I had heard the lines here can get pretty long, so I came on a Sunday morning before working out. They open at 8 AM, and I got there around 8:10 AM, but there was already a line. I expected to wait, so I was not bothered by it, but I was still surprised that there was a line only ten minutes after opening. I picked up their popular salt bread along with a few other items to bring for my basketball team. I did not get a chance to try everything myself, but one friend who had the matcha bread said it was one of the best breads he has had recently. Everyone also enjoyed the salt bread. Since it was right after opening, I assume it was freshly made, but it definitely lived up to the hype. Personally, I think the salt bread at the similar bakery in Anaheim is slightly better, but this place was still very good. More than anything, I am just happy to have a Japanese-style bakery like this in Pasadena now. The atmosphere is fine--clean and pleasant, but nothing especially memorable. The only downside is the line, which will probably be part of the experience for a while. Still, if you like Japanese baked goods, this is absolutely worth trying. read more

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There's street and structure parking to get here. They close when they run out of pastries so arrive early. Even then expect to wait in line. There's also a chance the pastry you want won't be there. The staff are nice and friendly. It's very casual inside but also a bit hectic since it's very busy. The drinks do arrive fairly quick! Faster than expected. I got the banana creme matcha latte. It's pretty good. You can taste the banana flavor. It's a tad bit sweet. You do get a decent amount of latte since this is iced. I got the chocolate salt & butter bun. It's pretty good! The salt compliments the sweetness of the chocolate. I also got the regular salt & butter bun. Still good but I actually ended up preferring the chocolate one more. Overall, I'd return here again. read more

Wa-Iro - Banana creme matcha latte - Bakeries Near Me - Pasadena, California

6/24/2026 3 1/2 Stars DIRTY BLACK SESAME LATTE Creamy coffee, but coffee is not strong, pretty much watered down coffee. Also, coffee gets lost in the cream. The black sesame flavor is not strong either. You can taste it at first sip, but as you drink it, you can barely taste it. It did taste like hazelnut coffee, which I don't like. Wouldn't recommend. BANANA CREME MATCHA LATTE Fake banana flavor right off the bat. You can barely taste the matcha. It is drowned in cream and matcha flavor is not strong either. If I blind tested this drink, I would not think matcha was added in it. But yes, I would detect that fake banana flavor in there. Strangely, this was the slightly better drink than the Dirty Black Sesame Latte. However, I would not recommend this drink either! Both drinks were very disappointing and below average of what most coffee shops and bakeries would make for the price. Save your money and get your drinks elsewhere! Two things that really bothered me. 1) The carriage for drinks had no handle! How are you supposed to carry your drinks to your car? It was so uncomfortable carrying my drinks and making sure it will not spill! 2) The station where they had drink lids and straws at the front needs to be moved elsewhere! People pick up their drinks at the same place. Drinks are so close together and easily can spill. Very small space too. SALT & BUTTER This was really good! I did not eat it as is, but I reheated it in the toaster oven because it always tastes better that way! Warm and crispy on the outside, warm, and soft on the inside. You can taste the butter inside. Loved the sea salt on top! This tasted the same as Okayama Kobo Bakery & Cafe's Salt & Butter Roll! Minus the sea salt on top. SALT & BUTTER COOKIE It was good, but I think Okayama Kobo Bakery & Cafe did it better. They make it with a thicker cookie crust, which makes it stand out more. Wa-Iro's cookie crust melted on top and basically nonexistent. There were some on the side of the roll, so I got to taste some of it. It was a good flavor, just wish it wasn't melted and barely there. I recommend the Salt & Butter over this one. SAUSAGE PANINI Simple and straight-forward sausage and American cheese, maybe mustard in it and baked in a roll. Was craving a hot dog with bun, so I got it. The sausage was thinner than the usual hot dog sausage and had a good snap to it, which I liked. However, it is what it is. Nothing special about it. If they did serve it like a hot dog, I think I would have loved that. CURRY PAN This was a regular curry pan. Good curry flavor with vegetables in it. Not sure what's exactly in it, but I think potatoes and onions were in it, at the very least. Maybe carrots too. This was good and ate it after heating it up in the toaster oven. It tasted exactly the same as Okayama Kobo & Bakery making me think someone from their team opened their own bakery! Wish they had spicy curry pan, a little bit of spice is always better! HONEY BUTTER TOAST Toast was very, very sweet, drenched in butter and honey. The only good part is that you can really taste the honey and butter in the toast! The red bean is slightly sweetened and the cold sweet butter that was added to the toast was creamy. The toast itself was not crispy, but the edges were dense and difficult to bite into. The toast is very sticky from all that honey and butter. As you bite into it, butter oozes out, as it is drenched in butter and honey. So that can be unappetizing for some. I regretfully bought another one based off of another review that this was really good. I did reheat the second Honey Butter Toast in the toaster oven, but it was more difficult to eat because everything was more stickier, a bit more hardened than before, and the honey gets stuck to your teeth. Strangely, toast did not crisp up because it was drenched in butter and honey, so it came out more soggier than eating it as is! Based on my experience, I wouldn't recommend this toast. LOCATION Right next to Sato Ramen House, Blick Art Materials. Right across from Church of Scientology Pasadena. Wa-Iro sign is small, so make sure you look out for Sato Ramen House and Blick Art Materials. It is right between these two places! AMBIANCE / SEATS + TABLES It is a small bakery and it does feel crowded inside. There were indoor seats and tables, but it's small tables for two. It would seat about 12 people total. There's one outdoor wooden bench as well. One unisex bathroom available. CUSTOMER SERVICE Service was great! Staff was friendly! PARKING Parked at School House Garage on 33 E Green St, Pasadena, CA 91105. But there was a parking garage right across from Wa-Iro if you want to park closer. Based on my experience, not sure if I will return. Not many baked goods that intrigued me to return. It was also too similar to Okayama Kobo Bakery & Cafe and we don't need a copy of that. read more

