Nostalgic Cafe
Nostalgic Cafe — photo 2
Nostalgic Cafe — photo 3
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Nostalgic Cafe

27 E Holly St, Pasadena, CA

★★★★4.3(124 Google reviews)

Crema's Take

Nostalgic Cafe nails the vibe of a cozy 90s hangout with worn-in vintage furniture and a genuinely chill atmosphere that makes you want to linger over espresso drinks and bagel sandwiches on one of Pasadena's cutest blocks. The coffee and pastries draw people in for solo mornings and friend meetups alike, though service can be inconsistent and drinks occasionally miss the mark on flavor versus price. If you're after that comfortable, time-worn coffee shop feeling where the ambiance does the heavy lifting, this is your spot—just manage expectations on the staff warmth and quality consistency.

What to expect

Traditional drinksPastriesMeetingsLaptop friendlySlow sitCold brewEspresso focusedLight food

Google Reviews

Kiyo “Kiyo Sasori”
★★★★★2 months ago

The service was not great as the server was glaring at me the whole time and her smile dropped every time I approached. I even tipped and wish I hadn't with how unfriendly the staff was. I had ordered a avocado breakfast bagel and while it wasn't terrible, it is definitely not worth $18. Usually I would justify it if it came with a variety of food or even a fun, weird, nontraditional ingredient. But something like that I would find from $6-10 with even better flavor at another local place. The interior is cute, so if you're grabbing a quick coffee to sit and yap then maybe it wouldn't be bad. But personally I would rather support a store that wants it's customers to feel welcome. A $40 very subpar breakfast bagel, regular cream cheese bagel, and 2 lattes experience. I would rather spend that much at Republik and get a tasty, filling, friendly experience.

jewls r
★★★★★2 months ago

Really cute coffee shop with sammies and bagels with a very cozy interior. Nice for coffee chats or solo breakfasts One complaint - I came at 10AM on a Friday and they said they were completely out of bagels which is nearly their entire menu. Ended up getting a bagel order but on sourdough:)

Caroline
★★★★★3 months ago

Feels like the comfy coffee shop of my 90s dreams. Worn in comfy seats, vintage furniture, delicious coffee, chillest vibe. On one of the cutest streets in Pasadena if you’re a local with lots of shopping.

Arman Ahmed
★★★★★4 months ago

A beautiful place to sit and sip a coffee, read, or catch up with friends. But my iced vanilla latte was not worth the price. Found it flavorless, even after adding in an extra shot. -1 star for being totally tasteless -0.5 star for milk alternative surcharge -0.5 star for low price value

Lisa
★★★★★6 months ago

We stumbled in this place when the first place we tried was closed. It wasnt what I was initially looking for but we totally enjoyed chilling in here. The food was really yummy and my coffee drink was off the chain. I had 2 of them. A very different experience. Check it out. Would like a little broader of a food offering. The huge croissants were talking to me. Maybe next time.

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