Soooo gooooood!!!Garlic sauce and avocado sauce are so tasty!!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Vee Dinh
Such a cute spot for coffee and lunch. They have good sandwiches, croissant, and coffee. Indoor and outdoor seatings available.I ordered:1. Matcha latte with oatmilk2. Chicken pesto sandwich3. El doe sotelo - egg whites, roasted and fresh tomatoes, fresh cilantro, avocado and olive oil. Black beans on the side. This is arepas for breakfast with the choice of scramble eggPaid street parking is available for this Pasadena downtown area.
Rodolfo Hernandez
The place is cozy and full of people. The service was fast, the food was presentable, but the cachapas were salty, the patacones were small, and golfeados were delicious.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
Jen Sliwa
We love coming here on the weekends for a latte and brunch. Their arepas are hot and delicious. A great place for a weekend bite if you don't mind squeezing in a bit, but they also do takeout.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Galipan Cachapa Plate
Isabel Valencia
This small Cafe is to die for.The churros are amazing, if you want to indulge yourself, this is the place.People here treat you like you are home.Always busyParking: Next is a 90 minutes free parking
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Churros Con Chocolate Madrid Style
Jimmy Angelakos
?% incredible. The best breakfast arepas and cachapas we ever had. Very tasty, with quality ingredients, and made to perfection. Try the Venezuelan chocolate, it's unmissable, wonderful and thick and not overly sweet as is too often the case. Extremely polite and helpful staff. Definitely recommended!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Cachapas, Cacao, Galipan Traditional or Vegetarian
Veronica Torres
My friends and I ate everything before we could take a picture ? We walked around town and made our way back for churros. I love this place, and I have taken many friends to try this amazing Venezuelan restaurant. Easy to order, the waiter finds us our table, hardly any wait time to receive our food; always excellent service!My go-to: Beef Arepa Pabellon and Mocha Latte.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Churros Con Chocolate Madrid Style
Jenny Wilson
Fantastic!!
Michael C.
So we met some friends here for a Sunday morning breakfast for the four of us. They raved about this place as having "amazing" arepas, so we were really looking forward to checking it out. The place is busy and obviously has a loyal fan base. Why this is the case is beyond me given the ordering process, the prices and the quality of the food. Read on: You order at the counter, either off a wall menu or one that is handed to you. There was a line and I found ordering rushed and confusing. Maybe the 'regulars' know the menu by heart and the ordering process was less chaotic and rushed for them - it wasn't for me. Ordering at the counter might be fine in a fast food restaurant - not my favorite way to order at a restaurant that is charging the kind of prices Amara does. On the recommendation of our friends, I ordered the Arepa Spanish Chorizo and Cheese ($15.25) which is described on the menu as "Spanish chorizo, gouda, creamy black beans and your choice of scrambled eggs or egg whites." I chose the scrambled eggs. One of us ordered the "Galipan" Cachapa Plate ($19.25) It is described on the menu as "Gluten free yellow corn Venezuelan pancake folded with queso fresco or Mano cheese inside. Your choice of: Beef, chicken, pork, bacon or avocado. Your choice of eggs, creamy black beans. Nata criolla on the side." He ordered it with the chicken. Another of us had the Doc "Sotelo" Arepa described as "Sliced avocado or roasted veggies. Egg whites, roasted and fresh tomatoes, fresh cilantro, olive oil. Creamy black beans on the side" ($14.99). The last breakfast dish was the Burrito Bacon & Chorizo "Spanish" described as "Spanish chorizo & applewood crispy bacon, melted Gouda, scrambled eggs, avocado, sauteed veggies in a flour tortilla. Black beans & nata on the side" ($16.90). We each ordered a hot beverage. I just wanted a regular coffee with almond milk. The order taker at the counter asked me what size - showed me sizes - and I ordered the largest, making a point of saying that I was in great need of a large coffee at that early hour on a Sunday. What was delivered to me was a disappointingly