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My husband has had this place bookmarked since its grand opening but we waited until things calmed down. It was Friday morning, street parking was free until 11am and there was only a group ahead of us in line. All the pastries looked appetizing and were displayed well. There was a good mix of sweet and savory items. For the baked goods, we opted for the Salt & Butter Roll, Honey Butter Toast, a Cinnamon Roll and a Cheesy Jalapeno Panini. For drinks, we had a regular hot Latte and their Sea Salt Matcha Cold Brew. The Salt & Butter Rolls, especially when they are fresh from the oven are dangerously good! We ordered 3 and we could have easily eaten a dozen. The Honey Butter Toast had a red bean filling, also delicious. The Cheese Jalapeno Panini wasn't overly salty and surprisingly had a sweetness to it as well. The cost was $36.96 including tax and tip. Our drinks were good, no notes. Space did get a little tight while we were waiting for our drinks because the line of customers grew and there isn't much of a waiting area. Aside from that normal occurrence, our experience was positive and we will likely visit again--on a weekday. read more

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Another new bakery in Pasadena! I came on a Saturday morning around 10am and there was a short 5 min wait. I got the salt and butter bread, Purin à la mode, cheesy jalapeno panini, matcha red bean mochi, shumai bun, and the curry pan to try. The salt and butter bread was light and fluffy. My 3 year old absolutely loved this. The Purin à la mode had this pudding custard in the middle and was surprisingly tasty and not too sweet. My 3 year old also really liked this one. The matcha bread and the curry pan were good but nothing special. The cheesy jalapeño panini was tasty with a good spicy kick but I thought it could have more filling to bread ratio. I didn't really care too much for the shumai bun. It had too much bread and not enough filling. My friend got the fish filet panini and I tried a piece. It was pretty good and definitely tasted like a more elevated version of filet-o-fish. Interior and ambiance is very cute and bright. There's not too many seats available so definitely come early if you want a table! Overall, a great addition to the area! read more

Wa-Iro - Bakeries Near Me - Pasadena, California

Waited a whole month after the grand opening to check out Wa-iro and it was definitely worth the wait! The lines have been down the block since they opened, but now I totally get the hype. Wa-iro offers a unique and delicious mix of high quality, sweet and savory Japanese baked goods. We visited around 10:30am, so some items were already sold out, but there was still a great selection. We picked 6 pastries just by how good they looked; you really do eat with your eyes first! Favorites included the Coconut Cream Bun, Salt & Butter Mentai, and the French Toast. Our drinks were fantastic too: the Sea Salt Matcha Coldbrew (cravable with a strong brew and sweet-salty matcha cream) and the Banana Creme Matcha Latte (bold banana flavor and perfect with the matcha). The cafe was a bit crowded to fully enjoy the cute seating, but the service was excellent; smiling faces eager to help. Huge bonus: you can buy frozen pastries to enjoy at home! We spent about $45 for 6 pastries and 2 drinks, which feels pretty standard for the quality and quantity. Can't wait to come back and try more goodies. Hopefully with a shorter line next time! read more

