I honestly blame IG for shoving Kissa by Motto in my face, but I had a chance to swing by one afternoon and I do not regret it one bit. Located right off the 210 in Pasadena, snuggled between some newer apartment buildings you will find Kissa by Motto. Someone mentioned that they it was giving Ghibli and I can see why. If you have every watched a film before, then you know what I mean. Very homestead and warm vibe that is evident throughout the cafe. Kissa has a plethora of pour overs (both special and everyday favorites) as well as a variety of americano, espresso, and latte options. But what really drives people through the door isn't just the coffee it is the pastries. I came in the afternoon and the scones had been devoured since 10am. I ended up with a Oreo and Marshmallow cookie, which by all accounts, was good as I inhaled it after the first bite. To pair the cookie I went with Their Kyoto Latte which lasted longer due to the tasting the elegant notes of the custom pour over they use for the base. Overall, I plan to go back and really get more out of Kissa. Be forewarned that the lines to get long and patience during these times is appreciated. There is street parking for a small fee, but well worth the cost if you want to sit and be delighted by not only the coffee and pastries, but the vibe in general. Cheers, and hope to you there! read more

I Feel that I will visit this coffee shop regulary... No drip, americano only... BUT as I have said it before, if the bean is good... americano will be good.... this place hit the spot!... Scones are delish.... The lemon scone was good, will get again... BUT the blueberry chocolate scone had me wanting more... soft with crispy edges, you can taste the cocoa, and the blueberry cream was on point... just good amount of sweetness Service was great... friendly staff, but no real interaction... did answer my questions in a patient amd friendly way... so thank you Decor was nice, somewhat vintage look, and makes you feel as you just stepped into a coffee shop in Japan... Plenty of street parking Since the city became greedy, pay for parking!! Definitely will go back, when you go... Enjoy.... read more

Walking in, the store is very aesthetic and beautiful. The wood displays and beautiful flowers make the store so pretty. The music was pleasant and quiet. First impressions were good! When it came to ordering, the pastries all looked so good! However, my friends and I didn't want coffee and unfortunately they don't have many alternative options. Jasmine Basque cheesecake: $6.25 Very smooth and a strong jasmine flavor. The presentation is very pretty, and you can tell they stock it daily. It melts into your mouth- when I say smooth it was REALLY smooth. We gave it a 9/10. Lemon scone: $5.85 The lemon scone is very crumbly. The scone part is a bit dry and doesn't have much flavor. The top of the scone is very flavorful, and I enjoyed the lemon flavor very much. I would have preferred the lemon flavored to be distributed all around the scone. It would make the process of making the scones much more difficult, but using lemon zest in the batter might help. Very much enjoyed the lemon flavor though. Was pretty to look at too. 7/10 Raspberry matcha canele: $5.85 It was so hard to cut into it even with a metal knife. It looks cute but we don't recognize getting it. The cream was the only part we enjoyed. The outside is way too hard. The inside was soft but flavor wise was lacking. 4/10 Yuzu tonic: $7 This was definitely on me, because you most definitely should stir it. I didn't get a straw at first and just drank it as is, and it was awful. I stirred it, then the taste definitely changed. It tasted like a yuzu sparkling soda to be honest. A little bitter and super carbonated. I didn't like it at first but it was actually addictive to drink. Probably the carbonation part. It would be refreshing to drink but definitely an interesting combination to have with the pastries. I don't even like yuzu much but they didn't have anything else that wasn't coffee. Just don't be like me... STIR IT.. 7.5/10 We really liked that they gave the drinks in nice glasses and that the presentation is beautiful. You don't see that in cafes much anymore because that is a lot of dishes to wash... so we appreciated that. While the dessert was okay in general... I would still go again. I will probably try a coffee next time. Definitely wouldn't get the caneles. read more

Kissa by Motto - Jasmine Basque cheesecake Lemon scone Matcha raspberry canele Yuzu tonic - Cafes Near Me - Pasadena, California

