Great breakfast spot. Copa Vida has a good selection of breakfast, friendly staff, and good coffee. The fig hazelnut ricotta toast was super tasty especially with added figs. The bread was tasty rustic think cut sourdough. Overall, this is a reasonably priced place for the location! Not absolutely obsessed but it's a solid brunch spot. read more

Copa Vida - New American Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Very busy at 11pm on a Saturday. The line was out the door, but there were still a couple of seating available. Since they serve both lunch and coffee, during lunch time this place is more like a brunch place than a coffee shop- lots of people walking around, and the volume can get quite loud. If you plan to study here, having noise cancelling earphones would help a lot. There are outlets in certain areas in the shop, mainly the seating area behind the counter where there are tall tables/chairs. There is also an outlet at the tall table next to the bathroom. We tried the cold brew, nitro cold brew, americano, and iced matcha latte (unsweetened)- all were good. We also got the Chilaquiles and Salmon Chive Pancakes. They were both very yummy, but the chilaquiles was a tad oily at the end. Note that the chive pancakes are on the sweet side; they are literally pancakes with some chive in it, not to be confused with the more savory scallion pancakes that you can get at Taiwanese/Chinese restaurants! Lastly, note that parking is very difficult here. I think there are some 2 hour metered parking along the streets, but if you are aiming to sit and study for the whole day, you could pay $6 for the day at the metro parking lot a couple blocks away. read more

Copa Vida - chilaquiles, salmon chive pancakes - New American Near Me - Pasadena, California

Finally got to try this place out after the pasadena turkey trot. hype is def real. my husband raved about this place and it did not disappoint. Love the different milk options. Almond milk latte was exquisite. paired it with a fresh, soft, and delicious almond croissant. plenty of coffee and tea choices. awesome breakfast menu. I cant wait to order a burrito there. the food looked fresh and smelled amazing while I waiting for my coffee. they have really cool merchandise and cool indoor seating area. dine al fresco on a nice day. super awesome service with great staff. street Parkin available pops off on the weekend, so be patient if there is a wait. totes worth it. read more

Good food, good coffee, always busy and sometimes finding a seat is hard. Breakfast breads are good too.

This spot is super tasty! The food and drinks are incredibly delicious and yummy. The food and beverages almost make up for the poor and disorganized service. I waited 15 minutes for my drink which they forgot to make! When I finally got my oat chai tea latte it was amazing! I got mine with a shot of espresso and it was probably the best dirty chai tea latte I've ever had! Food wise I got the Bacon brekie and the chipotle aioli on it was so tasty! My boyfriend got the chorizo egg hash which was as also very very good. Although he said he wished he had gotten the eggs scrambled instead. The jalepeno cilantro sauce hit the spot! It was definitely worth the wait and line and disorganization but would have been 5 stars if the service were a bit better. read more

Came here for brunch on a Saturday afternoon, and while the line was out the door, the service was quick! I got a London fog, as well as a Croque Madame. The Croque Madame was definitely thick - lots of slabs of ham, savory, with gooey runny egg. I had to split it with my partner - it was so filling! It also came with a side of soup or salad. The space was brightly lit, and lots of people were using the space to do work, have small gatherings etc. Would definitely come back again - looks like a multi-use space for studying vs casual hangout! read more

Copa Vida - Croque Madame - New American Near Me - Pasadena, California

There are some parking structures nearby ~ $1 per 20 minutes! Otherwise you'll have to try street parking. This is a pretty large cafe but there are also a lot of people studying here so it can get crowded. For the food - it's pretty good! We got the turkey melt and croque madame + ice vanilla late and the total came out to $44 sooo it is kinda pricey for a cafe date. The soup was pretty thick! Would be good with a grilled cheese. Overall, would come again if I'm feeling bougie! read more

Copa Vida - Croque Madame - New American Near Me - Pasadena, California

I've always wanted to try this place since it's near my job. I was in the mood for a sandwich and saw that they had a small menu that offered sandwiches so I was sold. I got there around 11am and the place was already full. I ordered the Turkey sandwich and added avocado. I also checked in Yelp to get 10%off. The total came to around $15. Very steep but nothing too unusual considering Im in Pasadena and that's how much lunches cost. I took it to go and about 5 minutes later, my order was ready. When I got back to my office and chowed down, I noticed that the sandwich had quality ingredients and was paired perfectly with a side salad that was included with vinaigrette. The Turkey and avocado were fresh and the bread was nice and toasted. I'd be back every so often when I feel like splurging a bit. There's just too many competitors that offer a great lunch around $10. read more