luke-warm medium coffee. With no sugar on the table, I had to ask for some and was handed three packets of sugar in the raw - seriously - three packets. I pointed out to a passing server that I had ordered a large coffee and this one definitely didn't look large and she looked at order and said I had ordered a medium - which wasn't the case. Excellent service would have meant apologizing for any confusion and just bringing me the large coffee I ordered (and needed!) Forget the 'apology.' I just really wanted more coffee - lol. That didn't happen. The other four beverages included two cappuccinos ($9.60) and one "cacao latte mocha ($5.85). Our total bill for four came to a whopping $95.94 with tax but before tip. Pre-paying at the counter (like you would at a McDonalds), there was a choice for tip before totaling it out. The lowest choice was for 18 percent. Always sensitive to servers and the fact that they count on tips, I chose to leave the 18 percent. For the $17 we left as a tip, a server delivered our orders to the table - never to be seen again except for my request for sugar and asking about my medium coffee. When we received a copy of the bill I noticed that there were a bunch of nickel-and-dime add-ons. Three for 50 cents and one for 60 cents. The only one I could make sense of was being charged an extra 50 cents for almond milk in my medium-size $3.95 "Americano." There was a $1.15 charge added on for oat milk in the "hot cacao latter mocha (which was $5.85 to begin with). My friends who are regulars here seemed happy with their orders. I found mine just okay and certainly nothing to write home about. Given the order process, the service, the portions, and the quality of the food, I thought $112 for this sort of breakfast for four was excessive. Again, my friends who recommended
Nikki B.
Every time I pass by Amara there is a line out the door. As luck would have it, I was meeting my darling friend Brooke here in the afternoon and we were fortunate enough to find seating inside. (Outdoor seating also available.) Amara is named after the owner Amara B. Brooke had the pleasure of meeting her and said she was lovely and very passionate about her business and customers. During our visit Chef Maggie came out to talk to us. She was also darling. In fact, all the staff here were very friendly and take pride in their work. Amara features authentic Venezuelan cuisine. The menu is extensive - offering a little something for everyone (even vegans) and they proudly serve Jones Coffee. Their most popular items are the Venezuelan Hot Chocolate & Churros and they also have some delicious lattes. I ordered an Americano, and we shared the Venezuelan Hot Chocolate. It was velvety smooth, creamy, thick & rich. This beverage is meant to be sipped slowly and savored because it was quite decadent. The churros came with two dipping sauces - dark chocolate & guava (both vegan). The churros, which are also vegan, had a different texture than the ones you'd get at a Mexican restaurant. These were crispy outside, soft inside, and dusted with granulated sugar. It was delicious. You can purchase their famous Venezuelan Hot Chocolate to take home in addition to a variety of other specialty items including frozen empanadas & cachitos to bake at home. I'm looking forward to a return visit.
We were just in time before the crazy rain to enjoy some home made Venezuelan cuisine. Like it's from your mamas kitchen this little cafe is full of surprises! From chocolate to plantains, burritos to churros the menu here is extensive and delightful! Luckily there is a parking lot right beside the restaurant because the rain came down hard! Such an incredible service and love from the entire staff. Amara is so kind and proud of her beautiful cafe and she emanates love to all her customers and the chef Maggie was amazing, so talented! Will definitely come back soon! The food is absolutely delicious!!
Alexandra Montee
One of the absolute best coffee shops in town. Everyone who works here works so insanely hard and are so kind. I have never had a bad meal or drink here. The owner is welcoming and kind. If you come more than once they will make an effort to remember you. They always go above and beyond. Quality food. Quality Drinks. Quality atmosphere. Lovely lovely place and people
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Christiana T.
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.
