Update - I tried the matcha granola, vanilla yogurt with blueberries. $6. They only give you 5-6 blueberries (see picture)! The granola is lightly coated with matcha powder. I am deathly allergic to peanuts and I asked prior if there were nuts in the granola. A barista went to the back and asked and came back saying no. I bought it and tried it, and it tasted faintly different from plain granola but I had such a small piece of granola covered with yogurt that I didn't notice until I started feeling really hot and my face started flushing which is the typical first reaction. I know they didn't intentionally make this mistake but I share because a mistake like this can cost someone's life. Thank goodness I do have an epipen and took meds right when I ate it, but I want others to beware and always be careful! For the baristas - please be more careful. This is really, really serious... I don't know if I'll be back to eat anything here for that mistake because I don't want this happening again! read more

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My favorite coffee place in Pasadena. A must go if you love fresh coffee. No other words needed. I tried almost all drink menus and so far all drinks have amazed me. I was hesitant on posting the review since I did not want a lot of people to know about this place, but I just had to. A must go if you are a coffee lover. Their food is also very delicious. They also have free parking for 90 minutes right across the street. read more

Copa Vida - Fresh Latte - New American Near Me - Pasadena, California

The coffee is average at best and they changed the hours and that information is not even updated on google. Overrated place.

Food and coffee are excellent! I have had one of their seasonal avocado toasts and green goddess egg salad sandwich with a cold brew and pour over coffee. Sadly, it is on the pricey side and sometimes finding a table can be difficult during weekend brunch. Atmosphere is mellow and doesn't get too loud, which is nice! read more

Copa Vida is a decent place to grab coffee, tea, and/or breakfast and lunch items. It's conveniently located in Old Town Pasadena with street parking and 90 minutes of free structure parking across the street. I'm not much of a coffee or tea drinker, so my review is strictly based on a couple dishes (which probably isn't very fair considering they seem to be more geared towards the coffees and teas). I had the Chorizo Breakfast Burrito and I thought it was pretty good. The chorizo was tasty, as were the eggs and hash browns. It wasn't the best breakfast burrito I've had, but it certainly wasn't bad. My wife got the Traditional French Toast, which I thought was better than the BB. The bread itself was thick and not too light or dense. As usual, it was a very sweet dish, so I wouldn't have finished the whole thing on my own. The Baked Eggs were my least favorite. I was picturing more of a baked egg scramble and more flavor, but it turned out to be neither. I'd pass on this. It's a nice place to study (if it's not busy) or meet up with friends, but I probably won't return until I become a coffee or tea drinker since the food is a little overpriced for what it is. read more

Wow! One of the best lattes I have ever had! Really friendly staff. Very very good croque madam; thick, perfectly toasted, house-made bread, excellent gruyere, generous portion of ham, and by far the most fabulous presentation I have ever seen for that specific dish. Quick service. read more

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Dear Copa Vida, I haven't had a bad experience here until today at approximately 11:30am. We came in very good spirits - ordered two brunch entrees - the French toast and chorizo hash - along with a masala chai and genmaicha green tea. They were all great and delicious. What was disappointing was the customer service today. We get that it was very busy and you guys were supposedly backed inside the kitchen. Upon being informed this, we waited patiently for another 15 minutes - on top of the 35 minutes or so we were waiting after putting our orders in - before we inquired about our entrees. Then the unthinkable was happening - you guys were serving everyone else's entrees to patrons who came wayyyyyyyy after we were even there! That's what upsetting the most...and you guys were not even a bit remorseful or apologetic about it. It's sad to see that customer service has become a rather lost art at your coffee shop. That said, I most likely won't be coming in or recommending this place to my friends or even readers anytime soon. I hope this review is informative for both the management and service staff. read more

