True Food Kitchen in Pasadena has a ton of healthy options, and they were super accommodating with all the allergies at our table--which is always a relief. Our waiter Roy was friendly, helpful, and made great recommendations. The location is great--right on the corner of old town Pasadena with tons of shops to stroll through after your meal. Parking can be a little tricky depending on the time of day, but there's an $8 valet lot behind the restaurant if needed as well. There's a great mix of seating at True Food Kitchen--airy outdoor tables perfect for California weather and two cozy enclosed spots framing the patio. The ambiance walks that line between bougie and laid-back--modern but still warm and welcoming. It's got a kind of elevated casual vibe where you could wear jeans or a sundress and feel just right. That being said, I've been twice for dinner, and both times they were out of at least one popular item, so I'm not exactly sure why that happens. Coming early might be a smart move in case they run out. Still, all the food feels light but still satisfying, and I never walk away feeling overly full or sluggish. Our pizza was delicious and I always love the spaghetti squash casserole as well. I like how the menu leans into healthy ingredients without sacrificing taste. read more

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I've been wanting to try True Food and happened to be in Pasadena for the evening so we stopped here for dinner. It was quite busy so we opted to eat at the bar. The servers were nice but definitely busy so the service took awhile for the bar. We tried the buffalo chicken sandwich and pepperoni pizza. The chicken sandwich was mixed reviews for me. I loveee spice but whatever they put in the buffalo sauce was intolerably spicy and burned mine and my boyfriend's mouths after one bite. It overpowered the entire sandwich and was painful to eat. The flavor itself was great, and I liked the slaw on top, but we simply couldn't believe how spicy they made it as it wasn't advertised to be that spicy, and buffalo typically isnt that hot. The kale salad on the side was good but very citrusy so it clashed a bit with the spicy spicy chicken sandwich. The pizza was great. The dough was fresh and the ingredients were awesome. I only wished they had more than a pepperoni and margherita pizza as I would've loved to try one, but like my pizzas to have veggies and flavor besides just pepperoni. Overall, the food was decent. Would not recommend the buffalo sandwich to anyone who can't tolerate intense spice. It also seemed to be on a whole grain oat bun and not ciabatta as the menu stated. Was a decent experience. Nice workers and beautiful restaurant and food was good. read more

True Food Kitchen - Pepperoni pizza - Vegetarian Near Me - Pasadena, California

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TL:DR - Food was mid, service was excellent, nice environment Located in downtown Pasadena, True Food Kitchen is at the very corner before you head down Colorado. This spot has had a high turn over rate ever since I started going to Pasadena for food. It used to be an Italian place, then an American, then a sausage place, etc. Now it's True Food Kitchen and I think the curse lives on. There is some street parking around the restaurant but no designated parking lot for the restaurant. There's a parking lot by Mini-so that's your best bet for getting free parking. There is both indoor and outdoor seating and they are both very chic. It has that California vibe with ample shade and a nice breeze. Wait staff hovers around always attentive to the customers. They were very personable and were even accommodating when we sent a soup back to the kitchen because it tasted like soap. The waitstaff alone is probably why I gave them 3 stars rather than 1. I went there for brunch and wanted to try something different than the typical eggs and bacon, so I went with the Spicy Parang Curry. I love all curries and can eat it at any time of the day. However, this curry was pretty mid. A good curry has a nice balance of spices that take the tongue on a journey. It'll have a little bit of bite, maybe some heat, then round it off with a sweetness. THIS curry though had none of that. It basically tasted like coconut milk with curry powder added to it. There was no depth to the flavor at all. The veggies themselves were under cooked and also had no seasoning. The carrots might bring some sweetness or the snow peas with a little bit of bitterness. Naah. Just nothing. Honestly it felt like someone trying to copy an Asian recipe without actually understanding how to make an Asian dish. Overall will probably not be back due to the bland food and kind of high prices. read more

True Food Kitchen - Spicy parang curry - Vegetarian Near Me - Pasadena, California