D T
Lovely family owned and run local coffee shop. We come here weekly for our work meetings because their coffee is excellent and the staff makes us feel like family. Try the guava pastries!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kevin Roth
I had the churros and Madrid style sipping chocolate, and they were both incredible! The owner was so nice and generous. Highly recommend a stop here if you're in Pasadena.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Churros Con Chocolate Madrid Style
Soooo gooooood!!!Garlic sauce and avocado sauce are so tasty!!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Such a cute spot for coffee and lunch. They have good sandwiches, croissant, and coffee. Indoor and outdoor seatings available.I ordered:1. Matcha latte with oatmilk2. Chicken pesto sandwich3. El doe sotelo - egg whites, roasted and fresh tomatoes, fresh cilantro, avocado and olive oil. Black beans on the side. This is arepas for breakfast with the choice of scramble eggPaid street parking is available for this Pasadena downtown area.
The place is cozy and full of people. The service was fast, the food was presentable, but the cachapas were salty, the patacones were small, and golfeados were delicious.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
We love coming here on the weekends for a latte and brunch. Their arepas are hot and delicious. A great place for a weekend bite if you don't mind squeezing in a bit, but they also do takeout.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Galipan Cachapa Plate
This small Cafe is to die for.The churros are amazing, if you want to indulge yourself, this is the place.People here treat you like you are home.Always busyParking: Next is a 90 minutes free parking
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Churros Con Chocolate Madrid Style
?% incredible. The best breakfast arepas and cachapas we ever had. Very tasty, with quality ingredients, and made to perfection. Try the Venezuelan chocolate, it's unmissable, wonderful and thick and not overly sweet as is too often the case. Extremely polite and helpful staff. Definitely recommended!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Cachapas, Cacao, Galipan Traditional or Vegetarian
My friends and I ate everything before we could take a picture ? We walked around town and made our way back for churros. I love this place, and I have taken many friends to try this amazing Venezuelan restaurant. Easy to order, the waiter finds us our table, hardly any wait time to receive our food; always excellent service!My go-to: Beef Arepa Pabellon and Mocha Latte.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Churros Con Chocolate Madrid Style
Fantastic!!
So we met some friends here for a Sunday morning breakfast for the four of us. They raved about this place as having "amazing" arepas, so we were really looking forward to checking it out. The place is busy and obviously has a loyal fan base. Why this is the case is beyond me given the ordering process, the prices and the quality of the food. Read on: You order at the counter, either off a wall menu or one that is handed to you. There was a line and I found ordering rushed and confusing. Maybe the 'regulars' know the menu by heart and the ordering process was less chaotic and rushed for them - it wasn't for me. Ordering at the counter might be fine in a fast food restaurant - not my favorite way to order at a restaurant that is charging the kind of prices Amara does. On the recommendation of our friends, I ordered the Arepa Spanish Chorizo and Cheese ($15.25) which is described on the menu as "Spanish chorizo, gouda, creamy black beans and your choice of scrambled eggs or egg whites." I chose the scrambled eggs. One of us ordered the "Galipan" Cachapa Plate ($19.25) It is described on the menu as "Gluten free yellow corn Venezuelan pancake folded with queso fresco or Mano cheese inside. Your choice of: Beef, chicken, pork, bacon or avocado. Your choice of eggs, creamy black beans. Nata criolla on the side." He ordered it with the chicken. Another of us had the Doc "Sotelo" Arepa described as "Sliced avocado or roasted veggies. Egg whites, roasted and fresh tomatoes, fresh cilantro, olive oil. Creamy black beans on the side" ($14.99). The last breakfast dish was the Burrito Bacon & Chorizo "Spanish" described as "Spanish chorizo & applewood crispy bacon, melted Gouda, scrambled eggs, avocado, sauteed veggies in a flour tortilla. Black beans & nata on the side" ($16.90). We each ordered a hot beverage. I just wanted a regular coffee with almond milk. The order taker at the counter asked me what size - showed me sizes - and I ordered the largest, making a point of saying that I was in great need of a large coffee at that early hour on a Sunday. What was delivered to me was a disappointingly luke-warm medium coffee. With no sugar