This cute and new coffee spot has been on my bookmarks lately, and it's currently in its soft opening phase. I happened to be in the area after my car wash today, so I decided to stop by. It's located on De Lacey in Pasadena. Parking was easy. I found metered street parking right in front of Kissa by Motto for just $1.25 per hour. If you want to park at a structure, the De Lacey Parking Facility is nearby. The café has a Japanese-inspired coffee and dessert concept. The ambiance is cozy, comfortable, modern, and super cute. Since they're still in soft opening, the menu may vary. I originally wanted to try their milk custard bread, but it wasn't available this morning. I went for the matcha raspberry scone instead and it was so good! The cashier was also very friendly and offered samples, and the pistachio chocolate was amazing. The service was a bit slow but it was still soft opening. Definitely a spot I'll come back again. read more

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Kissa itself was very new comer to the neighborhood, but not the case with Motto Tea, which probably a lot of people have been very familiar with. Loving the concept that totally reminded me of Japanese / Korean coffee shop concept with a twist of Boho, nature, and vintage blended in together. The chic yet cozy venue obviously drew the crowd interest and even visiting amidst a week day still exposed me to bit of a crowd. All the servers were super friendly and patient, answering my questions on what they offered and letting me taking my time to make my decision, but just one drawback was it took them pretty long to get the drinks ready. They seemed to be popular for the roll cake and basque cheesecake, but the various canelé flavors triggered my interest more so I opted for the Double Matcha canelé. Unfortunately I might not be a fan of the canelé base itself as it lacked the fragrant buttery flavor I fancied in a canelé and I did wish the texture was more chewy inside. The matcha cream on top was nice in balancing the sweetness, especially with the stuffing being bit on the bitter side. I got their Jasmine Matcha, which I thought come at decent price compared to similar ones in LA. It was so-so to me flavor wise. Decent but probably nothing distinctive that made it stand out. Perhaps I should give a try on either their specialty latte or cream top drinks next time. read more

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Soft opening right now! It's off the main Colorado Street shopping area but an easy walk from the De Lacey parking structure. The cafe is super cozy, playing some Japanese City Pop. Lots of people studying and hanging out. There's some outdoor seating as well. They have pour overs, matchas, and specialty drinks so I'm sure there's something for everyone. The pour over takes 5-7 minutes since they freshly pour to order. We also got a matcha latte and matcha jasmine basque cheese cake which was delightful. Pricing seemed fair. Would definitely come back! read more

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I've been to Motto before and it was just okay. My wife discovered this place and wanted to come check it out. We got a couple of their baked good and a drink and that was over $20. So to me, a bit on the pricier side. The pastries were good and the drink was fine but definitely on the pricier side. read more

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I passed by during lunch hour on a weekday. It is a cute spot hidden in an apartment complex. The space is not huge but they have high ceilings, lot of natural light and cosy decorations. They have canele, cheese cakes, scones and some pastries. I tried their canele and scones. They both taste pretty good, especially the chocolate pistachio and matcha strawberry flavor. The canele is not as crunchy as those by Bu Pastry Bar, but I like they have fruit and cream toppings here. The scones are pretty soft and not very sweet. The staff is very nice as well, they even offer you sampling. read more

Kissa by Motto - Cafes Near Me - Pasadena, California

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A great spot for coffee and matcha. I tried their Kyoto Latte, perfectly sweetened and really well-balanced. Their matcha leans earthy, which I enjoyed. Come early as it can get pretty busy with a 20+min wait time. read more

Kissa by Motto - Cafes Near Me - Pasadena, California

I really love this cute cafe in old town Pasadena because there are so much things to see. From the sweets, drinks and the decorations are amazing to me! Also their service is friendly. Must go again! read more