My food was fine my problem was that my chicken tenders weren't tender and lacked flavor. The fries were great tho. My friends steak had a bunch of fat on it, I get that fat is flavor but your supposed to cut a little off. The two pizzas we ordered were great. The service was mid our server never checked on us or filled our water, it took forever for our food to get out. The place is cute a little warm inside tho. And you can see the kitchen which was cool. read more

I mean it was edible. The service was great! Overall, the food was just okay. I do like the simplicity of the food. Nothing was too salty or too flavorful, but I feel that for $20 a meal, I couldn't made the same stuff for much cheaper. The presentation itself was also lacking, as it looked no different from cafeteria food. Great vibes, but probs would not come back. read more

True Food Kitchen - margherita pizza and all-American burger - Vegetarian Near Me - Pasadena, California

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We just left your restaurant after being seated in a remote location. No water brought to us. They couldn't find a waiter to help us. We left after not being acknowledged. We actually came to old town Pasadena specifically to eat there but we will not be back to this True Foods. Manager on duty should be fired! read more

Review We are regulars at true food kitchen, so we came here thinking what a wonderful idea for a delicious and healthy meal. When we arrived we were told 15-20 minutes. We waited for 40 minutes before asking if we were still going to be seated and then they finally sat us outside and told us the table only became available because someone was moved inside (why they didn't sit us inside initially, idk) . Once seated we looked over our menu and choose quickly what we'd like since we come often. 10-15 minutes passed as I saw waiters walk by me without greeting us. Finally one came close and I asked if anyone would be taking our order as it had been a while and no one even took our drink order. She was so polite- apologized for the wait and let us know she was assigned inside and would check for the waiter. She went inside and came back and said she would take care of it because she didn't know what was going on. I asked her name and she let me know it was Sidney. I thanked her. She took our orders and made sure we were taken care of. Thanks to Sidney the night was saved. read more

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The outdoor seating area here was so beautiful and relaxing to dine at on a summer night...when it's not too hot. We had a reservation so we were seated right away and we chose from the new True Crisp'd Chicken Menu. We ordered the spicy Korean chicken sandwich and the tender plate with umami potatoes as our main entrees and a grass-fed bison sausage pizza to share. The spicy Korean chicken sandwich wasn't that spicy but I appreciated that it came with plenty of Korean bbq sauce on the side. I loved the kale slaw that came on it since it complimented the chicken well. I expected it to be one big piece of chicken but it was two tenders stacked in the sandwich. The chicken tenders were pretty much the same as what was in the sandwich except with sauce of your choice on the side. These are all air-fried so it's a healthier alternative to the typical fried chicken you see in restaurants. I saw the bison sausage pizza on Instagram and the egg in the middle hooked me in. It added a nice creamy texture but it seemed more like a flatbread than a pizza since the crust was so thin. The waiters and waitresses who helped us were all so sweet and welcoming, it made the space all the more inviting. read more

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Andrew was our server and did an Amazing job! Very attentive and got everything right and with speedy service and a smile and the food was delicious‼ Thank you Andrew‼ read more

This true foods location is convenient and the servers are all so up beat with wonderful personalities We loved this place simply because it is truly healthy and good for you the ancient grain bowl is my favorite over all with tofu Ambience is relaxing and casual posh :) I love it ! read more

True Food Kitchen - My favorite dish from True Foods PASADENAI love it - Vegetarian Near Me - Pasadena, California

Delicious food and very nice ambiance. I went with a medium sized group and the only one that was unsatisfied with the food was a child who did not like the chicken nuggets nor their apple lemonade. Everyone one enjoyed their food which included: Brussel sprouts, hamburgers, salads, glass noodles, pizza and sandwiches. Oh also, if you enjoy ceremonial matcha, I would not order it here. The horchata matcha was mainly (super sweet) horchata and couldn't taste any matcha. read more

I just had to write to let you know how fantastic my first experience was at your restaurant . Today, I met a friend there for lunch. Kevin was our server. In all my 50 years, I don't think I ever had a server as friendly and as attentive as Kevin!He was able to predict our needs before we did! The food was delicious and the service was fantastic. I will definitely be back . read more

