't disappoint. The top part of the arepa is crispy corn, flat fritter while the bottom is soft and savory. The eggs are fluffy; reminding me of the omelettes they make in Paris (which is the best I've ever had). They give you so much that it's bursting out. I think they use half an avocado on top and ask if you want onions and tomato in the omelette. I agreed to it. I coupled it with a flat white English breakfast tea with honey. So perfect for an after-run meal in the morning, to power your whole day and start it right. There's 4 hour street parking but it's located where you can park in the lot for 3 hours free anyway. They serve churros con chocolate, too, as well as your humdrum pastries. LA Times mentioned them in their Food section of the Sunday paper and I can see why. Music is soft bossanova versions that may surprise you; Kiss Me by Sixpence None the Richer is more tolerable this way lol. Order at the front and you'll get a number. Staff are super friendly; you can bus your own table but if it's not busy, they will jump in to do it anyway. Muy rico!

receipt
Karla B.

I stopped by here before my Yelp Elite event while walking along Colorado Boulevard and came across this spot on Raymond Avenue; such a great find! This café is fantastic. The staff were incredibly kind and welcoming, and the food was absolutely delicious. My mom and I shared the chicken pesto sandwich, and it did not disappoint. The flavors were perfectly balanced, the mozzarella paired so well with the tomato, and the grilled chicken with pesto tied everything together beautifully. The vibes were incredible and I love sitting outside, especially it was more of a chilly morning, and they made sure to turn on the heaters above the outdoor seating which was incredibly thoughtful so customers that we're all sitting and eating we're enjoying a nice breezy cool day along with warmth. What I really appreciated was that it wasn't overly oily or salty, which made it even more enjoyable. It was light, fresh, and super satisfying. My mom loved it just as much as I did!! Will be coming back!

Crispy Trio Tostones
Wilson L.

Parking: There is a parking structure in the building that Amara is located in. It does get a bit crowded and takes a while to leave due to the fact there is only one path out. Exterior: They have an area out on the sidewalk with the canopy tents set up for outdoor dining. Interior: The restaurant is quite small with a couple of tables inside. Service: You grab a table on your own and order your food inside. They will give you a number to put on your table and bring you the food once it is done. There really isn't much service. Food: I got the Crispy Trio Tostones and shared an order of churros with my friends. The trio came with some beans, plantains, and coleslaw which went nicely with the tostones. The tostones were definitley very crispy. There was plenty of protein and it was very flavorful. The churros were a little bit disappointing. They were very hard and crunchy and did not really have much of a sugar coating on it. Maybe we just got a bad order? I might go back to try other things on the menu if I were in the area though.

Iced Aztec-Spicy Dark Mocha Latte Dulce de Leche "Amara" Latte Chicken-Avocado "Reina" Arepa
Ethan Z.

I came a for brunch after the Huntington gardens and admired this Lovely cafe. Though its a smaller sized establishment, it offers a variety of savory Latin inspired entrees, small traditional plates, creative espresso options, and tasty sweet treats. I love that the cafe offered something for each of our cravings. The spot seems prettty popular for brunch but luckily the line moved kinda fast and there was a table open on the side walk. Their menu will not disappoint. We decided to try a few items to share and lovely the quality of everything. The food was prepared somewhat quick and the service has very helpful and friendly. I'd consider retiring in the future for another quick brunch fix. Small enough to feel local, but efficient team makes it feel like a convenient stop if you're on the go.

Sylvia L.

I can see why their hot chocolate is a must taste it's made with dark chocolate, not too bitter, not too sweet, just perfect. It's a popular cafe with a big menu for brunch, coffee, and tea. Plenty of seating indoors and outdoors, and staff are very friendly and helpful. Located in Pasadena so parking can be tricky, but worth the visit. I had the avocado toast this visit and it was made generously with fresh ingredients. I'm definitely going to return to try other items on their menu.

Inside
Sidney Z.

We were in a rush having to do this and that on a hectic Tuesday at noon. Our schedule this day was "wall to wall"! Finding ourselves in Pasadena and needing to grab a bit to eat, we see this little cafe pre-lunchtime. My (very intrinsic) wife said let's stop there (meaning Amara Chocolate & Coffee) as I have a good feeling about that place? Yes, I put a question mark there meaning "you have a feeling"? Anyways, being an obedient husband, I pulled over. Well, color me surprised! She was right - Amara Chocolate & Coffee was excellent! This small coffee shop, first and foremost made one of the best Cappuccino's I've had in a long time. But then came a rather delicious Caesar salad but then the coup de grâce was this perfect guava and cheese strudel "Pastelito. This pastry was so damn good, guess where I'm going now!

