I'm not excited about an AUTOMATIC GRATUITY. If it's earned people will tip. Play it straight Amara. Or just set the prices at the needed rates to pay your staff. No one is comparing shopping when they dine at restaurants like these so you don't need to set "competitive prices". We need more restaurants in Altadena but this policy is already a turn off. read more

The food here is phenomenal. I can't explain how delicious the arepas and churros are.

This place definitely has its own unique thumbprint. They've done a great job of matching the menu to the decor, creating an overall atmosphere that is veryyyy "earthy hipster"? "Humble hipster"? "Casually spending too much money on a meal I could probably make at home."? Jk.. kinda I tend to not love places that have menu items that sound like I could make at them at home, and that's what most of their options are. I do appreciate the amount of vegan options, and they have the "simple/organic" vibe down pat, but there is a lot flashier out there for this price point. So if you're having a lazy morning and you want a casual healthy meal, yea why not! read more

I understand we are living under challenging times and I want to support local small businesses but do a better job a providing customer service, especially when you are being tipped for handing out a take out order. P.s the food is good - I recommend the Amara Burrito. read more

One of the hidden gems of Highland Park/ Garvanza. The green and purple eggs are definitely worth a check out, so yummy. The Ragu pasta is also sublime. Awesome coffee and tea drinks. Staff is always super cool. Open for takeout in 2020 too. read more

I like Amara but I used to like it a lot more. The quality has gone down. The employees are not as friendly and they get orders wrong. The eggs are never poached correctly on the avo toast. Overall, they have great food and good baked goods. There's a lot of creativity and health conscious zest in the menu. When I was eating gluten free last year, I was very frequent. Overall I do recommend it but knowing how it was before, i don't go as often. read more

Really enjoyed my iced latte and my buckwheat pumpkin pancakes. And they have a handy reference sheet of ingredients behind the counter in case you have any food allergen questions. I thought that was excellent. The decor is interesting and cool too! If you really want good A/C, sit near the bathrooms. It was the coolest place we found. Also, I notice the Yelp! page says that the noise level is quiet. This is inaccurate. I had to yell in my boyfriend's face just so we could have a conversation. Pretty sure people thought we were fighting. It's cool, though. I really liked that latte. read more

They added 10% gratuity to our bill without notifying us, and did not show us the bill, and we tipped 20% on top of the bill plus 10% gratuity, bringing our tip total to over 30% of the bill. The owner, Paola Guasp, should be responsible for paying her employees a fair wage without passing on a surcharge upon unsuspecting customers. I cannot support such unethical, greedy owner. Shame on you, Paola Guasp! The food and chai were mediocre and overpriced. read more

Simply amazing . Everything tastes like it's made with love. From the spicy spicy chai lattes and vegan dishes and buckwheat pancakes and raspberry filled cookies oh my GOD . And the service is great You don't feel judged for who you aren't here. I cannot stop coming to this place read more

It's nice that they have healthy options but the service was terrible. I asked what was in the pancakes and the girls behind the counter treated me like I was going to steal there recipe. They are extremely distrustful and rude. It made eating there uncomfortable. read more

delicious food and friendly staff! counter style service with self serve cutlery and water. beautiful bright and airy ambiance. I had the gluten free egg burrito and we loved that they serve breakfast all day. they have tons of gluten free and dairy free options! food was delicious and fresh and flavorful. will become a regular here for sure. read more

Amara Kitchen - breakfast burrito! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Amara Kitchen is a small cafe but loved their menu. My wife and I went for breakfast. I had the green eggs. It's a decent sized portion and the flavors blend well. The beet purée and the purple slaw is what brought this dish over the top. It's something different, healthy and full of flavor. The decor is very simple and the service was great. The host was very helpful in recommending what's popular as it was our first time there. read more

Amara Kitchen - Green Eggs - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Incredible paleo pancakes and the purple eggs and green eggs are superb. I bring new people here all the time and they fall in love too!

Food is delicious, tried the breakfast sandwiches and the green eggs and both are great. Two small issues are it's a bit pricey for the portion and if you're dining in it can definitely feel cramped inside. read more

Food and service was amazing! I got the Avocado toast with eggs and salad upgrade with an expresso for $16. Will definitely return. I recommend this to anyone who concerned with health as most of the menu accommodates gluten free diets, vegan (not my plate though), and vegeterian diets. I felt welcomed and very comfortable here. The ambiance is like a clean urban get away especially with the background music. Not a big deal but deal but tgey should fix their light bulbs. Cheers! read more