As a disclaimer, I was sent out here before the store opened, by my editor at a magazine I write for to do a profile on this place. What resulted has been a months-long love affair. Here, I learned more about the coffee I drink, the ways to prepare it, where it comes from, and what it means to have a vertically integrated and ethical source for the things that we consume. I knew a little about organic/fair-trade production and farming before, but Steve, the owner here, enlightened me on how we should go above and beyond the normal business practices that only require the minimum amount to label our products organic or "fair-trade." The experience here is wonderful also. The storefront takes over where redwhite+bluezz used to be (the have moved to a different location). The decor is wonderful with little wood details everywhere. I believe that one of the staff here was involved in making these little details himself! The decor seems much more upscale than a coffee shop calls for and it's a nice touch that elevates the experience. There's plenty of room here, free-wifi, and plenty of outlets by the seats near the walls. The owner, Steve, has told me that he wants Copa Vida to be the kind of place people can use as their 3rd space---the place they can really live in outside of their work and home. I've been known to write and edit articles here for hours and hours at a time, so I suppose he was successful in creating that kind of space. The food is a revelation, carefully crafted by their chef and designed to taste amazing with all the drinks they serve here. Their kale salad has made me a convert to raw kale (previously I only consumed kale in cooked form... usually kale chips). The turkey melt is particularly good, but really messy to eat. I only have just figured out that I could cut it and eat it with a fork to avoid the delicious buttery ooze all over my hands... My best friend is vegan, and we've come here to great success. They have only one item on the menu that is fully vegan without customization, but you can remove the cheese from the kale salad to make it vegan as well. The farro salad is the vegan item here, and it is amazing. I've never had farro before, but it's a really delicious grain and here it is tossed with a wonderful ginger-soysauce glaze, and some shitake mushrooms and eggplants and other veggies. It is like a fried rice in salad form, and my friend seems to love it enough that we end up coming here quite often together. The coffee is lovely. I wouldn't drink their tap selections (it really isn't that great and has been sitting there for a while...), but their espresso drinks are across the board strong and consistent. If you are a fan of sugar and syrups as I am, their in-house vanilla syrup is a wonderful addition to any drink. If you don't specify how sweet you want the drink though, it tends to be TOO sweet when you ask for the syrup in it, at least for my liking. I haven't had the pour-overs yet but I've brought home the beans they stock here to make the pour-over myself and I can say the quality of the beans is good. The tea here is another hidden gem not enough people talk about. They are carefully and gently brewed and are full of flavor but without the unpleasant acidity or bitterness that can come from overbrewing. They have lots of choices, and being from Taiwan I'm particularly fond of the oolong choices. Their iced teas are also exceptional. If you are looking for a more thorough and educational experience, they offer tastings/cuppings/classes, usually on the weekend, so you can learn more about what you are drinking and compare the different choices and flavors side by side. These seems to range from $15-20 in the times I've noticed their listings. The staff here is without exception knowledgeable, helpful, and super friendly. Talk to them and ask about the coffee you are drinking and where it comes from! You won't regret it and you will learn so much. read more

+ great espresso + spacey interior + good color palette + very friendly staff - a bit pricey for their lunches + delicious tasting sandwiches + extra side salad for only 1$ + easy parking + good place to relax for a while and study read more

I'm a sucker for aesthetic cafes and Old Town Pasadena. I came to Copa Vida with friends to study on a Sunday morning and was super excited as this was my first Old Town Pasadena cafe experience. On a Sunday morning, Copa Vida was buzzing with people studying and families have Sunday brunch. I ordered an avocado toast ($10) that was pretty satisfying considering the toast was was thick and the avocado was hearty. The chili sauce they used gave it a little kick but it wasn't overpowering. I also ordered a hibiscus lemonade that was super refreshing. I also tried some of my friend's huckleberry donut, which was really delicious too. It was crumbly and rich at the same time. I didn't realize that when I arrived that there would be no wifi till 3pm on weekends, but I luckily didn't need wifi to do what I needed to do. I had to leave earlier than I wanted to though because my laptop started to die and I couldn't really find an outlet nearby. I couldn't really find any outlets really. This probably isn't the best place to study on a weekend in general. The place was filled with families with small children and it was hard to concentrate. It's probably a nicer place to study on weekdays. For a brunch spot though, I really recommend it! It's cozy and warm and the no wifi gets you to talk to people more! Everyone who works there was really nice as well! Overall, I really liked Copa Vida but more for brunching than for studying. Tips: There is street parking BUT it's coins only. There's a structure right across the street and another structure a block down that's for the metro where it's 90 minutes free. Do make sure you exit the structure within 90 minutes too, especially because weekends are busy. I was a few minutes late and since everything was automatic I had to shell out the $2 for parking. read more