Suegra - so delicious!
Vanessa C.

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 plantains, black beans cheese inside of an arepa. The chocolate is amazing served in coffee, ice coffees etc.

I loveeeee this restaurant the atmosphere is sooo amazing such friendly environment the staff and owners really know their costumers and make it a point to socialize with everyone. Can tell they genuinely care. And the coffee is amazing so many options to choose from and the food DELICIOUS!! I've never tried Cuban food until Amara definitely recommend it.

Front: Pasadena   Back: fire n ice
Jennifer L.

I hadn't been back to this spot in ages, and this time I just went for coffee. As usual, there was a line, but it moved quickly. I ordered the Dulce de Leche Latte with less sweetness -- it was still on the sweet side for me, but the chocolate flavor was rich and decadent. I also added the spicy chili cocoa topping, which actually had a real kick to it -- surprisingly spicy, but in a good way! Definitely a fun twist on a cozy drink.

Andreas K.

And once again, simply delicious: Amara latte and chicken/raisin empanada ... a dream in plain daylight. PREVIOUS REVIEW 2 Return for a quick late lunch bite, and once again was not disappointed lol. The Aztec mocha coffee was a wonderful blend of spaces, flavorful, chocolate and strong coffee. In addition, a chicken pesto mozzarella sandwich provided a well-rounded, juicy and at the same time crunchy, very delicious afternoon lunch PREVIOUS REVIEW 1 One of the best, if not the bestest coffee I had in a long time. There is too much starbucky mediocrity taking over where everything across each respective store across the globe tastes precisely the same. But fasten your seatbelts for Amara - such a full aroma and smooth texture ... that with closed eyes, you'll be carried into other senses and travel to far countries, until reality catches up when the cup is empty!! Aztec and Amara Latte are splendid. BTW there are - not to mention - also wonderful bites (eg empanadas) to eat, too many to list.

Emma T.

LOVE IT HERE! such 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 savories-- i recommend their burritos and arepas :) drinks are amazing, honestly super delicious coffee and I have yet to try their hot chocolate (really want to!! per recommendation from a close friend). For coffee I usually get their dulce de leche, it never misses. it's strong and perfectly sweet--which are the two things I'm extremely anal about coffee shops getting right. outdoor seating is so cozy and the weather in Pasadena is almost always great. parking is also stress free as there is a structure right behind it. I will always and forever recommend this place as it is the BEST brunch spot I've had. my friend group and I always come here at least once a month if we are able to. (also peep the photo I took of the churros last time I came here, honestly my best work haha)

Rosa R.

Been a long time since we've been here, decided to do our monthly cousin's breakfast here. Sadly not everybody could attend but those that did really enjoyed breakfast. Unfortunately didn't take picture of our breakfast entrée, but it was good. Others, enjoyed Arepas with their lattes. Customer service was excellent on all levels, from placing our order, to food being delivered to our table. Thank you for the complementary churros, we really appreciate it!

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8 years ago

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9 years ago

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6 years ago

If you want to try something new check out this Argentinian place here in Pasadena. Little shop but it has a lot of culture.

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7 years ago

This place is awesome. Great breakfast. Great coffee. Great hot chocolate. I don't ever want this place to close down. Keep it up amara!

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9 years ago

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7 years ago

Very good place, I love the concept and the cozy feeling of the restaurant. I do think the food is over priced for what it is offered.

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9 years ago

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9 years ago

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9 years ago

Love their meal & coffee!! Also their churros are amazing texture and very refreshing!

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6 years ago

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7 years ago

The best drinking chocolate. They've raised the bar of mochas. I also love their arepas, everything is so fresh.

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Page 28 of 56

Amara Chocolate & Coffee Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Amara Chocolate & Coffee

Will you be open tomorrow morning? New year day?

We used to enjoy your arepas and coffee in the evenings. Is your business still only open until 3pm or was that a previous covid-era schedule?

I beluevectgey are still on shortened hours. Was there around 2 pm friday and noticed they were taking out all the trash from the cafe as i sat outside. Makes sense now as it was closer to 3 pm when i left.

Do they have any vegan options?

Yes! Just ask. :)

Do they sell frozen tequeños?

Yes Bags of 20 uncooked to fry and 16 cooked to baked

What is the crowd like on a weekday during lunch hour? Does it get busy between 12-1p in the middle of the week?