Excellent food and pastries in the perfect neighborhood atmosphere of Highland Park. You can easily park and the wait time is not long. Order at the counter. I've had the buckwheat pancakes l, which are delicious and the chicken salad, which is also super tasty. The cookies and biscuits are to die for! They also offer homemade sourdough bread. My only issues were the large dog (yes dog) seated next to me and the price, which is nearly $20 bucks for a lunch salad and that's not including a drink. Plus, you incur an automatic 8% tip for the kitchen help and are asked for additional tip for servers when you order at the counter. That's a lot. Seems like when you pay $20 for a salad and $10 for a three cookies to go, the owner can pay the kitchen staff a fair wage?? Otherwise, it's a delicious spot with a lot of character and is not to be missed! read more

This place is the cutest nicest most humble wonderful place to eat. So fond This type of food. Simple good for you delicious. There is love in the prep of this food. The service feels warm and welcome. The owners are genuine hardworking down to earth tastemakers. They have a meal there that costs whatever you have. If you don't have much money. You can still get it. read more

Food is great, light, and healthy! I definitely recommend taking your friends here for a brunch or lunch. Oh, and get the matcha! Service is good. Parking: street Ambiance: bright, upbeat, casual read more

This place is such a great place to eat. The environment, the service, the FOOD here is top notch! The avocado toast is my go to meal in the mornings, and my girlfriend gets the green eggs and pearl & rose tea. Everything that comes out of here taste really fresh and delicious! When you stop by, get one of their famous chocolate cookies on your way out..you won't regret it read more

Amara Kitchen - Matcha green tea latte and pearl & rose tea. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Their food is organic and healthy, and all their items have great flavors! It's one of my favorite LA brunch spots. Everyone who works there is super friendly and kind, and it has a homey / mom and pop feel inside. I come here with a girlfriend, and we usually split the pancakes (so bomb). read more

Not the portion sizes I anticipated from this. When I was served the Ranchero egg pot, I guess I missed the "fine print", which states their "pot" is actually a 12oz jar, about 8oz of which is actually filled. When they served it to the table and asked if we'd ordered anything else, I asked where my meal was because I thought it was a side with my wife's plate. Nope, it was what we were charged $8 for. lol, what a joke! read more

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The gluten free vegan quesadilla is delicious. The Teff flour tortilla is just like a normal tortilla. I love the gluten free bakery items too. The focus on nutrition and anti-inflammatory ingredients makes this restaurant especially stand out. I wish I lived closer. Looking forward to coming back. read more

Went in today to buy a cookie. Felt ignored as I stood at the counter while the hosts were engaged in a conversation. The cookie was good but over priced. The place had a self absorbed feel. read more

My bf and I come here at least 2 times a week for a year now. The food here is amazing. We love organic and we love free range and it's hard to find restaurants that are that wholesome. We used to love the barista's that would make the iced lattes amazing BUT I think something happened in the last month. It's super watered down now. Maybe they don't have actual barista's? I felt like a snobby crazy girl telling them the latte was wrong. It taste very different :( I miss that creamy amara milk iced latte.... I still give this place a 5 star for the food and always keeping it up to par. read more

A must go to in HP!!! Go here. Great vibes delicious healthy food. Happy Amara is in town.

grateful to amara kitchen for always being so accommodating and patient with my food allergies. food is fresh and pleasant :)

I'd rate this perfect brunch spot a 4.5. Fresh delicious food at a quaint hipster cafe! The décor is very sweet and hip, and their pancakes are to die for! Not too heavy and not too sweet. My friend and I shared the following. Pumpkin buckwheat pancakes: [4/5] The buckwheat flavor was earthy and yummy, but the texture was a bit too soft for my taste. I wish there was more pumpkin flavor as well (but I know this is difficult to do since pumpkin puree has a subtle flavor). I did enjoy these but would probably try the Paleo pancakes next time. Side of scrambled eggs: [5/5] I'm an egg snob, and it's so hard to find properly cooked eggs! Amara does it perfectly. Softly scrambled so that the inside was still fluffy and soft and sprinkled with Maldon sea salt - yass! Jalapeno cheddar pancakes: [5/5] Believe the hype guys. I love trying new things and different flavors - I didn't regret ordering this! There were jalapeno pieces floating throughout the pancake as well as bits of cheddary goodness. They give you some wildflower honey to go along with it, and everything harmonized so well in this dish. These pancakes stole the show, and I'd definitely order them again. Also, the sizes weren't too big so I was able to finish my pancakes! Perfectly sized portions with fresh organic food clearly made with love :) Can't wait to be back! read more

