The menu here has depth and a great vibe! Get here early because us foodies know this place knows how to make incredible coffee and food! Executive summary Service:5/5 Depth menu:5/5 Flavor:5/5 Location:5/5 Parking:5/5-paid or street Returning :absolutely! Homemade pastries, coffee is strong with quality ingredients so if you need your coffee jolt, this place is a home run! read more

Amara Chocolate & Coffee - How do you say no to this! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Was walking around hungry and so glad my friend and I stopped by! I ordered the Orinoco (spicy pork with plantains) Arepa which was so delicious! I ordered mine without cheese and asked for some hot sauce on the side- delish! The side of beets complimented the heaviness of the savory pork and sweet plantains. I washed it all down with a mango lemonade. Service was very friendly and attentive. I can see why it's a popular spot. Highly recommend this spot! Indoor and outdoor seating available and plenty of parking nearby. read more

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It was really good, my friends were pleasantly surprised. The food is new to us. The owner was very helpful. All the plates were delicious. Will be back with the husbands. Todo muy rico y buena atención. read more

A friend told me about this place 2 years ago so when he and his wife suggested we have brunch here...hmmm, might as well try it once and for all. Here are some helpful info and tips: 1. Parking - closest one is Schoolhouse Garage (don't ask me why the name but just find it) for it was the closest parking structure. First two hours is $1 and $2 for each additional hour, $12max. 2. Food - let me first say I love Venezuelan food and when we visited Miami, we went to this one place twice for we just fell in love with Venezuelan food and we have been looking for one comparable here in LA. We ordered the following: *Arepas pabellon - with pork as recommended by staff with Venezuelan queso and beet salad. This was just ok for me and my daughter said the same - could have used something else so not on the dry side. *Arepas asado negro - 12 hour smoked beef, my son liked this one and came with either coleslaw or beet salad. *Churros - with guava sauce (our favorite) and Nutella (just ok) *Venezuelan hot chocolate - wow just wow - thickest drink I have had and so good and rich. It is a cross between a dessert and hot drink for me. At one point, I dipped my churro in it for that was how thick it was. 3. Service - the servers were super, super nice and made us feel at home. They were all friendly and took the time to talk to us and we never felt rushed despite the long lines. Impressive! I was picky with my arepas but there are so many items I would love to try on the menu so will definitely return! read more

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Stopped by for a quick coffee and churro. Long line so be prepared to wait if you come with a big group. But it is so worth the wait. Churros are so good. Hot and fresh. Guava syrup was super sweet and flavorful. The latte was perfectly done. Nice and creamy but you can still taste the espresso. My friend got the Nutella latte and she loved it as well. I would want to come back for a full on breakfast. Order at the counter and you get a number to take to a table. Servers were quick to clean tables and seat people to help keep the line moving. read more

Amara Chocolate & Coffee - Guava and queso churro - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Great little locals spot serving up Venezuelan food for breaky brunch and lunch You order and pay at the counter, find your table and the food is delivered to you Casual vibe dining inside and out , we chose to sit in the morning sun outside and it was perfect on a cool day Food is fresh delicious looks great on the plate and you can see the care and attention that has gone into preparing each plate Apparently as I learned today Venezuelan's don't cook with spice so ask for the hot sauce if you like a little fire to kickstart the morning They nailed the coffee as well !! Great spot worth a visit if in the area read more

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I stood in line for my turn to order at the counter. It's a popular cafe place in Old Town Pasadena. Found a table outside and enjoyed my hot Nutella Latte, not too sweet. Everything was served hot and fresh! The only issue was that I was not made aware that the avocado cilantro sauce that came with the churros was additional charge because the empanada was good enough without any sauce on the side anyway. There was a charming guy who I think was the owner; he went to our table checking in on us and asking if there was anything we needed. He made my day because he seemed genuine. read more

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How have I been in Pasadena for 6 years and haven't gone here before? The arepas are wonderful: the combo of the meat, cheese and plantains provide a perfect savory-sweet blend that would satisfy anyone's taste buds. Also, can we talk about the churros and chocolate? They remind me of what I had in Spain! Also, I'm not the hugest churro fan because they typically don't taste as great after they've been out of the fryer for more than 5 minutes, but these were perfectly done and savored as we sat and enjoyed our meal. The chocolate paired perfectly well with one of their lattes! They have outdoor seating, wait is not too long, kid friendly, dog friendly. THE perfect cafe. I can't wait to take more people here and try more of their menu. What more could you ask for? read more