True Food Kitchen always stands out to me for its unique, healthy, fresh, and delicious menu. The atmosphere is calm and relaxing, even when it's busy. The servers are attentive and go the extra mile to ensure a great experience. This location offers street metered parking as well as a nearby parking structure. I recommend making a reservation, especially on weekends. read more

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We were the first ones seated . Food was slow to come out. My steak and fries ordered were cold. How long did the food stay on counter for the fries to stay cold? Cauliflower had hair. Butternut squash soup was hot and tasty. Waitress friendly . read more

great food awesome bar and amazingly friendly staff all around. Kevin was very helpful explaining the menu and helpful with my allergies love the location and glad I discovered this gem. will be back for dinner :) read more

Beautiful restaurant, love the open air indoor/outdoor seating, very spacious and airy. My poke bowl was good, the red rice complemented well with the bowl. I would have preferred the charred cauliflower to be a lot less saucy, but that's just my personal taste. They have a full bar with lots of variety. Service was great, there's self pay parking across the street, no wait on a Saturday late afternoon. read more

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So we booked to come here just the week after the fires and decided it wasn't the best time and postponed it for the following week... I noticed I have pictures that I never posted reviews for over the past few years!!!! What the....???? Anyhow, this review is a mix of multiple times coming here now how many stars to give this???? So overall though I think it still deserves 4 stars as Food Quality has always been good....Sorry to divert to my older orders of Ancient Grains and Quinoa etc....which I would say their bowls are pretty Awesome..... This time though I got the Plant Based Double Cheeseburger....Eh...rule of thumb always order what is safe!!! LOL This thing kind of sucked....small felt like it was crunchy and overcooked...not fulfilling and I feel like house made burgers usually feel so fresh but theirs didn't have that fresh feel of a house made plant based burger....probably last time I'll ever order that here. I feel like I'm all over the place on this review so I'll just stick to the facts: Clean nice place to go... Great refreshing and good quality ingredients in food (at least the Bowls for me)... Do not recommend the plant based cheeseburger at all.... Great service all the time.... I'll be back as I always have! read more

True Food Kitchen - Plant Based Double Cheeseburger - Vegetarian Near Me - Pasadena, California

Disappointed with the Burger, Try a Bowl Instead First visit, and it was a mixed experience. The crowd was mostly families and older groups. Waited about 30 minutes for outdoor seating. Menu is simple, a bit pricey, but appetizers had fair portions. I ordered the grass-fed mushroom burger--honestly, it was underwhelming. Barely any mushrooms (just one thin slice) and a tiny bit of onion. I had to ask for more, and they brought two small sides, but it didn't really help. I regretted the order after the first bite. On the flip side, my mother-in-law got a bowl that looked way better. If you decide to come here, skip the burger and go with a bowl--you'll likely have a better time. read more

True Food Kitchen - You're next burger - Vegetarian Near Me - Pasadena, California

The service was quick and effective. The portions are a bit smaller but the options are super nutrient dense and hearty. There are a lot of gluten free options as well. So if you need a restaurant with delicious gluten free options this is the spot. I also enjoyed dinning in the outdoor area. I recommend this place for a causal dinner. Now, will I be rushing back to eat at this place? Most likely not. It's one of those places I'll go to if I'm in the area but, not a place I'd make a purposeful trip out for. read more

True Food Kitchen - Vegetarian Near Me - Pasadena, California

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So many healthy options and very fresh veggies. I tried the Chinese chicken salad. It was decent. I would probably try something else next time. We ordered from Foodja.com aand it was a seamless delivery. Others ordered the Ancient Grain bowl with Salmon and loved it! The Sza Cza and chicken sandwich looked good too. I hope to try this place again. read more

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Came for lunch and got the lunch special which I thought was a great deal. There were many options but I went with the chopped salad, grilled chicken wrap, and a lemon spritzer for $20. The salad was so delicious with all the different fruits (dates, cranberries, apple slices) inside. The wrap was also very tasty and healthy. Overall I had a great experience with the food, customer service, and ambiance. I'm looking forward to coming back and trying the other dishes! read more