Amazing drinking chocolate, arepas, and chachapas (like a Venezuelan pizza)! I ordered the Pabellon, which was really delicious! I really liked the sweet plantains! I tried the Merida drinking chocolate, which is good for beginners. Next time I'd like to try the Raymond (with salted caramel marshmallows)! The churros were just okay -- they were a bit too stiff for my tastes. I'm sure they would go really great with a thicker drinking chocolate though. read more

Loved the place, the ambiance and the food. It's always nice to find a good spot that is not crowded. It might have been that we went in for a late lunch, but it was the perfect place to have delicious food and catch up with an old friend. Not too loud. The natural light of the place was the right touch as well. Oh! Yes, the food was amazing. I had the rose tea, the broth and the quesadilla. My friend had the salad... the dressing was really good. Will be going back for sure. read more

Go here if you want to be treated disrespectfully and be over charged for tasteless pancakes. We were celebrating a birthday and what a downer to have gone to Amara kitchen. Food was hit and miss. The burrito was incredibly delicious but the pancakes were just flavorless. That really is expected anyway, most places have some great things and some ok things. However, the service was just horrible. With the exception of a very very nice male cashier who was super patient and happy. Everyone else that helped us seemed like they didn't want to be there. My cousin in our table had an infant on her lap and the server/owner! set a plate of the tasteless pancakes almost on the baby! We looked at each other in disbelieve and my cousin went to tell her in private to please be more careful next time. The owner (which she made sure to let us know) run behind my cousin and ended up telling her that it was my cousins job to make sure plates don't hit her baby. After that told us all not to do "that" since we were just guests in her restaurant. More like paying customers. We spent over $200 in this place I am sure. You would not want to tip that kind of service right? But oh yeah 10% tip is forcefully added to the bill before hand. And then you are asked for more tip before you sign. That was just ridiculous when you make a line, order at the counter, sit yourself and get your own creamer and sugar. Long story short healthy food that nourishes your body doesn't have to come at the price of decency. read more

My friend eats paleo, my doctor has removed wheat from my diet, and we both love brunch - especially PANCAKES, so we were elated to find this paleo- and gluten-free-friendly haven. "to go" iced lattes are served in re-used glass jars, which is more than trendy and cute, it's practical and green. I dig that. I had buckwheat pumpkin pancakes, and she had paleo plus. We shared the beef ragu, and the super sweet woman who took our order gave me a free chocolate chip cookie cause it was my birthday. I'm going to be honest. Gluten free is new to me, and those buckwheat pancakes were not the airy fluffy cakes I'd been craving. They're earthy, a little gritty even, but they tasted good, and what's more, I FELT good after eating them, so I'll eat them again. I did not try the paelo plus pancakes. I thought avocado and pancakes and syrup sounded weird, but my friend loved it. That Bison Ragu is the showstopper. I'd like to eat that every day. My very first gluten free (almond meal) cookie was satisfying and chocolatey. Amara for the win where restricted diets meet. This place is in a residential neighborhood, so prepare to park in one of the blocks and walk to the restaurant. The only thing I did not like his how HOT it was in there. We need some fans, Amara, I was sweating my buns off. read more

First-time reviewer here, and unfortunately it is to leave a message of real disappointment in the way the OWNER (her words) treated a guest at her "establishment". I was having brunch with my family when I noticed the waitress (owner) almost hit a baby in the head with the dishes she was about to put on the table. The baby was in his mother's lap. The mother said kindly, "Please be careful" and the waitress literally flipped out, got super aggressive, raised her voice, and started saying things like "it's not my job" and "this is my establishment", in order to show the mother some sort of authority? Not quite sure what her intentions were in saying those things, but she was aggressively in the mother's face telling her it was not her job to watch out for her child. I understand that she is concerned about getting the plates on the table as soon as possible and it was pretty crowded so lack of maneuverability was also a factor, but there is no excuse to treat a respectful paying customer with that kind of aggression. It was obvious, that as a business owner she had no real sense of how to treat a diverse group of customers, or understand how to run an establishment that respects all its customers. This is definitely NOT a child-friendly business. Please, Amara's Kitchen, let's actually start walking the talk, and when we keep preaching "community" 'till we're blue in the face, actually mean it and just treat your customers with some respect. read more

okay. I'll keep this short. dined here over he weekend with my boyfriend and another couple. i give the paleo pancakes and green eggs high marks on flavor but servings were way too small and service was the pits - over-priced, completely unorganized and the wrong format for such a small place. Notes to the owners: do not expect counter ordering to work smoothly if you don't have the space for it, seating wise, be more on top of bussing your tables or kindly inform customers of any bus-your-own policies and most importantly, HIRE MORE COMPETENT EMPLOYEES! i don't give one flying fart how cool your stoner friend is but don't hire them to represent your business. people are paying you good money (far too much if you ask me) for your food, it shouldn't be too much to ask to have friendly, alert, functioning adults running the show. wake up. read more