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Amazing selection at opening, with so many fun sweet and savory options. Last time I came at lunch and mostly wiped out, so came early today with success. Staff were efficient and moved the line rather quickly. I really enjoyed their French Toast (firm outside, soft inside) and Matcha Mochi bun (great tea outside with red/azuki bean and mochi inside). Their salt and butter croissant with chocolate inside was my personal favorite, very simple but not too sweet. They had a lot of other great interesting ones we enjoyed including their Takoyaki pastry and Yakisoba filled pastry. Their Cold brew with Matcha foam was also quite good. Will be back! read more

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Wa-Iro has only been open for about a month, but it's already building quite a following in Old Pasadena. Don't be surprised if the line stretches outside the door. The good news is that it moves fairly quickly thanks to a staff that is both efficient and incredibly kind. Parking was easy using the structure directly across the street, and the first 90 minutes are free. Once inside, the shop has a welcoming atmosphere with plenty of seating available whether you're enjoying your food, waiting for your coffee, or meeting up with friends. The music playing throughout the café adds to the overall vibe. One thing to keep in mind is that many of their popular pastries sell out quickly. Fortunately, the staff works hard to replenish the shelves throughout the day, but a little patience may be needed if you're visiting during peak hours or hoping to grab one of their signature items. The menu offers a great selection of flavored coffees, teas, matcha drinks, and specialty lattes. There is something for both coffee lovers and non-coffee drinkers alike. The quality of the drinks, combined with the bakery offerings and inviting atmosphere, makes it easy to see why this place has become so popular so quickly. If you're planning a visit, come with a little patience, especially on busy days. The line, the wait, and the occasional sold-out pastry are all signs of a place doing something right. read more

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Drinks are still delicious but the service is very inefficient. There are lots of people working but the persons taking the order are confused or cannot communicate effectively. A worker sneezed near the pastries which was disconcerting . Other Japanese places have their workers masked in a crowded small cafe like this one. Their salt bread is good but overpriced imo at $4. Their bakery items are good but not at the level where they should charge the prices they do. They should make some customer friendly adjustments so that they can continue to stay in business at this spot after the hype dies down. read more

Wa-Iro - Banana matcha - Bakeries Near Me - Pasadena, California

I found this spot on social media and came to try the matcha and pastries, and they definitely didn't disappoint! We ordered the matcha latte (whole milk, less sweet), the curry pan, and the Japanini. We started with the Japanini, which was a great grab-and-go option. It had what seemed like bacon, shiso, cheese, tomato, and basil on a light, fluffy bread that made it feel fresh rather than heavy. It reminded me of a pesto panini, but the shiso gave it a subtle Japanese twist. Asked to warm it up, but said pastries are fresh and didn't get it warmed up but I wish it was warmer to enhance the experience. The curry pan was my favorite. It was served fresh and warm with a crispy, golden exterior and a soft, fluffy interior. We had it fresh out of the oven and the curry filling was flavorful, making every bite satisfying and fun to eat. I'd definitely order this again. The matcha latte was made with Nodoka matcha and had a nice balance of roasted and grassy notes. It was smooth, well-prepared, and let the quality of the matcha shine without being overly sweet. It's not my favorite type of matcha flavor profile but I appreciated the new flavor! Overall, I enjoyed everything we tried and want to go back to explore more of their pastries. There was a consistent line of about 7 people on Saturday morning, but line moved fast! read more

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Loved loved loved!! I want to come back here again but the line was definitely worth the wait. however when we arrived at 11am the pastries were almost all gone and we ended up getting whatever was left. They did have more pastries coming in and out the ovens but of course we couldn't wait. The place is nice and small, not many seats so most people ordered and left. Hopefully next time I can try more things. read more

Wa-Iro - Bakeries Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Finally had the chance to try this place, but honestly, I didn't think it was anything special. I've had salt bread from other bakeries that tasted better. The aesthetic though? Super clean and cute! I ordered a couple of pastries but they gave everything to me in separate bags instead of putting them in a box... why?! I also tried their premium matcha, and that was actually really good. The staff were all very nice and friendly too. I'd still come back, but I'm not sure it was worth the wait or the hype. read more