Yes they get pretty busy you can always call a head and pick it up

Is there wi-fi?

No, and it's largely because the place is small and busy, and they have a no-laptop policy, as the type of loitering that promotes is unfair customers coming in, wanting to have a seat and enjoy some delicious food and/or coffee. Don't let this… 

Is breakfast served all day?

No it's not

Is it very crowded at noon on Sundays?

This place is pretty tiny and fits maybe 25 people inside max. My friend and I went there this past Sunday at 12:30 and there were no seats available inside but there were 3 tables that seat 2 people available outside.

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Venezuelan Chamo Cuisine

Venezuelan Chamo Cuisine

4.5
(567 reviews)
1.1 mi
$$

Firstly, the service is amazing. The restaurant is beautifully decorated and super clean. The staff…read moreare incredibly nice and the owner offered to get my dog water as we sat outside. The food itself is very much worth it, the Arepa is as beautifully cooked nice and crispy on the outside and the flavors were nicely balanced. The garlic and picante sauce paired perfectly. Nothing was over powering or underwhelming. I would def come back here again! Thank you for a delicious meal!

We drove quite a distance to see what an authentic Venezuelan arupa was all about. While it was a…read moredelightful experience overall, I would not be tempted to drive that far in the future on a whim. We ordered two Arupas, one cheese and one fried pork. The corn flour dough is salty and moist, almost the consistency of mashed potato, but is crispy on the outside. While good, the garlicky fried pork filling did not appeal to me so much. The cheese-filled one had a huge serving of chilled shredded and jack cheese inside. It was plain and the cheese not melted, but I really thought this one was the more delicious of the two. Shredded beef platter. Loved the tomato-ey sauce it was stewed in. Very rich tasting, and the meat was very tender. I would kill for the fried Plantains. These came with the platter and were ripened to a sweetness that is uncomparable.. Loved them. Black beans, well seasoned also came on the plate. Loved them, too! It was a real treat eating them mixed with the plain white rice and the overflow of gravy from the meat. A great choice. I am completely incapable of passing by an empanada opportunity. So, we ordered just 1 beef empanada which the owner made on the spot because she had run out. Big and showy. We had hoped for the spicier ground beef version, but instead, it was filled with the same tender, beautifully seasoned beef as the beef platter, but without the tomato sauce. The dough was fried, but had a different consistency than Cuban and Mexican empanadas, not tender or flaky as I had hoped. I would liken the texture closer to the heavier texture of a chinese sticky, rice flour even though it is probably made from corn flour. I was not in love with this dough, even though the shredded beef inside was tasty and generous. This is a very cute place with a very big heart. The owner is a lovely person, and was taking in generous donations, huge boxes of necessities to send to the victims of the massive earthquakes in Venezuela, June 2026.

Photos
Inside
Inside
Reyna Arepa
Reyna Arepa
Inside tequenos de queso

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Inside tequenos de queso
World Empanadas

World Empanadas

4.4
(1.4k reviews)
10.1 mi
$$
Established in 2012
Vegan friendly

This was my first time trying World Empanadas in Burbank, and I'll definitely be back…read more The gentleman working at the window was super friendly and made the whole experience really easy. I wasn't expecting there to be so many different empanadas to choose from, so I took a while deciding. He was really patient, answered all my questions, explained the different options, and gave me some great recommendations. I ended up getting the Beef, Chili Carne, Chicken, Spicy Potato, Santa Fe Chicken, and Spinach & Cheese empanadas. They were all really good, and I liked that they let me choose from three different sauces/salsas to go with them. Everything came out quickly and was packaged really well. They even included a list showing which empanada was which, which I really appreciated since they all looked pretty similar once they were in the box. I actually came for the empanadas, but they also had fresh pasta and decided to give it a try. I'm really glad I did because it was excellent. The pasta was cooked perfectly al dente, the sauce was delicious, and honestly I'd come back just for the pasta. There are still a bunch of things on the menu I want to try, especially the sweet empanadas, so I'm already looking forward to my next visit. Great food, friendly people, and a really welcoming experience. I'd definitely recommend checking them out!