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I've been a customer at Copa for years now. However, after I recently moved nearby, I became a more frequent customer. I usually do not write negative reviews, but after today, it was the final straw. Customer service is horrible and that makes for a horrible drink. I do not deserve to pay $7 for a cup of coffee and be given annoyed looks or cups tossed at me. I will highlight a few employees here: 1. Guy with the USC hat: Please avoid. If you annoy him he will slam your mug on the counter. Oh and also, if he makes a mistake such as not sweetening your chai tea, he will look straight into your eyes and say "there's sugar right in front of you". 2. The guy with the black glasses: We walked in at 7:10 AM this morning without knowing that they open at 7:30 AM. He looked annoyed with a frown and continued to say, "we're closed, we open at 7:30. I wish I had taken a photo of his face because it literally said, "what the heck are you doing, idiot?". For a $7 coffee, you also get baristas talking smack about you and laughing so, if that's your cup of tea, by all means. I believe Copa was established as a Christian coffee shop, but I'm not so sure if they are exemplifying Christ-like behavior. So I have a few other suggestions here: 1. Blue Bottle: right around the corner they serve organic coffee. We went straight there and were greeted with a smile and friendly service. They open at 6:30 AM and plus, our dog gets a treat! 2. Rosebud coffee: It isn't super close to Copa, but it is a nonprofit coffee shop. I'd say this is a hidden gem of a place to work. Lots of big tables, wifi, the area is huge! But they do close early 4 PM. 3. Intelligencia: This one is nearby as well, it isn't as big as Copa, but I saw a lot of people working here. Coffee is unique because they freeze-dry their coffee and rehydrate it at the store to serve. Cool experience 4. Urth Cafe: I personally love their lunch, pastry, and Spanish latte (strong)! Also, a great place to work (try to avoid lunch times). read more

I love coming here...they make a great cup of macchiato! Love that they confirmed if I understood that it's a traditional macchiato and not what you get at Starbucks...:) damn, I love coffee snobs like me. Great space to work and friendly people and service. I'm not a fan of the WiFi and it's pretty spotty and I try to come here and read a book and not use WiFi, so it's not an issue but if you are planning work and need to be online, it could be an issue. Overall, one of my fav coffee shops in old town Pasadena. read more

Copa Vida - Best macchiato in town! - New American Near Me - Pasadena, California

I came here for weekend brunch with NH a little over a week ago. We found street parking on Green but there is a large parking garage across the street that provides free parking for 90 minutes if you can't find street parking nearby. They actually have a decent amount of tables for outdoor dining but if you cannot find seating, they advise you to come back and tell them and they'll pack your order for takeout instead. I got their CHILAQUILES: 2 sunny eggs, corn tortilla chips, avocado verde, lima crema, cotija cheese, salsa roja, and cilantro. I love chilaquiles and am a huge fan of the one here. It was saucy and crunchy and savoury and delicious. Definitely recommend! read more

Copa Vida - Chilaquiles - New American Near Me - Pasadena, California

Absolutely worth your visit if you're in downtown Pasadena. Plenty of seating and amazing breakfast options. read more

Copa Vida - New American Near Me - Pasadena, California

I have heard so many great things about Copa Vida so I was definitely excited to try it out. We stopped by on a random Wednesday and man it was busy, with zero seating inside and outside. We waited around for a couple of minutes and luckily a table opened up. I originally wanted their brûlée mint tea latte but being that it has been 100 degrees around here, and the drink is only available hot, I decided to go with the server's recommendation of a matcha latte. We also ordered a kale salad and my sister got the matcha cortado (matcha party!). You pay upfront and they bring the food to you at your table. The kale salad was really quick and I absolutely loved it. I am usually not a fan of fruits in my salad, but the grape pairing was perfect. The pink salad dressing was a bit daunting at first but it was super tasty! We were almost finished with our salad when we realized that our drinks weren't ready yet. I had assumed they would call out the name when it was done, but we found it was just sitting on the counter. It also wasn't labeled and since we got two matcha drinks it was a bit of a guessing game of which was which. They both, however, tasted the same and on top of that, it tasted like sink water. The green from the matcha was also more of a dirty sink water gray type of color. I really wanted to love Copa vida and maybe they are better for coffee, or maybe they were just having a bad day, but both drinks were extremely disappointing. When I gave my dad a sip, he asked if it was just green water. Disappointed I paid over $10 for a bit of food colored water. I am hoping I just ordered the wrong drink or they were just having an off day, as the food was delicious, otherwise I don't think I will be visiting soon. 0 stars for the drink. 4 stars for the food! ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT: All bowls are compostable, but they don't have a composting bin to throw them in. Drinks are served in plastic cups and they use straight up plastic utensils (not compostable or paper). Was also disappointed by this. read more