Wa-Iro - Bakeries Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Came here before closing around 1pm! There was no line and some pastries remaining. I ordered the salt and butter roll, the salt and butter with chocolate roll, and the yakisoba roll. I was most surprised with the yakisoba! The noodles had the perfect amount of salt, perfectly complimented with the bread. The bread was soft and airy. The salt and butter rolls are simple but good! The amount of butter and salt is the perfect amount! There's some seating available, the cafe is cute and cozy!! I also tried their hojicha latte. It is definitely on the creamer side, but it has a good hojicha taste. read more

Wa-Iro - Salt and Butter, Salt and Butter with Chocolate - Bakeries Near Me - Pasadena, California

Let's not be too critical, let's not be too lenient. Wa-Iro is a great addition to Old Town Pas but it is also still a bit too trendy, so a line will be there. You can plan it and map it out but just don't discount them to defy the hype. Because... their variety is good! They appeal to sweet tooths, savory fiends, and Japanese milk bread fans. I feel like with more time and once the viral trend dips a little bit, Wa-iro will settle and have more consistency of offerings throughout the day and will still keep visitors on their toes every time they visit. It's too hard to get there and not at least pick a minimum of 4-5 items! For our first trip we treated ourselves to: Salt breads, the jalapeno chesse, tomato basil, curry pan, and their takoyaki pastry. My favorite was their curry pan! It was the burst of flavor I was expecting without it being too heavy. The salt breads were great and it motivates me to want to try more just to compare other spots, which is more of a compliment. As for drinks, we went with a matcha espresso and a strawberry matcha. Both washed down our bites without being too empowering and were just the right drink we needed to match our little taste of everything for breakfast one Wednesday morning. There are for sure some solid sweet windows of time to go but nothing that isn't worth waiting in line a bit for. I feel like the frustrating part would be coming when majority is sold out. So, a weekday between opening time to that time in the morning when majority are already at work is one of those sweet spots of time where a trending line won't scare you. We'll be back soon, Wa-iro! PS: For any sticker collectors or junk journal fans, peeling off and saving the sticker from their drinks is a fun little badge to check off that you went. read more

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This is a great Japanese bakery in Pasadena. There are so many options and the bread is soft and delicious..I enjoyed the tomato basil and the mentaiko bread. The yakisoba panini was ok. But friends really liked the fish panini and matcha breads. The awesome thing is they have many delicious breads and variety, the downside is that they often run out of items, but with that happening they have fresh new items come out. So in that sense it's a pro and con that they run out but have new items. There is no rhyme or reason or timing to those varieties. The staff was nice and attentive. The atmosphere is lively and busy. It's very packed and long lines. But it moves fairly quickly. read more

Wa-Iro - Bakeries Near Me - Pasadena, California

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My girlfriend and I came by around mid day Saturday for a mini meal of bakery pastries, and coffee after shopping in the area. I was not expecting to fall in love on first bite the way I had here. When I was browsing around for local pastries prior to deciding I was intrigued and curious to try Japanese pastries as I don't believe I've had many experiences trying 'em before. When we were walking up to the bakery we saw there was line out the door and got in queue. That was a promising sign. While my girlfriend stood inside I did some recon to get an idea of what we might want. I was already salivating at their creative savory options and unique espresso menu. We ended up trying almost a dozen separate pastries mixed between sweet and salty options. It's safe to say to we were easily impressed by the quality of bread, traditional Japanese flavors featured in their different bites and brew. I loved my black sesame latte as well. It wasn't exactly a stinger coffee choice, but it was certainly delicious and not too sweet for me. I'd certainly plan on returning when in Pasadena again. I had only found out they were only open for a couple of weeks prior to my visit but from my experience I can see them being a cornerstone for pastries in the area. Their staff and presentation were quality and made our visit memorable. read more

Wa-Iro - Black Sesame Latte - Bakeries Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Japanese Bread and Flour! Sounds delicious. Ordered the following: 1. Curry Pan 2. Fish Panini 3. Sausage Panini My favorite was the sausage panini. Overall, the bakery is clean. read more

