Amara Cafe & Restaurant

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.

Delicious Venezuelan food I had never had the opportunity to try until now. Reasonable prices, an array of dishes that are great to eat alone or share. Great for a weekend brunch with friends or alone!

Food was amazing. Service was so amazing. I'm so happy we came by and enjoyed a lovely breakfast. Such flavorful gluten free options that are healthy and satisfying is so nice. We came for the coffee, which was outstanding and left filled with lovely food and kind service. Thanks for the beautiful morning. 😍 Didn't get a picture of the corn pancakes because they were so good the disappeared before I remembered to take a pic.

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.

Who knew Venezuelan food was so delicious? This place really hits the spot, and the staff are super friendly and helpful. A perfect brunch spot.

If you love hot chocolate, thick and creamy, well then this is your place. I love the churros with guaba sauce (there's like 4 more options ranging from chocolate to dulce de leche). The plates and sandwiches are amazing, too. The wait is well worth it. Just make sure you go early because they are open until 3 pm or 4 pm on weekends.

Nice little place to get some Venezuelan food. The portions aren't huge but it was all tasty. We will definitely be going back to try the other food. They lady at the register was nice and gave us good recommendations. All the food coming out of the kitchen looked good. They have indoor dining and a couple of table outside. There is a parking structure right next door to them and if I remember correctly it's $1 for first two hours and $2 each additional hour.

1st time here and the staff were soooo helpful and provided some insight into the upcoming delicious breakfast we were to have. The capacha was a perfect marriage of sweet and savory with sweetened plantains. The super bowl was just a little bowl of things delish made to your order. The arepa just hit the spot. The churros with dark chocolate just flashed a sensation of Spain with each bite. Love this place! Had an empanada spinach and cheese... fluffy exterior and melted cheesy goodness inside

How have I not visited this gem before? Got here on a Saturday around 9 and my croissant was out of this world with its warm buttery goodness. Magdalena is a sweetheart and the weather was perfect so you know it was all picturesque and whatnot. My husband liked his veggie burrito and quad espresso. My cappuccino was also tasty. As said in The Terminator, “I’ll be back.”

This place is 10/10 - the food is so delicious and the hospitality was also superb (the host was super helpful)! We got the Hot Vamiila Papelon Latte, churros, and Cachapa Lianera.

Nestled in Pasadena, Amara Cafe and Restaurant charms with lively ambiance, chic decor, and delectable Venezuelan flavors that tantalize taste buds. During my visit to this hidden gem, the distinct hippie vibe and mouthwatering offerings captivated me. The indoor area offers respite from California heat, while the covered outdoor space lets you savor your meal amidst delightful weather. Dog lovers rejoice – it's pet-friendly.
Amara Cafe is a Venezuelan cuisine haven, dedicated to delivering authentic flavors. Don't miss their "Arepas" and "Empanadas." The arepas, brimming with mouthwatering ingredients, promise a culinary adventure. The heavenly cilantro sauce accompanying empanadas elevates the experience.
Promotions shine at Amara. A large lemonade for a dollar refreshingly complemented the flavorful dishes. The coffee deal, complete with discounted churro, delighted the palate. Staff warmth and courtesy enhanced my dining experience. Ordering is a breeze – pick, pay, and savor as your choices arrive promptly.
Amara Cafe, a culinary gem, exudes a distinct hippie vibe, authentic Venezuelan flavors, and an inviting atmosphere. Adventurous foodies and travelers seeking memorable meals will find this a must-visit. Delectable arepas, heavenly cilantro sauce, and well-crafted promotions create an enticing culinary journey. With two seating areas, including a dog-friendly outdoor option, and an affable staff, Amara Cafe encapsulates a delightful dining experience.
Ready for a culinary escapade fusing California spirit with Venezuelan flair? Amara Cafe beckons. Would I return? Absolutely! The impression it left calls me back to relish its flavors, ambiance, and hospitality once more.

The food here was amazing! Tried their espresso and got two different arepas and both were absolutely delicious. Customer service was super friendly and the manager had a good conversation with us. Would definitely come back again.

