When I was accepted into Caltech in December of 2021, the one thing I found myself doing until the day I arrived in September was finding all the places I wanted to explore. My entire Instagram and TikTok feed quickly became “10 cool restaurants in the LA area,” “Best chicken in Pasadena,” or “Must try food experiences in SoCal.” These intriguing headlines filled my phone screen anytime I was on it, so I had to save them all. Google Maps truly became my best friend because of how obsessed I got with crafting the perfect list of places to go to. 

I recently joined an app called Beli where you rate the restaurants, cafes, bakeries, and dessert places you have been. If my Google Maps didn’t make it clear enough, Beli became the perfect app for me, and I am now far too obsessed. After seeing my Beli Plated (Spotify Wrapped but for food) for the year, I was excited to see that the city I tried the most things in was Pasadena, with 63 places! So to celebrate this, I am going to share my top ones with you all. 

Now without further ado, here is the ranking:

1. SUGARFISH by sushi nozawa

I am a big sushi fan, so finding a good sushi place near campus was a must. SUGARFISH is a chain in the area, but the quality of the sushi is always great. The salmon nigiri never fails to perfectly melt on my tongue, making the 15-minute walk there always worth it. 

2. Howlin’ Ray’s Hot Chicken

Easily the best hot fried chicken I have ever had. If this is your thing, then you definitely should check out Howlin’ Ray’s. Fair warning that all spice levels above mild/medium are SPICY! I tried my friend’s hot-level chicken once from here, and my tongue was attached to a pint of vanilla ice cream for a good 10 minutes after. This is your official warning!

3. Amara Cafe & Restaurant 

The vibes are so wholesome here, and the food is incredible! I have been looking for a good arepa spot for a while and this one is truly delicious.

4. dan modern chinese

When I visited Caltech for the first time before committing, my family and I had lunch here, and this place had me sold on committing officially simply knowing it would be just a short walk from campus. The food is so yummy here, and I always end up taking people visiting me here because there are great options for vegan and vegetarian people too!

5. Colette Pasadena 人生如戲

This is the most recent addition to this list, and it is a very unique one. The dishes here are very creative, which is always nice to try. The best part of this place is truly the two black truffle dishes though!

6. Nine & Nine Thai Kitchen

The food here is honestly what I see as a college student’s dream. The price is great for the portions, and you can always have yummy leftovers to take back to campus to enjoy the next day. 

7. Real Food Daily

If you are vegan and looking for a good food place near campus, then Real Food Daily is a great option. It is only a 15-minute walk from campus, and the pizza is always so good! 

8. Rice & Nori

I first went to this place in Little Tokyo, and I was so happy when I found out they recently opened one in Pasadena! The onigiri here are great and honestly so filling. This place is also vegan/vegetarian friendly with the spicy eggplant onigiri!

9. Paper Rice

Another great quick place in Pasadena that is super vegan/vegetarian friendly. They are honestly just a solid customized rice paper wrap place!

10. Mi Piace

This is a nicer sit-down Italian restaurant in Old Pasadena, but I would honestly only go back for their pastries. That almond cake slice was one of the best cake slices ever, and there were so many other desserts that looked great.

11. Boiling Point Concept 

If you have ever wanted your own personal bowl at a hot pot place, then this place is for you. They do a bunch of different hot pot options that can be customized to your liking, and I would say it is pretty good. What makes this place really nice is that it is connected to the tea shop next door, so you can order a nice matcha latte from there to have while you eat!

12. Magnolia House

This place is just a short 10-minute walk away from my dorm, and it has such a cute brunch ambiance!