Wa-Iro - Bakeries Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Newish Japanese bakery in Old Town Pasadena serving fresh baked goods using flour from Hokkaido! I went around 8:15am on a Friday morning and there was ~6 people in front of me. The line doesn't move super fast and it took about 30 minutes from the time I lined up to when I had both pastries and drinks. Service was fine, some of the workers are quite friendly while others have no problem walking away mid-bread pick without saying a word. There is a 6 per person limit (2 of each type) when they're extra busy but this wasn't in effect when I was there. They have some staples that are always there (such as the salt & butter breads) but other pastries are on rotation--for example, a strawberry danish was available shortly after I ordered and I've seen other danishes from other reviews. I ordered a few different pastries and enjoyed almost all of em. The bread is super soft and pillow with a nice chew, and if you enjoy this type of bread like me, this is definitely the bakery for you. My favorites were the matcha mochi anpan (no matcha flavor but still good) and the butter & red bean toast. Curry pan was salty but still pretty tasty. French toast was slightly sweet and eggy. Only one that was really unpleasant was the takoyaki because it's a bun with a takoyaki baked inside, and when you transition from the bread texture to the soft batter texture of the takoyaki, it's like biting into raw dough... aaaand the sauce on top was quite salty! Also grabbed a strawberry matcha which unfortunately tasted like nesquik strawberry milk :( and the strawberry sakura latte. Both were not great not terrible. read more

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Stood in line for about an hour on a late Saturday morning. It takes awhile for the line to go through because there's about one to two staff helping people box their treats while everyone else is making drinks or baking new treats. It's not the staff's fault: customers can be slow to pick things up! Salt butter - honestly thought it was overrated flavor-wise. The center texture is unreal in that it's perfectly baked, but buttery soft as if it's underbaked. It was high quality, but again the flavor of butter and salt can only take you so far lol. My hot take is it's worth a skip and go try the cookie or tomato/basil one instead. Cookie - no filler and same internal texture as the salt and butter one, but had a sweeter exterior. Not too sweet with a bit of a crunchy cookie bite. Perfect sweet treat for people who only like lightly sweet desserts. Cinnamon roll - good not great, but the frosting wasn't too sweet so that was a plus! Very soft. Takoyaki - no squid inside. Basically a ball shaped bread with all the flavor of a traditional Takoyaki. I liked it, but I can see how the lack of filling might be off putting for some. Curry - honestly the standout for us. The curry filling didn't include meat, but has onion and other veggies. Super flavorful and very satisfying. I regret not picking up the yakisoba because clearly the savory pasteries were far more superior than the sweet ones. Definitely give the various pasteries a chance and not be like the woman in front of us that bought 6 of the salt butter pastries. They were baking throughout the day so don't be discouraged if it looks empty while you're in line because by the time we got the front, the yakisoba, cinnamon roll, and salt butter roll were all freshly done! read more

Wa-Iro - Curry bread, Takoyaki, salted butter, cinnamon roll, and cookie salted butter roll - Bakeries Near Me - Pasadena, California

I've come here a few times now and have tried an assortment of things. The line moves kind of slowly so keep that in mind, and the inside has very limited seating. Personally, I don't think the Salt Bread is that great; and it's best while it's still fresh. My favorites so far have been the Curry Pan and their Fish Filet Panini. The curry flavor was perfect and I do like that it's vegetarian. Out of the few times I've come here I've only been able to get the Curry Pan once because it sells out quickly. I didn't expect to like the Fish Filet as much as I did, but it was perfectly balanced in flavors. I also really enjoyed their Cheesy Jalapeño Panini. I haven't particularly liked their sweet breads that I've tried, but I've enjoyed all of the savory ones! I also tried their Hojicha and was disappointed. It tasted more like milk and didn't have a strong Hojicha flavor, but they do have my favorite Koatji milk here! Overall experience has been great and the staff is lovely as well. Will continue to keep coming back to try new things! read more

Wa-Iro - Bakeries Near Me - Pasadena, California

New Japanese bakery on Old Town on Raymond Ave. Expect lines and a long wait time. Good service takes time and since there are so many options, people need time to peruse and decide what they want to buy! :) Staff are friendly and welcoming. When I went, there was a sign limiting the number of items one could buy (6) and no more than 4 salt and butter buns. The breads and pastries are incredibly fresh, bouncy, and soft. No vegan options that I saw, unfortunately. Good mix of sweet and savory. Some fun and creative options like the Purin a la Mode. My favorite was actual the simpler salt and butter buns: I tried both the original (plain) and red bean. The matcha pineapple bun was also good. I didn't like the honey butter toast. It was way too sweet for me and the slab of butter in it was overkill, but I'm not a butter fanatic. I like small amounts in some items, not on everything. I didn't order a drink but excited they offered Kaotji oat milk. Also, since they are baking throughout the day and there are so many people, they will run out of items. After I had paid for my box of pastries, they came out with a fresh batch of cinnamon rolls! Disappointing! The store itself has a decent amount of tables and seating. It's a welcoming, well designed space. I'll be back to get a latte with the Kaotji dairy alternative and a less sweet and buttery baked item, but will probably let the hype mellow out a bit first. read more