I really wish I knew about World Empanadas sooner because I just found out about it and I have been…read moremissing out on some amazing empanadas! I ordered a dozen empanadas for the take and bake option. I love the take and bake option because it is like having freshly baked empanadas in my own kitchen! I baked them per the directions on the website and it worked perfectly. The take out window was very convenient and online ordering was easy. World Empanadas has so many empanadas flavors to choose from. I tried a bunch of flavors and I liked all of them! My favorites were the Santa Fe chicken, breakfast, spinach, and the chile con carne. They all had amazing flavor. The order came with a big serving of chimichurri and that was a nice addition to the empanadas. World Empanadas also has breakfast burritos that I am interested in trying next time. Since I don't live close, this is my new stop when I'm going to Burbank airport. World of Empanadas is amazing and I highly recommend getting their empanadas!

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Empanadas Baked To Perfection
Empanadas Baked To Perfection
(W.E.) World Empanadas. W.E. ARE EMPANADAS
(W.E.) World Empanadas. W.E. ARE EMPANADAS
World Empanadas will continue to provide quality food and safe, clean services for as long as our doors stay open!

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World Empanadas will continue to provide quality food and safe, clean services for as long as our doors stay open!
La Fonda Antioquena

La Fonda Antioquena

4.1
(565 reviews)
10.2 mi
$$

Food is so really tasty, the portions were enormous and the service is outstanding. The ambiance is…read moreno frills. Straight forward and to the point... excellent quality food. We went with the cheese bread and the mixed plate. You could have fed 4 grown men. This is where you appreciate true to ethnicity food. No messing...no pretending and no nonsense. I don't think I could have bought the ingredients, seasoned and cooked this for any less than what we paid. The table next to us ordered the fried fish...as full as I was...I wanted to taste that fish. La Finda Antioquena, thank you for a great experience. We will recommend this place and WE WILL DEFINITELY COME BACK. I would give it 10 stars if I could.

To begin the service is horrible. Nobody I mean we had two different people come up to our table…read moreand neither of them greeted us. The woman (Sandra) who came up to our table was to ask us to move to a smaller table. Mind you we sat there so we could watch the World Cup game as we waited and ate. She was so rude about it!!! Then the waiter to finally came to take our order was also rude. Didn't greet us, they lack manners. I liked one of the empanadas but they have a different name, other than that their food was bland tasteless. I came here with a Colombian friend who wanted to try Colombian food in LA she liked her plate but it was the most simple thing you could order, steak rice and beans. Would never go back here ever... oh also the place was filthy they should keep their tables and floors clean come on.

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Restaurant
Restaurant
Empanada
Empanada
Gas. Period. Fiyaaaaaa

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Gas. Period. Fiyaaaaaa
Island Flavors Caribbean Cuisine

Island Flavors Caribbean Cuisine

4.6
(95 reviews)
8.9 mi
$$

I loooove this place! It's so hard to find Haitian food in Los Angeles, let alone GOOD Hatian food…read moreand Island Flavors is definitely that spot. I've been here plenty of times now and love the staff as well as the party vibe ambiance especially when watching Haiti compete in the World Cup. I have ordered multiple dishes here and everything is delicious! I've had the Griot, Oxtail, Tasso Kabrit, Pate, Bannan Cups, Djon Djon Rice (black mushroom rice), Sweet Plantains, Bannan Peze (pressed plantains) and Passion fruit juice...basically the whole menu lol. Oh and can't forget my fave the pikliz!!! I haven't been to Haiti, but the owners are from there and brought their unique spices and flavors to Los Angeles. Whether I'm getting take-out or dining in, this food definitely hits the spot!

Glad to have found Haitian food in LA! I'm not an expert on it by any means, but married into a…read moreHaitian family, and we both were really pleased with the meal & service here. I got an oxtail plate, with djon djon & bannan peze. It also came with a little bit of salade russe (Haitian potato salad), pikliz, and sauce. The diri djon djon was so flavorful, definitely my favorite thing on the plate. The oxtail was seasoned well and pretty tender. The pikliz was good, pretty mild so I could enjoy it all. I tried some griot and thought it could have marinated longer. The portions felt very huge. The service here is really friendly and accommodating. The food came put after not too long of a wait and it was hot. The space is cool. It looks like an old diner. There's konpa playing in the background and games like Uno & Dominos available if you want to play. We also got two Haitian beef patties to go. They're legit! Came with pikliz and another sauce I never had before, it was green with a bit of spice and tang. The main downside is the location. It was fine in the daytime, but at night I wouldn't want to be alone as a woman here. That's just me though. Parking is metered on the street ($6/hr)

Photos
Inside
Inside
Beef stew
Beef stew
Legume

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Legume

Amara Chocolate & Coffee - coffee - Updated July 2026

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