Amara Chocolate & Coffee - Madrid Style Churros - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Pasadena, California

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The staff is RUDE, I was excited to show my aunt this place and one of the staff member asked her to stand up stating "you cannot just sit down if you have not ordered yet" while I was ordering at the cashier, I am disappointed this used to be one of my favorite spot in Pasadena, they apologized after they realized that I am also Venezuelan, but well, it is what it is, save your trip and go somewhere else! read more

This review is specifically with respect to the iced Venezuelan chocolate with milk (although, I think you can ask for the base to be with water, but I didn't get a choice when I ordered). If you're considering whether you should order this drink, here is your sign to do it! The chocolate flavor has depth. It's rich, decadent and the level of sweetness almost teeters on the side of too sweet, but actually the sugar portion is just right. The price is high for what you get, but I think it's worth the experience. It's $6.10 (see receipt attached). Also, this cage is located in a hot spot in Pasadena. It's near so many other businesses that you can easily go to this place for dessert or choose to eat Amara's savory food (since they serve a variety of items). read more

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Small little restaurant with some outdoor seatings. Brought our dog and was ok to sit outdoors. Their food was soooo delicious The staffs were very friendly The guava dip was amazing for the churros. Although the churros were a little harder than anticipated. Will definitely come back again The nearby schoolhouse parking is very cheap! $2 for one hour. We came on a Sunday afternoon read more

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For awhile I've been meaning to try arepas. Finally got around to it here after doing a 5k run around the Rose Bowl which is very close by. Super happy I tried this place. The beef was super juicy and tender in the Pelua Arepa. The arepa had nice flavor to it and was grilled perfectly. The Aztec mocha latte had a nice kick to it. I got a side of tomato soup which I personally don't think was worth it price-wise because it is literally the size of a shot glass, not a cup or bowl. They also almost forgot about the coleslaw in the order. So it wasn't perfect in terms of service or cost of the sides, if I have to be honest. But I would come back for the very tasty Arepa and coffee. My friend I was with really enjoyed his arepa as well. Parking is easy in one of the public lots nearby. I think it's $1 per hour, so it's not bad. It used to be free for the first 2 hours I think, but that was pre-pandemic of course. read more

Amara Chocolate & Coffee - Aztec mocha latte and beef and gouda (pelua) arepa - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Pasadena, California

This is a small cafe serving coffee and Venezuelan food. There are outdoor seatings by the sidewalk. Service: You order at the register and food/drinks will be brought out to you. The cashier was very warm and friendly. You can also self order on a tablet. Seating is first come, first serve. Drinks: Hot Cacao Latte Amara makes one of the best mochas. They use 70% dark chocolate, espresso, and steamed milk. I like how it has a chocolate taste and a hint of sweetness. I do not like sweet drinks, for context I usually have to ask baristas at other places to adjust sweetness levels to 0-25%, but no adjustment is necessary here. Choco espresso If you like European hot chocolate (rich and thick) with espresso, then you will enjoy this drink! Bakery: For a quick bite, they have a variety of bakery items that are heated up for you. Empanadas (beef and spinach/cheese) I like how they have baked and fried options. I also like the avocado sauce that you can get on the side. Tekes These are cheese sticks wrapped in pastry. These are great for picky toddler/kids. Breakfast: Cachapa with Pork and Plantain I really enjoyed this dish and it was quite filling! This is a savory pancake made with corn, filled with oozing gouda cheese, spicy pork, and topped with Plantain. Arepa El Doe Sotelo This is a nice vegetarian and healthier option made with egg whites, tomatoes, avocados and a side of beans. Nutritious and filling. Dessert: Churros I like how they have many churro options. I usually opt for churros and a side of sauce. I have tried chocolate, Nutella, and guava sauces. read more

Amara Chocolate & Coffee - Cachapa with Pork and Plantain - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Pasadena, California

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 no longer works there and Maggie make the service amazing though. They are the stars of this café! read more

Magdalena is super welcoming and knowledgeable and she recommended a lot of good items to try. She gave us an amazing tour of the menu and the various type of combinations we can make with the arepas and sandwiches. They also place good music, perfect for dates, quick bites and good coffee. Drinks we ordered: hot Amara (Dulce de Leche) latte and an iced Condensed Milk latte Food we ordered: Cubano in LA and Asado Steak sandwiches And thank you again to Magdalena for the churro treat. read more