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What a beautiful quiet chill bakery that's in the heart of Old Town Pasadena! The wait isn't too long after day 5 (30minutes). Just be aware of line cutters and just be patient. Order the matcha bolo bread, jalepeños salt butter bread, red bean butter bread, salt butter bread, and Purin a la mode. Ordered a hot matcha latte and it was delicious. Roughly the pastries are roughly 4-5 dollars. Spent about 30ish$. Definitely worth coming again read more

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Love your bakery and the baked creations. Creative and fresh, appropriately priced for Pasadena. Couple of things... to the Japanese man who served us.. I know you are Japanese and you move with zen-like precision, as you wipe each individual tray. However when there are 10 people in line waiting outside your store, I implore you to move a bit quicker, more like ramen-shop speed vs. tea ceremony speed.... Lastly I love your premium matcha from Tsujiri-honten, which is the same one that Yamari at Mitsuwa Torrance also uses. However, I found a piece of your plastic chasen in my drink. I alerted you to this on Jun 20 right after my visit via IG but you didn't respond, hence I'm posting it here to exhort you to do better next time and potentially change your chasen to a higher quality, more durable ones, coupled with better whisking oversight on your employees. Love to see you succeed and please keep up the quality and service! read more

Wa-Iro - Bakeries Near Me - Pasadena, California

Dear Wa-iro, you had me at first bite. As my teeth sank into that crispy shell only to further sink into a pillowy soft center. My tongue tasted salty and sweet deliciousness. The cloud like texture was unbelievably melt in my mouth goodness. Lastly that buttery richness filled my senses and made me smile. Where have you been all my life? The salt & butter bread definitely lives up to the hype. You can definitely tell the quality of the ingredients and balanced flavors in every bite. The line moves pretty quickly and currently is only allowing 6 items per person. Definitely plan to get here early and wait. Parking is along the street or at the green street garage. It's a cozy spot but definitely plan to take your order to go as it can get crowded. The staff are friendly and kind. Bon appetit yelpers! read more

Wa-Iro - Salt & butter, turkey panini and some sort of their sweeter style bread - Bakeries Near Me - Pasadena, California

We will definitely be stopping by here again. The salt bread here is absolutely delicious especially when fresh out of the oven. The staff was courteous and amenable. The space was clean and tastefully decorated. You also have the option to purchase frozen salt bread to enjoy at home. Be prepared to queue and wait. read more

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Newest bakery in Pasadena. The line was out the door. When we arrived around 11:30 am, there were prob 10 people ahead. By 12pm, one of the staffs came out to announce that they will be outta bread soon. We weren't part of the cutoff line so we stayed. There were only 3 or 4 options left when it was my turn. The salted breads were part of the new batch. Right when I got to the register, another different batch of bread came out. I m surprised that they didn't offer to those in line getting ready to pay. They headed straight to put the breads on the display. THEY SHOULD ASK since we all been waiting for breads!! Tried to call out to ask what kind of breads, but they walked by like no one was there. Service was really really slow. The staffs also looked worn out or something. Not to be mean, but they need to open up their ears. I get it that it could be loud there...however, I repeated myself like 5 times, but none of the staffs said anything. Basically all the customers behind me heard me lol maybe the staffs were too tired and chose to ignore...I dunno The breads were fresh. Salted breads were ok. The takoyaki exterior was too salty. The filling was somewhat bland. The square pastry was not bad, but also nothing special. The drinks were ok. A little more on the creamy/milky side. I would like to return to try the other breads. The savory ones looked good, but sadly they ran out of almost everything... read more

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Stopped in for a mid afternoon snack on a Sunday, and we saw the employees restocking various savory pastries. I tried the following: 3.5/5 Shumai Bun: Molded into a triangular shape, it looks more impressive than it tastes. It was like a non-soupy pan fried pork bun (sheng jian bao) with pork filling you may find in such a bun. 5/5 Matcha Melon Pan: The best melon pan I've had in any Japanese themed bakery or grocery store in the U.S. (so far). It was covered in crunchy sweet bits, and not too sweet, like a sugary version of Korean salt bread. The matcha flavor was there, and the bread under the crunch lent a nice chewiness that was as soft as a pillow. Very satisfying to bite into. There was some seating in the bakery, and I took a mental note of an intriguing square-shaped pastry I may try for next time. read more