The matcha later and lavender latte were slightly disappointing! The lavender flavor does not mix well with the coffee. However, the cafe ambience is amazing and the space is great for people looking to get some work done. I would recommend it as a place to focus, but not specifically for the coffee. Maybe I will give it another try in the future. read more

Copa Vida in Old Town Pasadena is excellent. It embodies the third wave of coffee, and the tea and food match that quality. The triple threat won't disappoint along with a calming, contemporary venue with its light wood panels and furnishings, it's wide, open space with plenty of seating that comes alive with people and becomes so vibrant that you linger and enjoy. Try the coffee. Try the tea. Well, today I tried the Croque Madame, the open-faced sandwich with ham, caramelized onions, tomato, gruyere cheese, egg, and béarnaise sauce. It comes with salad or soup, and I had tomato basil soup. Delicious. My friend enjoyed his smoked salmon toast. You pay medium price for quality and freshness. Although you can study at Copa Vida, it's not really for that. You're there to appreciate life with good company, good food, and a good drink. Besides, they shut down WiFi from 9 AM to 3 PM on the weekends. You will still see people with their laptops and books even during the busy hours and it's fine, but do try to appreciate what Copa Vida is best for-- celebrating life. read more

Copa Vida - Croque Madame and tomato soup - New American Near Me - Pasadena, California

Great coffee, decent food if you can ever find a seat to to enjoy your lunch. So many patrons on laptops hogging a table for four or during lunch hours. Please consider making some areas/seating not for laptop/ipad use....at least during busy food times. I found a table today & could count at least 5 tables with 1 person working at them. read more

I forgot how much I liked nitro cold brew went with a bigger group on Saturday afternoon and had to take some photos of the space for a school project--the baristas were curious and so sweet and funny def recommend read more

Once, while sipping my Matcha green tea I saw someone who looked like Charlie Kaufman at the table across from me. He's the guy who wrote "Being John Malkovich." He had a disheveled look and dark curly hair he kept combing with his fingers, so it could have been him, or perhaps someone else. But when the barista called out, "Charlie." I knew it was him and tried to pretend to be taking a photo of my drink, when in actuality, I was taking a pic of him. Stocker fanboy alert. I've kept an eye out for him ever since, but today I'm just seeing the profile of a fellow who looks like a dumber version of Elon Musk. But hey. Who isn't? Today the Smiths are on heavy rotation and a cordial blend of Gen Xers and New Millenniums chat it up at wooden tables. Most seem happy with their variety of hot drinks and wraps. Many seem lost in their laptops or engaged in quiet conversation. Out the window I occasionally see art students carrying oversized supplies from Blix up the street or folks in blue shirts outside the Scientology building across the way. read more

Came on a Monday afternoon and it was so crowded even with spacious seating. We got lucky and a table opened up for us. I got the seasonal drink white sesame orange foam cold brew and it was really good. I liked that you could taste the orange flavor and I enjoyed the depth of the cold brew. read more

I tried the chorizo burrito. It's very good, a satisfactory portion and quite filling for brunch. Their iced lattes aren't anything to brag about, just very average. Indoor seating is a little cramped but hey it's Downtown Pasadena so it's expected. 3 stars though because it was a weekend day when I came with friends and they were out of most burrito ingredients. Disappointing. read more

Cops Vida is a welcoming and spacious yet cozy cafe just off of Green, removed from the main Colorado Boulevard but still quite accessible. Definitely my go-to for meeting a friend in the area, getting some light work done, or just hanging out to do some hipster people watching. The menu is pretty expansive for a cafe/coffee shop - an impressive loose leaf tea collection is really what has won me over. Green, oolong, pu-erh, herbal - so many options, and perfectly steeped as well. Not a coffee drinker but from what my friends and husband have said, their coffee is also excellent. Most recently they started carrying some incredibly scrumptious macaroons from what I think is a local baker, and although they're a little pricey, they're the best macaroons I've tasted. Specifically, the sea salt and caramel one is phenomenal. One star docked because I haven't been particularly impressed with their food. The last time we ordered an actual meal was several months prior to me writing this review, so maybe things having changed. However, the chorizo egg has dish my husband ordered was pretty flavorless, and the berry toast I ordered was nothing to write home about. I'd stick with their tea, coffee, and pastries as those seem to be what they do best. The cafe itself is warm, welcoming, and spacious, with a ton of indoor seating and a few outdoor tables as well. Service is super pleasant and the majority of the baristas seem cafe-savvy and happy to be working there. Nearby street parking is limited, but the pricing structure just west on Green is a free 90 minutes. read more