TRENDY and EXPENSIVE. their homemade gourmet pastries (available from 11-3), like their pistachio kumquat croissant was about the size of your palm and ran more than 3$, close to 4$ with tax and all. a cup of coffee (latte in my case) starts at 4.50$ and surprisingly, the white tea was less at 3.25$. loved my white tea, was ok with the croissant ... too much kumquat filling - overwhelming. coffee was good and strong (prefer antigua's in alhambra) --- turned out to be a bit too bitter for our taste. why people come here... and i understand the up sell. it's expensive to rent here. it's a cool space with good drinks, plus they have an honor bar where you watch they make your drinks (typically a pour over, drip, etc). they even have this intense getup for making your tea which'll fascinate the kid in you. i guess all this adds up. i guess you pay for that and also being in pasadena. but before warned, your wallet will quickly shrink. "free parking" across the street for first 90 minutes in the green street lot. read more

I like this place a lot. Nice atmosphere. Great customer service. It's very similar to Urth's Cafe but this one seems to be more appropriate for students. If you want to work on your computer, this is the place. Great location too! read more

Careful when you come here, youll be sitting amongst thieves... My iphone was stolen from this place, between ordering coffee and the fixings section. Asked the baristas if they had seen a phone, if someone turned it in, etc...interestingly enough, they shrugged their shoulders and pretended to care, but didnt even bother to look or come around from the backbar and help me search, they continued emotionally singing a Bill Withers song. After several minutes of searching, one of the baristas finally offered up his phone, to sign into find my iphone device remotely - it had already been turned off. That person was still in the cafe, with my phone - and none of the employees even offered to help go table to table to ask patrons and find this dishonest person. I know there are a lot of students that visit this place with very expensive macs, ipads, pc laptops etc - be careful with your belongings here! Dont even go to bathroom and think your things are safe here because they are not. After this incident, you can only imagine the coffee left a really bad taste in my mouth. read more

Guava kombucha - Overpriced for what it was. I've gotten a larger sized kombucha from tap that tasted better for about the same price in New York. This one was slightly too sweet and the vinegary-ness came in waves, getting stronger towards the end. The mint brulee drink was way too sweet. I thought this would be like Philz mint mojito drink, but it was no where near as minty fresh as Philz. Also, the drink didn't come very hot. read more

Their toast are good, but I really enjoy their Chorizo egg & hash. Haven't tried their coffee/espresso here yet. Maybe next time. But their tea is not bad, I had the dragon tea. read more

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I had to kill some time before going next door. I figured this place was a coffee shop. People sat inside reading, drinking coffee, and looking at computers. I went in, and ordered an iced tea. Guy behind the counter asked which kind, and gestured to a paper menu. I saw really three long descriptions. I pointed to the one that said "Green" in the really long description. He then filled a cup with ice, and worked some kinda tea machine he had set up. I watched with curiosity as water and tea leaves bubbled up into the contraption, and then the tea-water bubbled back down into the cup of ice. He handed it to me, and had me swipe my card through his i-pad. $4.00 Behind the counter Guy handed me the cup of iced tea, which I took to the back of the shop to drink. My first sip of the iced tea was terrible. Each sip after was like medicine. I hoped for as dreadful as it tasted, it antied every single oxidant right out of my body. The wi-fi was also pretty dreadful. I found myself turning and twisting to find a good signal. I eventually ended up precariously balanced on the stool, pointed directly in the direction of the restroom. I got a few dirty looks by women coming out. Great...this isn't creepy at all on my part. After finishing my iced tea, eventually I gave up on the wi-fi, and left to wander the streets of Pasadena. P.S. This place very well might have absolutely magical pastries, sandwiches and coffee. I'm just reviewing on the iced tea I had. read more

Copa Vida - This stuff was horrible. Green Tea. For as bad as it tasted, I really hope it was ridiculously good for me. - New American Near Me - Pasadena, California