If I could give this place a 6/5 stars, I would. The food was excellent and the service was top-notch. It's a smaller spot with some indoor seating and more outdoor seating any nothing particularly special about the building itself, but what is average there is made up for by everything else.
Their menu is quite large, almost overwhelming, but one of the staff there took lots of time to walk us through some of their popular items and what they all were made up of. It's a Venzuelan/South American cuisine spot which is not something I had tried before so it was very much appreciated.
We tried a lot of items but some that stood out were the "Galipan Cachapa" which is the Venezuelan corn based pancakes filled with cheese and optionally your choice of meat. It also came with a side of beans and eggs. Damn it was so freaking delicious. Also had an arepa which was great, some churros with nutella, and a pastry filled with cheese and guava jam which I loved.
The service was also so friendly. Not only as I mentioned above, but they frequently checked on us to make sure we were warm outside since it was a bit windy and adjusted all the heaters to our preference. When my friend also ordered some pastries to go and it was taking a while, one of the staff noticed, took her number, and went to the back to bring it out personally to us.
I really can't get over how great the entire experience at this place was and if I'm ever back in Pasadena, I will 100% be back for another Cachapa and pastry. Also need to find a local Venezuelan spot closer to home. If you're ever in the area, GO HERE!

Such a delicious breakfast. The flavor combinations were unique and perfectly balanced. Everything we were served were executed perfectly. The service was also really good. Highly recommend as a place to choose over any other classic American brunch place.

Out of towner review:
One of my TOP breakfast spots to visit when in Pasadena. Amara is such a pleasant little restaurant. The atmosphere is outstanding, the staff are so sweet, and the food is to die for. Honestly, I purposefully make enough time in my morning to coming in, ordering an arepa and an Azteca coffee, and just sitting inside to enjoy the food and ambiance. It’s such a wonderful start to my day. I honestly would do this every day I was in the city but I want to keep my visits special and everlasting. There are few places you come across that hold this special place in your heart, Amara is certainly one of them. Enjoy!

I love this place so much. There are not many good Venezuelan restaurants around LA for some reason, but this is one of them. I come here every time I am around the area.

If you are in search of comfort South American (Venezuelan) cuisine, this is the place to be! They have such a great menu that offers many delightful treats. During my 1st visit for lunch, i had the Arepa (Pabellon-Chicken), Aztec Mocha Latte, & Churros Breakfast (Dulce de Leche). All were delicious. Kind & attentive staff. I met the owner Amara. She was sweet & personable. I came back during the same week for breakfast & more churros. Their empanadas & guava w/ cheese pastries are top! Definitely a highlight to my visit in Pasadena.

I was unclear who the owner was because all the staff encountered were friendly and seemed genuinely happy to be there. A coworker recommended Amara for great fresh food, and they were 100% correct! The chicken pesto sandwich with beets, plantains, and the churros was fantastic! Cute little outdoor cafe area in addition to some inside seats.

I had been wanting to come here for a while and I’m so glad I tried it! They have a kiosk and cash register for ordering food so it’s a quick process which is great. The people who work her are SO friendly and attentive. The manager or owner pulled my fiancé and I aside to help us order and give us recommendations. He made sure to add some special touches to our drinks so they were perfect. The Mexican chocolate coffee was stronger than we expected, so we were happy they added some whipped cream to sweeten it up. You can tell they use quality cacao. We tried the Cuban sandwich and steak sandwich and they were wonderful! So flavorful and well made! We were too full to order the churros and chocolate-so we will definitely go back to try that! They look amazing. I also want to come back and try the empanadas. I recommend stopping by for a lovely lunch with some great coffee and lunch options! They have indoor and outdoor dining. My father is South American and my family are wonderful cooks, so I really appreciated finding a place that makes quality Latin food.

I have come here so many times and I absolutely love it! The hot chocolate always impresses whoever I bring. This time I had the ice cream chorros and they were phenomenal! Any dish with both of us is amazing as well. They also have some really delicious coffee that you don't even need to add sugar and cream to.