True Food Kitchen - Vegetarian Near Me - Pasadena, California

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It's nice to eat a burger and feel great afterward. The menu has lots of options, and everything tastes fresh. The veggies and salads are crisp, and the lasagna is pretty good too. There was only a short wait on a Saturday afternoon, which was a nice surprise. It can get a little loud inside, but the place is big, so they might accommodate you. Solid place for a tasty and healthy meal! read more

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Everything was delicious! Loved the patio. Our waitress Alisa was super friendly and very patient with all our questions. Will def be coming back :) read more

I've had this place on my list to try and that we did for a dear friend's birthday celebration this past weekend. *Ambiance: 5/5 - Upon entering, we loved the vibe and modern feel. *Service: 5/5 - Our hostess, Heather was phenomenal! We had a large party and she was very attentive and engaging making our first visit a very pleasurable experience. *Food: 4/5 - We all loved the dishes we chose. Everything is very organic and clean. We started with the amazing Mediterranean Hummus and our main courses included the American Burger, Vegan Burger, Breakfast Tacos, Pesto Pasta and a few awesome cocktails. My only disappointment was that TFK does not offer French fries on their menu. The burgers come with either salad or sweet potato hash. Will definitely keep TFK on our restaurant rotation list! read more

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5/5 because I enjoyed everything we ordered, from pomegranate mimosa, edamame dumplings, a Mediterranean breakfast bowl, and an iced shakerato (which was really good!). My friend ordered a salad, and I totally forgot the name. It was easy to get a table even without a reservation. Customer service is great! Our server, Dean, took care of us. The place is a charming spot with inside and outside space. The bathroom is clean and well-maintained. I recommend this place! read more

Mónica was very nice and super friendly! I would definitely come back. Customer service is very important. The food is amazing. I don't mind waiting little extra for great quality food. read more

A restaurant on the busiest street in one of the busiest cities in SGV. You might think loud, street noise, get-in get-out service, unimaginative menu. But you would be wrong on all accounts. Amazingly quiet (except for traditional restaurant din), little to no street noise, and attentive and non-rushed wait staff, and a delightfully creative menu with a few hidden gems. They offer a two-mesls for $49. Great option! To start, get the edamame dumplings. They are special! The variety of healthy bowls, delicious thin crust pizzas, and a smattering of other vegetarian and non-vegetarian but healthy options are on the menu. The flourless chocolate cake is delicious. The bar offers a great selection of cocktails and the wine list is acceptable but not spectacular. A great place to have an al fresco meal, or go inside if you like. read more

Heather made our experience at True Food Kitchen absolutely wonderful. From the moment we sat down, she was attentive, friendly, and genuinely welcoming. She gave great recommendations and made sure everything came out perfectly. It's rare to find service that feels this personal--she really elevated our entire meal. We'll definitely be back and will ask for Heather again! read more

We went a couple Sundays ago around 1pm, granted they were a bit busy. We ended up getting seated but then waited awhile for food and water. I ordered gluten free blueberry pancakes from their brunch menu (I have an intolerance) and ended up being sick an hour afterward. I had been before and really had liked that they had GF and vegan options alongside "regular" food. Overall the food for my family was just okay, and I'll likely avoid since getting sick. read more

Great service, friendly staff and yummy food...a must try...sat at bar and had excellent service!!

This evening my husband and I were caught in a very uncomfortable situation, a storm of bad service, a rude Anglo stranger that meddle in and a social climate where bias may have played a role, (my husband is dark skin - Latino).... We sat at the bar, our order got mishandled right from the start (first the unavailable salmon, then mixing the plates, it was hard to tell because the meat covered most of the bowel. I brought it up to the bartenders attention and she then told us I got my husband's plate and he got mine. He ended up just having a pizza because he was not satisfied with the quality of the meat. I also had ordered another plate with chicken tenders that I did not enjoyed at all, they were super dry and tasteless... It was a disappointing dining experience to say the least...... read more

The atmosphere and location is awesome and I understand their pizzas are great. I wanted a healthy brunch option and order the Market Salad with roasted veggies. Size of a side salad hard to find anything but lettuce and feta Not worth $16. read more