Hello Copa Vida, goodbye Intelli! Woohoo, I'm so glad they are now open. And thank you, Copa Vida for the super awesome opening night. They did an incredible job, under so much stress, with all of Pasadena showing up. Something different and very nice are the cold coffee and cold tea taps! I think it's $2 during rush hour weekday mornings, self serve. Brilliant. Pastries by Cake Monkey. Pasadena very much needed this high level coffee place. The space is large, but there's something about how it's organized in the main room that feels odd to me. Also, I prefer to sit in the main room, but there are no regular tables and chairs. There's the seating along the wall occupied by kids on computers, then the tall tables with tall chairs. And all that remains is the window bar seating. The back/second room is too dark. The main room is large, light and bright, but totally lacking in seating. Anyway, I'm glad they are here. Park in the schoolhouse structure for a free 90 minutes. read more

Update on my review. So this place is nice and spacious but here is no wifi on the weekends- major bummer. With so many coffee shops in the area it definitely doesn't make sense. I came in at 8am with my laptop in hand. The place was empty so in thinking great I can knock out a few hours of work. After ordering a latte to stay I sit down and think my computer is acting up. Nope! I asked the barista the wifi info and it's off. Took my latte to go and headed to coffee bean. read more

Really good coffee and tea. We had a london fog tea latte and the shakerato, and both were very good. A shakerato is a triple shot latte sweetened with agave. I typically don't sweeten my lattes, especially at a good coffee place that roasts their own beans, but they really didn't over-sweeten it. The food ranged from mediocre to shitty and overpriced. The chorizo hash was way too salty and just overwhelms the taste buds. The chicken salad sandwich was very dry and flavorless. They don't chop the chicken at all and basically serve you giant chunks of cold chicken breast on a tasteless piece of bread. Tomato soup wasn't anything special and the bread they use just plain sucked. You shouldn't pay this much for shitty brunch food. At least it's a nice space to meet up people and have good coffee. There are a ton of people here so it's a lively scene too. Just don't expect much from the food. read more

So good! Iced vanilla latte tasted great! Service was great! I love the vibe of the coffee shop overall! My friend got a peppermint tea and she truly enjoyed it! read more

Free WiFi. Great location. Amazing coffee. The place is much bigger on the inside. Plenty of seating for 1, 2 or 4 people. We had to walk around a few times, but found a cozy seat for 2 in less than two minutes. Coffee comes out quick. The chai was delicious and macchiato, too. Tried a delicious cranberry apple tart, but will definitely come back again to try more of their offerings. read more

Copa Diva is a fine coffee place unlike your original go to coffee spots. They got what I would call style, contemporary ones. Arrived around 10 am on a breezy Sunday and the line wasn't too bad. There're two "order-here", one at the counter and one wireless. Yes, wireless! There's one person floating around with an iPad taking orders when the line gets too long. I could go on and on talking about the decor and all that but do you actually care? I don't think so since it didn't matter to me... I got to try one of the holiday drinks called fall cappuccino* or maybe there were just special drinks; I'm not so sure. I swear it was the longest wait time ever because I was extremely excited for the coffee! If you are in love with coffee, you shall know what I mean, wink* The coffee was slightly bitter but overall interesting. Sadly my coffee come out really tiny (size wise) for $5...but this does not stop me from revisiting them again. read more

This spot is popping with the locals so if you're here to study or meet with friends make sure to give yourself some time to find a table! The cafe is larger than most with about 20-25 table or counter top spots some seating up to four people, so there's a good rotation of people coming and going. I'm coffee addict but after a long day at work and it being so late in the day I surprised myself by ordering one of their speciality tea cocktails. I can't remember the tea type but it was mixed with a little bit of tonic water and lightly sweetened with honey. It sounds so simple but it was SO refreshing! If it didn't run $5 a cup, I definitely would have ordered several! I met here to study with my sister and felt comfortable our whole stay. WiFi worked great with only occasional lag. I'll definitely be back to try their coffee! read more

A lovely place to get brunch with a few friends, or post yourself in a corner for a few hours and get some work done. Plenty of tables, brightly lit, and multiple rooms. The baristas are amicable, and they played 80s jams all day today :) While the lattes are slightly smaller in size than other coffee shops, they are PACKED with caffeine. Free parking for 90 minutes in the structure down the street, and Amara Chocolate across! read more