After Garvanzas closed I was really hoping for a place that had organic and vegetarian/vegan options. Lucky for me these guys opened up and I couldn't have been more excited. I know this review will be harsh and I hate to do it but they have made some big mistakes that I'm hoping they will fix. I want to spend my money on their food and I am willing to give them another chance in a month or two in hopes that they read this and clean up their act. So lets get to the review... I've been counting down the days until Amara Kitchen opened but my first trip there was a disaster.In my humble opinion they destroyed the interior of the space. They built a massive oversized counter that has no use, ruined the beautiful and new woodwork with paint, and have a massive refrigerator in the middle of the place. They spent months renovating a space that didn't need it. I was willing to forget about the unnecessary renovation in hopes of eating something tasty but no such luck. The first clue should have been the fact that the misspelled not only Paleo but also Pastries on their signage. Keep in mind these are two things they "specialize" in! When I asked the girl at the counter if something was vegan she said "i think so but it has eggs." I don't mean to be a vegan snob but what kind of "health food placed doesn't know that eggs aren't vegan." We had the pancakes and they tasted horrible. So bad that we couldn't finish them. If I spend $12 on pancakes they better be incredible. They tasted like something from a buffet from an old folks home. They were bland. We make vegan pancakes at home all the time and they taste great. I don't get why these were so bad. To make it worse we didn't get any maple syrup. We didn't get the "smashed avocados on toast" but why would they serve something I can make myself in two seconds. If I'm eating out I want to eat something tasty that I don't want to make at home, not the health nut equivalent to a pb&j. Amara Kitchen I really really really want you to succeed but I expect the food to be better. I know you just started so retool that menu so I can spend some cash and support our local food spot. read more

Decidedly NOT Vegan. I get it, you've got Granola. But serving BISON makes your restaurant not even vegetarian. Please re-categorize. Fair warning: this place is tiny, limited indoor seating and it was filled with hipsters... I ran away. read more

Great coffee or latte especially with there Amara milk. Paleo pancakes, green eggs and purple eggs are great anytime of the day. Love their chocolate chip cookies & raspberry thumbprint cookies too. read more

A nice place with a limited seating area. They have a goal to serve organic and local products. I ordered for here, a coffee and avocado toast. So early in the morning I prefer to drink out if mug not a paper cup. As I was sipping out of my paper cup I looked around and everyone whose who was eating here also had paper cups. Well that is not right? So I asked the cashier if are had a mug? Answer was yes. Thank goodness! A mug is part of dine-in experience. Too bad I had to ask. They want to be organic and local but seem want to create more rubbish than dispose of. read more

Amara Kitchen - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Place is great. But do not come here if you need to be out in under 10 mins (ie a to go coffee) - they are so painfully slow that I'll often call in my amara latte for pick up - ha! Still won't stop coming, tho read more

I live a half mile from this place so I was excited to to have a paleo restaurant in the area. Truly though, it really isn't paleo as the only meat item on the menu is Prosciutto. My personal eating choices aside, the restaurant has many things that need worked out before I would come back. Here are my ideas: Service: The partner who runs the register is friendly enough but doesn't seem to know much about the food offered. I would say she needs to become an expert on the offerings to help the customers with their choices. Price: The prices are definitely on the high side for what is offered. I would like to see items like the paleo pancakes become a larger portion or lower price. The fresh juice in the fridge was $9. That is just insane. Food: The food is delicious. Hopefully the menu gets expanded soon. I have personally had the poached egg on smashed avocado toast with added prosciutto as well as the paleo pancakes. I agree with folks who said that the smashed avocado on toast was simple but that is ok to me because the taste is great. They pancakes came with a delicious side of syrup but then, what appeared to be only one strawberry diced. I would have loved to had a few strawberries at the minimum. My final thought is that this place seems like a bakery with great pastries trying to begin a restaurant. The problem is that as a bakery/cafe, they only have one option for coffee and no expresso. As a restaurant, they have a severely limited menu and hours. Hopefully over a short time they can tackle some of these issues. read more

Meh. First of all, my beloved Highland Park is becoming so gentrified it's a poor man's Silverlake. Grr. At least be friendly! At least say hello and welcome! The staff was so dour and rude. Bleh. Then the coffee was bitter and tasted old. My hubs paleo pancakes were average and lifeless. My avo toast with poached eggs were the only highlight. But they were out of prosciutto! On a Sunday!! So yeah. Meh. Did they say thanks and goodbye? Well that wouldn't be hip enough now would it? read more

Amara Kitchen - Pretty good - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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