on the table, I had to ask for some and was handed three packets of sugar in the raw - seriously - three packets. I pointed out to a passing server that I had ordered a large coffee and this one definitely didn't look large and she looked at order and said I had ordered a medium - which wasn't the case. Excellent service would have meant apologizing for any confusion and just bringing me the large coffee I ordered (and needed!) Forget the 'apology.' I just really wanted more coffee - lol. That didn't happen. The other four beverages included two cappuccinos ($9.60) and one "cacao latte mocha ($5.85). Our total bill for four came to a whopping $95.94 with tax but before tip. Pre-paying at the counter (like you would at a McDonalds), there was a choice for tip before totaling it out. The lowest choice was for 18 percent. Always sensitive to servers and the fact that they count on tips, I chose to leave the 18 percent. For the $17 we left as a tip, a server delivered our orders to the table - never to be seen again except for my request for sugar and asking about my medium coffee. When we received a copy of the bill I noticed that there were a bunch of nickel-and-dime add-ons. Three for 50 cents and one for 60 cents. The only one I could make sense of was being charged an extra 50 cents for almond milk in my medium-size $3.95 "Americano." There was a $1.15 charge added on for oat milk in the "hot cacao latter mocha (which was $5.85 to begin with). My friends who are regulars here seemed happy with their orders. I found mine just okay and certainly nothing to write home about. Given the order process, the service, the portions, and the quality of the food, I thought $112 for this sort of breakfast for four was excessive. Again, my friends who recommended
Every time I pass by Amara there is a line out the door. As luck would have it, I was meeting my darling friend Brooke here in the afternoon and we were fortunate enough to find seating inside. (Outdoor seating also available.) Amara is named after the owner Amara B. Brooke had the pleasure of meeting her and said she was lovely and very passionate about her business and customers. During our visit Chef Maggie came out to talk to us. She was also darling. In fact, all the staff here were very friendly and take pride in their work. Amara features authentic Venezuelan cuisine. The menu is extensive - offering a little something for everyone (even vegans) and they proudly serve Jones Coffee. Their most popular items are the Venezuelan Hot Chocolate & Churros and they also have some delicious lattes. I ordered an Americano, and we shared the Venezuelan Hot Chocolate. It was velvety smooth, creamy, thick & rich. This beverage is meant to be sipped slowly and savored because it was quite decadent. The churros came with two dipping sauces - dark chocolate & guava (both vegan). The churros, which are also vegan, had a different texture than the ones you'd get at a Mexican restaurant. These were crispy outside, soft inside, and dusted with granulated sugar. It was delicious. You can purchase their famous Venezuelan Hot Chocolate to take home in addition to a variety of other specialty items including frozen empanadas & cachitos to bake at home. I'm looking forward to a return visit.
Restaurantji Recommends
We were just in time before the crazy rain to enjoy some home made Venezuelan cuisine. Like it's from your mamas kitchen this little cafe is full of surprises! From chocolate to plantains, burritos to churros the menu here is extensive and delightful! Luckily there is a parking lot right beside the restaurant because the rain came down hard! Such an incredible service and love from the entire staff. Amara is so kind and proud of her beautiful cafe and she emanates love to all her customers and the chef Maggie was amazing, so talented! Will definitely come back soon! The food is absolutely delicious!!
One of the absolute best coffee shops in town. Everyone who works here works so insanely hard and are so kind. I have never had a bad meal or drink here. The owner is welcoming and kind. If you come more than once they will make an effort to remember you. They always go above and beyond. Quality food. Quality Drinks. Quality atmosphere. Lovely lovely place and people
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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.
Lovely family owned and run local coffee shop. We come here weekly for our work meetings because their coffee is excellent and the staff makes us feel like family. Try the guava pastries!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I had the churros and Madrid style sipping chocolate, and they were both incredible! The owner was so nice and generous. Highly recommend a stop here if you're in Pasadena.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Churros Con Chocolate Madrid Style