This place is pretty overrated. Every time I come to give it another chance it leaves me disappointed. The first time I came I got a drip coffee and they only had weird fruit infused coffees, so I picked the cheapest one (which still wasn't cheap) and later discovered it was infused with pineapple. Yuck! The second time I came in I came for a cup of tea before work. I had 15 minutes before my shift started and there was no line. I figured id be in and out in a couple of minutes. NOPE. It took 10 minutes for the tea to be steeped and 3 more minutes for the barista to stop talking to his friend to hand the tea over to me. Let me say that running down the street with a hot cup of tea isn't the most pleasant way to start the morning. Just went back for the third time today, to get tea again. Not surprised that it took forever to put loose leaf tea into hot water and then into a cup. I really wanted to like this place since it's so close to my work, but I'll be going elsewhere from now on. read more

French toast is great, highly recommend it. Good hearty salads too. Friendly people, comfortable atmosphere. 12 OZ coffees shouldn't be $4.25, though! WiFi is disabled for the weekend -- odd. All-in-all, recommend (but hop over to Coffee Bean if you just want coffee). read more

Very Nice Clean place I love the espresso machine. If i had enough counterspace it would be mine! They carry a variety of coffee makers such as hario, aeropress and more. I love coffee so I love getting new coffee contraptions. So far I still think the vietnamese style still brews the strongest cup of coffee, but I have my own secret method. ^__^ Live Music on Friday nights. Overall. Definitely a place to come check out read more

Live the coffee here but be ready to pay a pretty penny for it! Just ordered a vanilla latte w almond milk for $6.35! 75 cents extra for their in- house vanilla and 75 cents extra for almond milk. Next time I'll bring my laptop and take advantage of the free wifi to get my money's worth! read more

When I think of an ideal coffee shop, I think of comfortable seating , ample walking space, couches, a small patio, wifii, decent pastries, and obviously good coffee. This place doesn't have it all, but it's pretty close. I enjoyed my Latte. They have a small food menu that I haven't tried yet. It's conveniently located across the street from a parking structure that offers 90 min. free parking. read more

Yay, Shakerato! Boo, empty wallet... I love the atmosphere of this place. Plenty of space to navigate, to sit, to talk. Contemporary, quaint furniture, from barstools to wooden seats, tall informal counter to small intimate table. In the adjacent room to the front entrance and order/ pick-up counter are many bigger tables for convenient studying. Again, great atmosphere. I saw only a few different faces working the then busy shop, but they seemed to do it efficiently and maintained a friendly manner doing so. The older man and woman never failed to smile at any passing customer and even start a chat here and there. The younger girl who took our order was pleasantly patient as we slowly decided on our drinks: the shakerato and the latte, both iced. For almost $5 per drink, I expected something more than 12-16 ounces. But I forgive them, because the shakerato is exquisite! I was told that it is a latte with two shots of espresso and some agave nectar. It's so good! I love the proportions of everything, and it actually woke me up, considering the two shots... The regular latte, on the other hand, was not so good. It had far too much milk and far too little coffee. A few small sips of that made my stomach churn. I definitely would not get that again. Especially since there's such a wonder as the shakerato. But seriously, with a name like shakerato, how could you resist? It practically sounds like a cocktail. Shakerato, shaker, cocktail shaker, cocktail, alcohol, coffee--don't you see the connection?! Just kidding. Disregard this craze. It's the lack of shakerato speaking. I'm going back this weekend. And next weekend. And probably the following. Until/ unless I'm broke again. read more

Came for brunch on a Sunday and there were a ton of people! Luckily was able to find a table, but be sure to come either earlier (before 10) or wait until prime brunch time is over if you want a guaranteed table. I ordered a latte and the chorizo hash which came out to $17 total. The latte was good, pretty standard though. The chorizo hash was delicious! I would definitely recommend it from the brunch menu. Service was great overall and it was a solid experience. read more

Out of all the coffee shops in Old Town, Copa Vida is one of the better places to study. Not only is there plenty of seating, but more importantly, there is an abundance of electrical outlets! It does, however, become incredibly noisy when it gets busy- the sound echoes. On my most recent visit, I ordered the Chai latte with almond milk. A lot of coffee shops make their Chai lattes with flavored syrup, so I appreciated Copa Vida's departure. Their version is less sweet but heavy on the spice. Copa Vida's cappucinos are pretty damn good too. I'm a sucker for Urth Caffe's Italian caps, and Copa Vida's is even better, albeit more expensive. read more

