Trending restaurants in Pasadena right now

Pasadena's dining scene has been quietly on fire this year, and October brings one of the biggest openings the city has seen in a while. Mike's Red Tacos, the San Diego-born birria brand with a Yelp Top 100 ranking, opens its first Los Angeles-area location right here on East Del Mar. Around it, a wave of newer kitchens is settling in: Levant Mediterranean at the Orangewood Center, The Daily Catch on East Colorado, Thai newcomers Thaim and Dalah, and the cult-favorite wings of Love Baked Wings in Old Pasadena. I am Alejandro Espitia, a Broker Associate and REALTOR with Apex Realty and Investments, and Pasadena is my home turf. Licensed in California since 1996, with 200+ homes sold serving Los Angeles, San Bernardino, San Gabriel, and Riverside, and fluent in English and Spanish, I keep an eye on the neighborhood's best new tables so you know where to go. Every pick below comes from current public listings and local reporting, with sources at the bottom of the post.

The big one: Mike's Red Tacos opens on East Del Mar

The opening everyone is talking about is Mike's Red Tacos, which held its grand opening on Tuesday, October 13, 2026 at 899 E. Del Mar Boulevard, in the former Real Food Daily space. To celebrate, the first 100 guests in line received free Mike's Meals for a year. Regular hours are Sunday through Thursday from 10:00 am to 11:00 pm and Friday and Saturday from 10:00 am to midnight. This is the brand's first Los Angeles-area restaurant and a corporate-run prototype that will serve as a model for future locations, complete with a Brand Training Center. The San Diego-born birria brand, named a Yelp Top 100 U.S. restaurant in 2023, grew from a 2021 food truck founded by Mike Touma into a fast-casual chain, and the Pasadena opening follows news that NBA star LeBron James joined as an investor. Details are on the Mike's Red Tacos site and the grand opening announcement.

Mediterranean: Levant at the Orangewood Center

Levant Mediterranean celebrated its grand opening on July 8, 2026 at 117 W. California Boulevard, in the Orangewood Center, and it has been drawing a steady crowd since. The menu leans on bright, fresh Mediterranean cooking: hummus, grilled meats, warm pita, and vegetable plates that work as well for a quick lunch as for a relaxed dinner. It is listed among the new food and drink businesses opening across Pasadena in the Pasadena Now roundup.

Seafood: The Daily Catch on East Colorado

The Boston-based chain The Daily Catch opened its first Pasadena location on July 16, 2026 at 927 E. Colorado Boulevard, bringing its Sicilian-style seafood to the East Colorado corridor. Think blackened fish, calamari, and the garlicky pasta preparations the original shop has been known for since 1971, served in a casual, no-frills room that fills up fast. It appears in the same Pasadena Now roundup of new food and drink businesses.

Thai, two ways: Thaim and Dalah

Two Thai kitchens have joined the Pasadena lineup this year. Thaim, a Thai street food spot at 20 Union Street in One Colorado, brings the flavors of Bangkok's stalls to Old Pasadena. And Dalah, a modern Thai restaurant at 851 Cordova Street, takes a more composed, contemporary approach to the same classics. Both are recent openings worth a reservation, and both show up on the Visit Pasadena new restaurants guide and the Colorado Boulevard roundup of what is new in 2026.

Wings in Old Pasadena: Love Baked Wings

Love Baked Wings at 38 W. Colorado Boulevard has become something of a cult favorite in Old Pasadena. The name tells the story: the wings are baked, not fried, then tossed in a lineup of sauces that keeps regulars coming back. It is a small, friendly room with big flavor, and it is a great stop before a show or a walk through the district. It is featured in the Visit Pasadena guide to new restaurants and food trends.

What Yelp is calling hot right now

If you want the crowd's verdict, Yelp's September 2026 New and Hot rankings for Pasadena put these names at the top: UOVO Pasadena, Bodegon No 69, Neighbors and Friends in South Pasadena, Miya, Holy Saints, Dos Besos, Marina, Deluxe 1717, Betsy, and Dalah. The list shifts week to week, so the freshest version lives on the Yelp New and Hot page for Pasadena.

A note on details: opening hours, menus, and specials can shift in the first weeks of a new restaurant's life. Please confirm directly with each spot before you head out, and use the links below for the latest. If you have a favorite Pasadena restaurant I missed, text me and I will add it to the next edition.

Sources: Mike's Red Tacos grand opening announcement, Mike's Red Tacos locations, New food and drink businesses open across Pasadena, Pasadena Now, Best new restaurants in Pasadena 2026, Visit Pasadena, A wave of new restaurants highlights Pasadena in 2026, Colorado Boulevard, and Yelp New and Hot restaurants, Pasadena.