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Salt bread in the 626! I love the salt bread craze that's taken over social media and coming in bakeries. I saw this spot on TikTok and finally decided to stop by after their grand opening. There's very minimal street parking available but we were able to find one that's 15 minutes since we were going to do a grab-n-go. Unfortunately, I know that they're still figuring things out but I would've loved seeing all their baked breads displayed in their display case out front. When we walked in, it was clear display cases with signs of what breads they might have or might not have. They do let you know how long you have to wait for the breads to come out and it took a few minutes but hey, fresh bread! I ended up getting 7 breads since you have to order 7 in order to get their box. The total came out to be $30. Food: Salt and Butter Bread (8/10): This was heavenly! The bread was soft and the salted butter melted through all the layers. The butter hole was there too! I do wish the top of the bread was more brown in color and the bottom was fried more from the butter. This was still a delicious tasting bread after a day. Salt and Butter w/ Chocolate (5/10): This one was interesting. I took a bite after I got into the car and I was disappointed that the chocolate wasn't melted at all. Maybe these were sitting for a while? I'm not sure but this one didn't hit the spot for me. read more

Wa-Iro - Butter Hole! - Bakeries Near Me - Pasadena, California

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There's always a line, and they clearly haven't figured out the baking-to-waiting ratio yet. First visit was at 1PM -- big mistake. Everything was already sold out, we waited 45 minutes for nothing. Someone needs to do the math: if you know how fast your stock moves, you stop the line before people waste their time. Came back a second time at 10AM, which worked out better. Still grabbed a few things, though a lot of items were already gone, and some had a 30-minute wait even after you'd reached the front. That part's genuinely frustrating. We tried the Original, Cookie, Takoyaki, Jalapeño Cheese, and Ham & Cheese. The Original is basically a softer Shio Pan -- not bad, but it wasn't even warm, which was a letdown. The Cookie one was the clear standout: a sweet cookie layer on top that hits that perfect salty-sweet balance. The others were fine, just nothing memorable. Drinks selection is solid, I'll give them that. Overall though, between the wait times and the hit-or-miss availability, I don't see myself going back. read more

Wa-Iro - Bakeries Near Me - Pasadena, California

Came for the hype and was not disappointed. Enjoy my banana cream Matcha. It was not too sweet and had the perfect balance. Got the regular soft bread as well as the salt bread with the red bean filling. I preferred the latter as the plain salt bread was a little too plain. It is also more of a Japanese milk bread soft texture rather than a flaky texture. We got a few more pastries to try as well. I really liked the takoyaki bread and the sausage bun. The Matcha mochi bun as well as the honey toast with red bean filling was just OK. Overall, really interesting selection of pastries. Will return again. read more

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Visited Wa-Iro during their soft opening and there was already a line. It moves on the slower side but granted this was during the soft opening. The menu rotates as items sell out and new ones get introduced, so keep an eye on what others are ordering while you wait. I tried the salt and butter which was so simple but so delicious, the zoof, the bacon, and the japanini. I also got the premium matcha latte, which they sweeten with Monin simple syrup. As someone who is particular about matcha, I was genuinely impressed. They hand whisk every order and the matcha quality is excellent. All the pastries were dangerous, I had to pace myself not to finish it in one sitting. read more

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Would have given 5 stars without the 40 minutes wait LOL. And I am talking about the line being up to Blick Art only', as I have seen some people seeing line up to the street corner. Their servers delivered top-notch service though. Warm welcome and very helpful even they didn't seem fluent enough in English, which was so appreciated. Decent despite not many sit-down spaces to dine indoor. We got their Takoyaki, Curry Pan, Japanini, and Anpan/red bean salt bread. The takoyaki was literally the octopus ball in soft fluffy bread with the sauce itself being so flavorful. The curry pan had generous filling and rich seasoning; bit greasy for my liking but expected as it's indeed fried one. Love the Japanini with chunks of bacon and abundant melted cheese; so tasty especially when served warm. My top pick though was the sweet one - red bean. Their salt bread being so moist with nice milky touch was certainly the key, but the twist of sweet red bean paste with salty bread top created stellar duo. read more

Wa-Iro - Takoyaki Curry Pan Red bean Japanini - Bakeries Near Me - Pasadena, California