We've been there several times. They always have fresh, delicious food. We enjoy the Spicy Panang Curry Bowl with Shrimp, Teriyaki Quinoa Bowl, Matcha Horchata, Spiced Carrot Cake. It is a bit noisy eating inside, but much better on the patio. read more

Brunch here on a Saturday was nice - to be honest I'm torn between giving my experience 3 stars and 4 because nobody in my group seemed to be impressed with their meal. Prime corner location in old Pasadena with a pleasant indoor-outdoor vibe. A perk of the large number of tables is that my group of 6 was seated almost immediately. I appreciate the restaurant's vision of seasonal, organic, thoughtfully sourced ingredients! Perhaps we made a mistake sitting inside, since it was loud and our server, although friendly and attentive, was even louder and basically shouted at us over the rest of the noise (waking the baby). Our drinks, an assortment of coffee, came out quickly but our food took so long to arrive that we had finished the drinks long before that. My iced lavender matcha latte was good, subtle lavender flavor. My group ordered the rancher's hash, farmer's market scramble, and a modified scramble. My farmer's market scramble was good, but unbalanced with more potatoes than eggs, and barely any peppers. I should've ordered the hash, since it seemed more substantial for the hefty price of $16-$17. Plus to add what ended up being a single (albeit thick) slice of avocado was a whopping $4! Outrageous. I don't live in the area, so probably won't be back to this location, but am hesitant to go to one in either of the two outdoor malls in San Diego - at least for brunch. Maybe I'll give lunch a shot someday. read more

True Food Kitchen - Brunch menu and (pre-stirred) iced lavender matcha latte - Vegetarian Near Me - Pasadena, California

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This was my second experience at True Food, and it was great! Their menu had just been refreshed, and I tried the pesto pasta with grilled chicken. It was delicious, and I would definitely consider getting again. Service was good as our server was kind and came to check on us often. The ambiance of the restaurant was relaxed yet formal as you can easily have a business meeting or date night there or just a little nicer dinner with friends! read more

True Food Kitchen - Pesto Pasta with grilled chicken - Vegetarian Near Me - Pasadena, California

Very mid and overpriced. I got Teriyaki quinoa bowl with crispy chicken (was around $25) and hubby got bison pizza. Nothing bad but also not worth these prices very mediocre nothing to write home about. I'd rather eat Sweet green for fresher vegetables and cheaper prices. Service was good. Not sure I'd be back anytime soon. read more

True Food Kitchen - Teriyaki Quinoa Bowl - Vegetarian Near Me - Pasadena, California

Location, location, location! This spot is in a corner within Pasadena, perfection. I've been coming here for a while and at least once a month. I'll warn you; it's pricey. I'll warn you, again. They have good, organic and healthy foods and options. Aesthetically, easy on the eyes. The servers are nice. The only negative for me, personally, they don't serve Prosecco. Oh, and the Mac & cheese is not the greatest I've ever had. I don't recommend it at all. Gotta love Pasadena, though..... read more

Great good, AWESOME service! Kevin was so much fun and very kind! We had a wonderful time celebrating a birthday!

This used to be our family go to place when cooking wasn't an option: good food, family friendly, nice staff. However, my son-in-law found a piece of glass in his meal, he actually bit down on it before spitting it out. Pretty shocking. The manager (?) apologized, explained there was no glass in the food prep area, so could not understand how this could happen. She comped a portion of the bill and took his name and contact information for "corporate". The following day, I sent the corporate office an email asking how they would insure this would not happen again. Ten days after the incident and no contact from them for either of us. It could have been so serious and we are grateful he did not ingest the glass, but really disappointed there was no follow up. read more

Favorite restaurant as of 2024 Been here several times. The quality of service and food is always on par. The ancient grains bowl is amazing. The edamame dumplings are a must. Everything I've had on the menu has never let me down Place can get crowded around brunch time. I believe they take reservations but not 100 percent sure. read more

True Food Kitchen - Ancient grains bowl minus mushrooms. Perfect dish. Outstanding ! - Vegetarian Near Me - Pasadena, California