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We came on a Saturday morning and the line was long, but the staff were so sweet and genuinely apologetic for the wait. Once we ordered and sat down, our coffee and food came out in under 10 minutes. Impressive! The Yuzu Pineapple Espresso Tonic completely caught me off guard. It was perfectly balanced, and every flavor worked together beautifully. Definitely ordering that again. We also tried the Cloudy Pistachio Latte, which was delicious, though the espresso tonic still stole the show for me. For food, we went all in! The Milk Corn Toast, Mushroom Focaccia, Pistachio Canele, and a Strawberry Matcha Scone. My personal favorite was the Mushroom Focaccia. I'm a mushroom lover, and the bread had that perfect soft-yet chewy texture that's hard to get right. The Strawberry Matcha Scone and Pistachio Canelé were both hits too. Nothing disappointed. Honestly, a solid 10/10. Everything we ordered was delicious! We'll be back! read more

Kissa by Motto - Everything was so good! - Cafes Near Me - Pasadena, California

When I found out Motto Tea cafe opened another cafe, I made sure to check it out immediately. The vibe inside is beautiful and so picturesque. The pastries are amazing and the drinks are to die for. I felt like everything was delicious as well as aesthetically pleasing. Some of my standouts were the matcha and cookies and cream scones, the canelé (dark chocolate), the Nutellamissu and the milk toast. I will be back for those! read more

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My friends and I really wanted to try this place when we saw it online and it didn't disappoint! We tried various sweet treats and they were all so yummy. They weren't super sweet which I really liked. The chocolate + strawberry basque was super creamy and very chocolaty so the strawberry really balanced it out. The soufflé cake was fluffy and light with a sort of cream cheese frosting. The vibe is super cute, not super loud but there is a nice ambiance. read more

Kissa by Motto - Chocolate +Strawberry Basque, crème brûlée chocolate cookie, soufflé cake - Cafes Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Soft opening: pistachio cloudy latte was delicious. No decaf options so far but cafe latte was great as well~ give them a try ;) Very cute vibes~ The cakes from motto are some of my favorites so I'm excited they're opening up a designated store for them. read more

Kissa by Motto - Pistachio cloudy latte, cafe latte, strawberry matcha scone - Cafes Near Me - Pasadena, California

I ordered tiramisu canelés along with their cheesecake, but the cheesecake was already unavailable just an hour after they opened. So I only got one canelé to try, and unfortunately, the bottom of it was burnt... My order also took more than 20 minutes, even though there weren't many people in the store at the time. Overall, pretty disappointing experience. They really need to improve both their timing and the quality of their pastries. I would pass on this place. read more

Stumbled across the soft opening for this coffee shop spontaneously with my girlfriend. The cashier was very friendly and stated the drinks were free, so we tried the nutellamisu cloudy latte as well as the coco latte. We also ordered a slice of matcha cake. When we received our order, the presentation was very pleasing to the eye. The ambiance of the coffee shop is bohemian and cozy. Overall, had a great experience dining in. read more

Kissa by Motto - nutellamisu latte and coco latte - Cafes Near Me - Pasadena, California

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3 employees working on 1 drink with a line of waiting customers. Drinks are decent just be willing to wait longer than most places. Approximately 20 min for a basic drink read more

I got the kyoto latte and the raspberry matcha canele. They were both so good and exceeded my expectations. The latte was fruity and fragrant and the canele was crispy even with the cold cream in the center and had a strong matcha flavor, probably the most interesting canele I've had. read more

My wife and I came by twice during their soft opening week -- so excited that they've opened. We used to have work/reading/project afternoons at this location back when it was Labobatory, before COVID. As much as we loved Labobatory, the new Kissa by Motto is better! The ambiance and vibe just feels good, it's elegant, precise, sophisticated, yet comfortable and warm. Their espresso is very special, smooth, and subtle. And their canele is to die for. My only complaint is that for their soft opening, they closed at 4pm. For afternoon cafe-dwellers like us, who need somewhere to hang out until dinner, that's going to be a deal-breaker on most days, as dinner is usually at 6pm or 7pm. I hope they'll reconsider their schedule! The other truly great local cafe, on the opposite side of Old Town, Criterion Coffee, is open until 6pm -- and there's usually a bit of a crowd they need to kick out even that late. read more