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What's not to love about this bakery & cafe? Forget the hype because it's cute, Japanese-inspired, and an influencer convinced you to come here, but instead focus on the quality of the goods. The flour that they use produces airy, soft pastries that does go stale quickly if you don't eat it within a small window of time, but it is the best when its fresh out of the oven. My favorites thus far have been their plain salt bread, shumai bun, and their french toast. Their sea salt foam cold brew and banana cream iced matcha latte are so good. Pro-tip: if you don't like overly sweetened drinks, get it without any sugar since the foam or cream topping has enough sugar in it to balance out the beverage. I've been here during their early soft-opening phase where there was a line to the Blick art supply store before their 8 a.m. opening time and then wrapped around the corner when I left. Today, while they are still in their soft-opening, is much more calm with a couple of people ahead of me around 8:45 a.m. I was told by the cashier that it's slowed down a bit and the best time to get here are on weekdays when they first open. Thank goodness I live walking distance from here. read more

Wa-Iro - Takoyaki was too messy to eat and I'm not a fan of the sauce. - Bakeries Near Me - Pasadena, California

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What a wonderful little bakery in Old Pasadena. Stop by for a quick treat and delicious drinks. All bakery items are very unique. read more

Wa-Iro - Neighborly love - Bakeries Near Me - Pasadena, California

A very welcome to addition to the Pasadena bakery and coffee scene. I was not disappointed- the service, the bread, and the coffee were superb! Definitely coming back. I ordered a variety of savory pastries, salted bread, and a s'mores puff - all yummy. Coffee was perfection. Service from the staff - amazing. Parking is street or on the nearby parking structures. read more

Wa-Iro - Bakeries Near Me - Pasadena, California

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My sister and I arrive on a Saturday morning 7:30am in early May to park in front of the bakery. There instagram mentioned of soft opening hours of 8am. So we arrived early and waited outside at 7:45am. We were first line and soon more people came after 8am. While waiting in line, the staff was placing more bread in the glass counter. The ambiance was nice and clean of small tables. There were cinnamon rolls, salt butter croissant, fish bun, Sui Mai bread, curry bread, bacon bun. Nice staff and the owner was helping us and explained some of the breads. My favorite was bacon bread and salt butter bread. As we're leaving, the line got longer. Nice addition in old Pasadena. Best to park at the school house parking lot for 1hr free. read more

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Cute bakery but food was so-so. I ordered a Takoyaki bread (hilarious and cute looking but was too salty), a hojicha puff (very ugly but pretty good), and a salt and butter tomato basil bread. There was a 20 minute line around 11am on a Saturday. I do not recommend driving out specifically for this bakery but might be fine if you happen to be by in the area. read more

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Came at a perfect time with hardly a line. They were still constantly baking so every so often, you'd hear the staff yell "fresh bread". We were lucky enough to get some fresh baked original salt & butter bread. Super yummy! Also tried the choco. Bought a few other items (some sweet and some savory). Everything was delicious. Premium matcha latte was spot on! Hubs ordered the cold dirty black sesame latte and that was delicious as well with just the right amount of sweetness. Staff was friendly and didn't hurry any customers (given the line that was forming outside), place was clean and spacious enough with ample seating and in and out customers. read more

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Visited on a Thursday morning around 9 am and there was a small line. Although the line was small, the wait was a little long as they only allow a certain amount of people inside. The staff is super friendly and the interior is very modern and spacious. Whenever a new batch of bread is brought out, the staff all yell "French bread". The woman who took my order was very happy and super friendly. Ordered a box of goods and a matcha latte with almond milk. The matcha latte was smooth and not overly sweet, although I did order half sweet. Salt & Butter Roll: so soft with a crispy bottom Honey Butter Toast: very sweet and surprisingly loved the addition of red bean Matcha Mochi Anpan: the dough tasted a little undercooked and was not that impressed with this one Sunrise: very good! The bun was soft but the top was crispy! Takoyaki Pan: such an interesting combo! Tasted exactly like a takoyaki! read more

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This Japanese bakery's take on salt bread is airier & softer in the mouth than a Korean bakery's take but just as buttery and crispy with less emphasis on cream fillings and leaning toward savory. My salt bread was still slightly warm and had a crispy bottom! The Bacon danish was fine and less of a standout since it was super mild in flavor with a couple decorative bacon nubs on top. They announce "fresh bread" when restocking their display case. A tray of cool looking Takoyaki bread came out after I had bought my limit of 6 pastries for the day. Will be back to try that! The friendly staff are still getting their footing but they're eager and smiley toward the line of customers. There's a relaxing seating area with upholstered chairs and wood benches to enjoy your baked goods with an iced hojicha (it wasn't too sweet nor too strong) or matcha latte. read more

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