My friend and I came to Copa Vida on a Monday afternoon, and we were totally surprised to find the restaurant packed! When you walk in, you have to order first before seating yourself, and with the crowd that was there, we were lucky to find a table by the window. The food we decided on- a Seasonal Butternut Squash Soup and the Burrata Tomato Sandwich- took a while to come out, and we were worried that the employees couldn't see where we sat. After the food arrived, we dug in! Both items were delicious and we even contemplated ordering another sandwich for the road. The soup was spicy, warm, and creamy- in other words, perfect for the winter. Despite the commotion in the restaurant, we were able to enjoy our lunch. We will possibly go back for more yummy treats in the future! read more

I dropped by late afternoon today and I ordered the Croque Madame, Salted Caramel Monkey Bread, and a Green Tea. The staff at the counter was really nice and one cute lady questioned my name. I guess I have a unique name. The Croque was good, portion size was nice, sauce was a bit much. Monkey Bread was not bad but it didn't taste like salted caramel. Green tea was good I wish they give you more for $4, just add hot water, the tea is already used. I don't mind giving tip but I don't know why they deserve tip? They gave us a number but we had to get our own drink order at the counter, have to to get our own utensils and napkins, but they did deliver the food. I probably will never give tip at a coffee shop ever again! Oh and the bathroom has a weird smell, made me gag. Service staff was nice, sweet, and pretty. read more

Copa Vida - Lunch - Croque Madame and Green Tea and salted caramel monkey bread! - New American Near Me - Pasadena, California

This is one of my favorite coffee places in Pasadena with great menu items and bakery options. The offer a solid product and the staff is approachable. Plus it's a laid back cafe where you can chill out and enjoy your drink or take it to go. So it absolutely kills me to say that some people should not come here... I'm speaking to the girl this morning with her whiny unnecessary complaints and threats to sue over your own stupidity. You are not welcome back and should you go when I'm there, I will personally throw you out. read more

If you are a mint lover like myself, I highly recommend the Brûlée Mint Latte. Absolutely delicious!!!! They aren't dog friendly inside so if you plan on grabbing a drink with fido you will have to order and wait outside :( read more

I met another date here last night and was excited since I had always wanted to try this place. The atmosphere is very "student coffee shop," since it is cozy with a lot of places to sit and study. I ordered a Vanilla Latte and was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't too sweet or foamy. I also like that the "for here" cups were ceramic cups so it felt a bit more personal. Service was fast and friendly- the way it should be! I didn't get a chance to try the food since they only serve food Monday through Friday until 9pm (which I think is odd but its okay). I would definitely come here again to study and get my eat on. read more

Copa Vida is one of my favorite cafes in Pasadena! The vibe is very hipster and modern. It is a good size considering Old Town is known for smaller rooms. Their teas and coffee are flavorful. Two of my favorite drinks are the Iced Vanilla Latte with Almond Milk and the Matcha Latte. Their salads are delicious as well! Slightly pricy but wouldn't expect anything less from a place in Pasadena! read more

Copa Vida - New American Near Me - Pasadena, California

15min later i finally got my coffee. I was not the only person waiting this long. I dont mind waiting within reason but 15 min for coffee is ridiculous. Once my coffee finally came out not a single appology for the wait. Only two people working, one on the registrar and the other making the drinks. What a waste of my morning. From now on i will visit coffee places that are managed and staffed properly. Oh as for the coffee it was good but not worth wasting 15min of my day read more

One of the best coffee shops I've been to!! It's a great please to come and work on homework or just work! It's very spacious and there's always a place to sit (when i am their) which is usually in the morning. The coffee is always perfect, I always get the almond milk latte and I'm never disappointed! Yes it is a little pricey $5+ but if you know anything about coffee you won't care because it's simply the best! If you don't like coffee and don't like it strong this place is not for you! I always park in the parking structure across the street, 90min free!! read more

Copa Vida - Best almond milk lattè - New American Near Me - Pasadena, California