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What a phenomenal experience!! The food here was superb! Makes me want to travel to Venezuela! The arepas were juicy and made to perfection. We also tried the churros with the caramel and it was definitely an excellent way to end our experience. If you're in Pasadena, Amara is a must stop location for breakfast/lunch. Their papelon vanilla coffee will have you wanting another one tomorrow! We will be back to try more of their amazing dishes. Staff was also friendly and lovely. They made the experience top-notch. read more

Amara Chocolate & Coffee - Pabellon Arepa Free Papelon Lemonade - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Pasadena, California

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This place is a small, cute restaurant where you order at a booth and then wait to be seated and served. Waiters and staff were all friendly and we were lucky to be seated as soon as we went through the line to order -- it was a bit of a wait but not too bad. Most of their seating is outdoor -- they still have sidewalk service at this location but it's in a comfortable area, not too much vehicular traffic. The food was delicious Venezuelan food. The arepas were delicious, especially with the plantains inside. So many pastry/ starchy options so leave the diet at home! I loved their churros and their chocolate sauce was delicious. Their corn cakes were soft and sweet. Their cortado espresso drink was so good, infused with chocolate. Overall, a great place to indulge in a variety of Venezuelan food. read more

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We have been coming here for at least 5 years or more. This morning we picked up a to go order. Their customer service has been consistently excellent. You are always greeted and asked how you are doing by almost every person working there. And it is genuine and not that contrived corporate forced greeting that you might get at some of the chain franchises. They actually acknowledge your presence as a real person and not because they have been made to. The food is very good. Their almond croissant is so delicious with the filling inside. Their coffee is the best in my opinion, beating Jamisom Brown, Starbuck, and Intelligensia. The place decor is cute and it can get crowded on the weekend because this place is so good. Amara is one of my favorite because they are consistently good on all points. read more

Double macchiato, churros, Cubano and I'm waiting on my el vegano. Charming little spot with great food, excellent vibe, casual. Limited hours. Get the coffee and the churros, fools. Amazing. read more

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I am a Miami girl and I could shed a tear over this place. Everything is authentic and absolutely freaking DELICIOUS. I ordered the arepa with avo instead of the plantains- the arepa is so crispy and the fillings are amazing. Very savory! The tequeños are made to perfection and the guava is the best. Churros were great. Not pictured, but I also ordered a Leche con Chocolate iced. Arepa, 2 tequeños, and a Large iced leche con chocolate was around $35 with tip. I've had worse food for more money and this had me STUFFED. My friend had the sweet pancake, churros, and the darker chocolate drink- all amazing. Be warned!!! The chocolate is traditional- it will not be sweet like Hershey or Nesquick. It is amazing, bitter goodness. Chocolate that probably takes 5 years off your life. Maybe I'm biased because this place reminds me of home, but I told my friend I wish I could travel in time so I could eat everything all over again. I'm Colombian so this is probably as close as I'll get to having my traditional food in LA. Service was AMAZING. Fast and everyone was so sweet- bilingual as well. Ambiance was fantastic and they have some covered outdoor seating that kept us safe from the heat. If you are near Pasadena and are hungry- RUN, do not walk. I will not shut up about this place and I WILL be back! read more

Amara Chocolate & Coffee - Tequeños and churros with guava - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Delicious churro with ice cream plus delicious, sweet dipping sauce. Service was fast and the cafe is located in the heart of Pasadena. Cozy, comfortable ambiance with relaxing music. Highly recommended! Meter or street parking. read more

Amara Chocolate & Coffee - Menu - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Came here for breakfast and it wasn't too busy. Both the burrito and empanada was stuffed and had a ton of flavor. Even better with the salsa that came with it! You order at the counter first and then the staff will bring the food to you. Cute little causal place to eat and have coffee. read more

Amara Chocolate & Coffee - Spanish Burrito - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Good spot for coffee, hot chocolate and pair it with churros. They have an outdoor seating that's a good spot to enjoy your beverage after a day of walking and shopping. read more

You must go here! The food and the service was excellent! We are definitely returning. We had the breakfast burrito, ground beef and olive empanada and churros with chocolate. My husband is picky and he loved it! read more