This used to be one of the best coffee shops in Old Pasadena. What used to be a warm, bright environment has been snuffed out. With an unnecessary redesign which darkens the space of any natural light. And the staff to match, the most unfriendly staff, walk up to the register, look at the girl & I ask, "How are you today?" To the response of "What do you want?" Empty tables left unclear to which you ask, "Would you mind clearing this?" (In this post covid world, guests shouldn't touch plates and cups) to which the staff member sighs, rolls their eyes and goes to talk to another barista while staring at you to not clean the table for another 5 minutes. There is a reason this place doesn't have lines out the door anymore. Just go to Intelligencia on Colorado instead. read more

Exploring the town of Pasadena and I found this adorable coffee, lunch, brunch spot! Ordering is upfront, you can get it to go or stay (just have to get a spot to sit which can be tricky). The vibe is mostly people hanging out with a friend while working on their lap tops. I got the lavender latte, a spring specialty drink and the chilaquiles read more

Copa Vida - Lavender latte and Chilaquiles - New American Near Me - Pasadena, California

Loved this place! We got a bacon burrito and the Croque Madame and both were delicious. The bacon in the burrito was the perfect crispness. read more

Copa Vida - New American Near Me - Pasadena, California

New management and staff has made this place go downhill. This used to be our family's favorite breakfast spot but everything has completely changed. The bacon breakfast burrito was our favorite item. Today we ordered it and it was an oily mess. Stringy hash browns, bacon is no longer mixed in with the egg, about half the amount of ingredients that used to be in there. The coffee counter is a mess with poor customer service. The coffee today was watery and tasteless. We miss the friendly baristas we used to see every Saturday. There used to be lines out the door every Saturday morning, but today at 9am there were only a few people ahead of me. I should have known something was up. The dwindling lines speak for themselves. This place has gone down the drain due to greedy management. read more

Great service with a smile! The people are extremely nice. The store is clean and inviting, oh...and Great coffee!

My favorite spot to grab a caffeinated beverage (almond milk latte or matcha latte) and their delicious veggie breakfast burrito. I could hang out here all day, listening to their awesome playlists - get some work done, read a book, or meet with friends. Ask any of my friends - if they want to go on a coffee date with me, we WILL be going here. Other favorites I've tried from here is their kale salad, chocolate croissant, and their strawberry oat milk matcha (seasonal). Loved everything I've gotten from here! read more

The hibiscus iced tea was lovely! The place is quite large, plenty of room to sit and work or hang out with a couple friends! Service was top notch. read more

I was pleasantly surprised with this place!! The veggie burrito was super delicious and I would eat it again for sure. My friend really liked her avo toast and spritzer also. I tried one of the spring drinks which was a pistachio macaroon latte and it wasn't my favorite. The drink itself was fine but the cream they put on top was way too sweet. Fast service too! Very busy place but would come back read more

Copa Vida - New American Near Me - Pasadena, California

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I'm livid. My husband and I just went there this morning for a cup of coffee together before he had to go to work. We were in line for a while when I decided to scan the QR code in the window to place our order at 9:40. I was told that I would get a text message when our order was ready (by 9:55). Come 10:00, we still had not received anything and now my husband was going to be late for work. I went inside and waited because I still didn't see our order. After a few minutes, I felt something was wrong. All the people in line behind us were gone because they had all received their orders. Why was I still waiting for two coffees when there were four people in the front but only two were working as the other two (Asian woman and Asian guy in a red cap stood there chit chatting)? So I went up to interrupt their conversation to ask about my drinks. Red Cap asked my name and looked, not finding anything. So he came back and asked how I ordered. I showed him my phone and he checked again. I saw the other barista he talked to looking through a bunch of the white order slips in the counter-- lo and behold, mine was buried under the other ones. When Red Cap came back to me, I asked pretty angrily, "Did you guys FORGET about my order?" "No no, it was right there. Uh, it has been pushed all the way to the front now. It will be out right away!" Was he completely unaware that I watched the whole debacle unfold in front of my eyes? Now the Asian woman was preparing one of my drinks. It pretty took them two minutes. She called out my name to get the drinks. She knew they screwed up and didn't even apologize. All four people up at that counter knew they messed up. Not ONE PERSON apologized for making us wait over 25 minutes for two freaking cups of coffee. I. Am. SO PISSED. Two words, "I'm sorry," would've diffused the whole situation. I'm not mad simply about the wait. Mistakes happen, esp when it gets busy-- I get that. What I'm angry about is that not only did you have me waiting but: *I would've continued to wait for who knows how long had I not come in from the cold after over 20 minutes to check on my order *When I asked if you forgot about it, you lied to my face when I already witnessed that my order slip was underneath your clutter on the counter *You didn't even have the basic courtesy to apologize or make the situation right. I used to tell people about this shop and recommend it but I will not be coming back again. read more