While strolling through Old Town Pasadena, I decided to pop into Amara and check out their menu. It's been a few years since I've been in the restaurant so I forgot about all the Venezuelan food this place has to offer. They have delicious looking appetizers, plates, arepas and CHURROS! Since I was feeling a bit hungry, I got myself an arepa and a passion fruit juice. When my arepa arrived, I was blown away by the delicious blend of Venezuelan cheese and how flavorful the meat was. I could really taste the corn on the arepa shell, and ate the entire thing up. The passion fruit juice was super refreshing and very tasty! I should have ordered two, because my husband was not a very good sharer, and we were practically fighting over it. Great place to pop in for lunch or grab a nice treat! They have amazing Venezuelan food, and all of it tastes amazing, will definitely be back! read more

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This place is literally incredible. Everything I have ever ordered from here is a 10/10. The chicken pesto sandwich is one of the best sandwiches I've ever had in my life. read more

Amara Chocolate & Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Pasadena, California

Love this place. Their specialty is their hot chocolate and my personal favorite is the spicy chocolate latte. FYI, it gets packed on the weekends, so be prepared to wait if you come then. Service has always been good and consistent! read more

Venezuela/Spanish cafe with arepas, coffees, and churros con chocolate. Came here with a group of five after hiking at Eaton Canyon on a Sunday around 11:30am. Parked at the schoolhouse garage as it was right next to the cafe and is $1 for the first 2 hours. Credit cards accepted. You order/pay at the counter first then pick a table to sit at. Indoor and outdoor dining available. A restroom is available inside. There's a water dispenser by the side of the restroom too. The arepa was delicious and you can split one between two people for a light lunch. It comes with your choice of coleslaw or salad. They also have sandwiches, and the bread in the panini had a nice texture. We had an order of 12 churros con chocolate to split among the 6 of us, but we already were full from the meal so we only had 1 each. read more

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Had the Reina & Gouda arepa along with a guava & mango juice. It was good and the staff was very friendly and helpful with explaining their menu details. read more

Ordered a chai latte with Oat Milk ... proceeded to watch them pour whole milk. We I asked them to remake the drink, they called me a liar and refused. I just want a correct order, please. If you want over priced products, wrong orders, and no recourse ... This.is.your.place read more

Came here on a whim for breakfast. This place really was amazing. Everything was delicious and the staff was very nice. Will come back again and again read more

Amara Chocolate & Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Oh my gosh, the only problem with this place is they close on Mondays and I discovered them on Sunday!!! I will dream about their avocado toast. It's reason to come to Pasadena just for that. I do have to say I'm a little glad I'm far away because otherwise I would have Churros every day. Great people great food. read more

Amara Chocolate & Coffee - I took these photos to show my daughter. What a great avocado toast I was having sun-dried tomatoes and pickled onions. Amazing. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Fantastic hot chocolate, fast, and friendly service! Went to meet up for lunch with a dear friend and thought to try something we haven't had before! Heard they had a Venezuelan breakfast with corn pancakes and variety of meats and eats. It was so delicous!! Paired with a thick chocolate, really it the spot! You have got to try thier Venezuelan breakfast, nd though we had it for lunch, I would gladly eat it for dinner! The corn pancakes are sweet and savory, complimenting all the more salty and savory side dishes on the plate. Otherwise, I'll be back to try their unique sandwiches! Seating is minimal with a few tables inside and outside, which I'd think would be comfortable for a fifteen to twenty person capacity. It's small and unassuming cafe right next to the entrance of the Raymond building parking lot. The outside seating fine, though I'd appreciate it if all outside seating were shaded and not so close to the cars coming in and out from the lot. It's small but quaint cafe is very charming with its delectable specialties, signature thick chocolate, and friendly servers! Hope to be back very soon to try more!! read more

Service excellent everyone was very nice Food magnificent and everything fresh baked Ambience spectacular Very clean and fresh My husband and I will be back. It was my first time my husband had been telling me about it and I finally got the opportunity to try it. All I have to say is we will definitely be back read more

Wonderful service from the moment I stepped foot in the door to the second I left. I'm so glad my colleague suggested this place for a meeting. Everything was delicious: the sweet, the savory, and the liquid. Definitely looking forward to the next time I have an excuse to be in the area so I can try some more items on the menu. read more

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Loved this Venezuelan cafe!had the hot cacao latte and it hit the spot! Has the dark chocolate flavor likely from there use of sipping chocolate in their drinks. Also tried the La llanera for breakfast and I really enjoyed the corn, plantains, bean, cheese and avocado flavors with the sour cream sauce. Reminds me of other Latin American breakfasts I have had when traveling. From non-vegetarians, it comes with your pick of meat instead of avocado and the portion is large - I had a little under half left for a snack later. They have an amazing breakfast and lunch menu and I would stop by for a coffee regularly to try some of their other lattes. Back again a year later to try the arepas - large and filling, enjoyed the la suegra vegetarian option full of beans, cheese and plantains! Comes with sour cream but I recommend getting a salsa or sauce for a spicier kick. Their menu has really expanded and is very vegan and vegetarian friendly. read more

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Amara was lively on a Friday around noon but we managed to find a spot. It's also located right next to a large parking structure with 90 min free. As a churro lover, I've searched long and hard for the best churros in LA. While Amara didn't take the top spot for me, it was still very tasty. The outside was crunchy while the inside was tender, and the sweet and slightly tangy guava sauce gave the traditional churro a unique spin. I wish the outside was more light and crispy rather than hard and crunchy, but it was delicious overall, especially when paired with the spiced americano. Both the churro itself and the spiced americano-which contains chocolate-are VEGAN. I'd recommend giving Amara a try if in the old town Pasadena area. I'm looking forward to trying some of their savory items next! read more

Amara Chocolate & Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Pasadena, California

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¡La PEOR experiencia en un restaurante en nuestras vidas! 1. El sitio es pequeño. Tomamos una de las mesas colocadas en la calle dado que adentro estaba lleno y nosotros traíamos la carriola con nuestro bebé. ¡Ojo! No hay indicaciones claras de no poderse sentar hasta que se ponga la orden. Al ser la fila grande, comenzamos a poner la orden por su website y llega el que presuntamente nos dijeron es dueño, y nos dijo que si lo hacíamos así, no podríamos consumir el alimento en la mesa, sino irnos. Mi esposa tenía el antojo, así que tuve tuve que hacer fila. 2. Ya estando en la fila, este tipo aborda a mi esposa, por lo que tuve que elevar la voz para decirle que deje a mi esposa, que ya estábamos haciendo lo que él pidió, y ho le pedí que dejara previamente las cosas así, pese a la molestias. Él con actitud terca Intentó justificarse. 3. Puse la orden, y para mi sorpresa, comienzan a servir primero a varias personas que pusieron la orden después de un servidor. Y no sólo eso, en una mesa le llevan a alguien una orden en bolsa, como para llevar, y el tipo se quedó consumiendo en la mesa. A él no le dijeron que se retirara. 4. El café que pedimos con la orden nos lo entregaron hasta después de ya haber comido las arepas. 5. Una trabajadora nos trajo churros. Supongo para compenzar, pero ante el cinismo del dueño, sus nulas disculpas, nos rehusamos a tomarlo. 6. A mi esposa le gustó la arepa. A mí no sólo no se me hizo algo extraordinario (atendiendo el elevado precio), sino que hasta me dio diarrea, aunque pudiera ser también algo psicosomático ante tan desagradable trato y experiencia. CONCLUSIÓN: Sin duda fue nuestra primera y última vez que vamos. NO lo recomendamos. En el fondo me quedé triste porque soy un misionero católico que ha auxiliado a muchos hermanos venezolanos, tan pero tan estigmatizados a los países que llegan, y con venezolanos como estos, simplemente fomentan la mala fama, perjudicando a tantos migrantes venezolanos de bien, que tienen ética de trabajo, que son nobles y humildes. En mi canal de Youtube y en redes ya haré una reflexión más amplia para beneficio de emprendedores latinos que no quieran caer en el nefasto modus operandi de este restaurante. DIOS les bendiga christian huerta read more

It was my first time trying Venezuelan food & I could not be more impressed. The service was amazing - all the servers were extremely kind and welcoming. The food was top notch! You need to order churros & coffee - it's a must. The ambiance is also very nice - date vibes & dog friendly :) would completely recommend! read more

Amara Chocolate & Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Devine hot chocolate with churros. The Cuban sandwich was very tasty and flavorful. Great service, friendly and professional and seating inside and shaded outside seating. Pleasant ambiance. read more