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I have worked in many grocery stores, etc., so I know what it's like to be on the receiving end of a difficult customer, so I make a point of being polite with servers, barristas, etc. Needless to say then I was completely perplexed by the barky/curt service here when I didn't ask for anything out of the ordinary, expect special treatment, send something back, etc. Ordered tea, and then I politely asked if they had milk for the tea, and the barrista barked, "Excuse me?!!" and I said once again, "Do you guys have milk?" "What kind?!!" he barked back. "Just whole milk," I said calmly. And then he curtly pointed at the container and said , "There you are, dude." Lordy. So now you get cranky, bitter service in response to just being polite. Won't go back again. read more

Nice place to relax and work. WiFi could be faster though. Walking distance away from everything.

Copa Vida is one of my favorite coffee shops in Pasadena. If you are more of a tea person, they have a great selections of teas, too. My go-to is an iced oat milk latte (I know, basic.) I usually order food when I'm here and I've tried the avocado toast, breakfast burritos and seasonal dishes, like Turkish eggs and focaccia. All of those have been great. There is a fair amount of seating so it's a great place to work, but it can get crowded. In terms of parking, there is usually metered street parking available nearby, or you can park at a parking garage. read more

Copa Vida - Oat milk latte, breakfast burrito (top) and Turkish eggs (bottom) - New American Near Me - Pasadena, California

Coffee is great hear, had ice vanilla latte you could taste they are using really good coffee beans had nice smooth taste. But the food was not so great, the chorizo hash was for sure better than the chilaquiles. The hash had nice little crunch after eating few bites it's because most was burnt the chorizo not sure which one they are using but had a little sour taste. The chilaquiles was really dry the cheese use is not melting properly also the chips were burnt probably why the cheese got dried out. Will come back for coffee for sure but will stick with the simple food like maybe the avocado toast. Staff was great very helpful and friendly. read more

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My friend introduced me to this place back in 2015 and I've been coming back every now and then since. This is a great spot if you love to people watch because it's located around the corner of Green and Raymond. OR if you want a place to do some readings, study, get some work done~ My go-to order is their Croque Madame (for food) and Matcha Latte (for drink). read more

One of our favorite places for coffee! Since the beginning of covid, we have been ordering take out for breakfast or brunch and going to a park for a picnic and this place has always been one of our go to's for a nice morning pick me up. They take caution in creating that essential good cup for you. My child enjoys their breakfast tots so it's a win for both my kid and myself! read more

Think twice if you are going to order delivery via Ubereats order. I purposely ordered here so I can get food + coffee. I even called the uber deliverer and he said copa vida never gave him any drink that was in my order. Very frustrating experience. read more

Customer service is terrible. I actually don't think they know what customer service is. No one smiles. No one says thank you. I went and asked for a to go cup and both employees stood there looking at me, so I just took one off the counter. Food looks pretty, chorizo did burn my stomach a bit, but thats not their fault. But honestly we will not be back. Second time we've gone and all the employees are just debbie-downers. To the manager: get better staff. There are 16 other cafes in walking distance, no need to deal with these lackluster people. read more

During my month-long visits to Pasadena for work, this has become my go-to spot to grab a coffee and a breakfast food and work on my laptop!

Service 10/10 Food 8/10 Drinks 8/10 The chorizo Hash was phenomenal A must try if you dine here. The chilaquiles left a bit to be desired w/ too many dry chips to egg ratio. The red sauce they marinate their tortillas with is too acidic for me personally. But the people are great and the ambiance is nice! Would still definitely recommend. read more