Day 4 of 365 Things To Do in Pasadena™: Bread and Pastries

My pleasures in life are simple.  Fresh bread, good pastries, a steaming hot cup of late.  Ok, take away late since my doc just told me that dairy is not good for me.  So… that leaves bread and pastries.

Fresh bread seems hard to find.  We do not have many bakeries around (or at least, I don’t know of many bakeries) that bake fresh bread on a daily basis.  Unlike Europe, where there’s a bakery on every corner, we have to look far and wide to find one here.

However, don’t despair, Euro Pane just opened another bakery and cafe right across the street from Paseo Colorado.

I first found out about the original Euro Pane from my clients, Stephen and Maggie. They talked about the delicious pastries, atmosphere and one day treated me and my kids to some of the best cookies we’ve ever had.

Also inspired by Mike at Cafe Pasadena by his various Euro Pane posts and photos, it was time to check this puppy out!

Last week, my husband and I stopped by the new Euro Pane #2 which is located across the street from the Paseo and were surprised to see how, well… European… it was.

The outside looks pretty slick and modern. As you walk in, a huge communal wood table greets you. It’s surrounded by smaller tables allowing for more privacy with additional seating outside.

The pastries and a wonderful selection of artisan breads (yes!) are showcased in a wide display case towards the back of the bakery. We purchased two loafs of breads to take home: olive sourdough and a plain sourdough bread.  Both were extra fresh and very tasty.

Not exactly, the type of bread you’ll find in Europe, but close.  The plain sourdough bread we got was a bit on the “plain” side, but was excellent in sandwiches for the kidlets.

I did enjoy the olive sourdough a bit more.  It was very flavorful.

I also tried the wheat chocolate croissant which was a nice surprise. It had just the right amount of chocolate and was not greasy like many croissants are.

My husband tried their blueberry pumpkin danish which he inhaled in less than 30 seconds with a happy smile.

The coffee was excellent. The staff said that they use Pasadena’s very own Jones Coffee, a special mix that the owner, Sumi Chang, prepares herself.

Now… we were there for breakfast, but it looked like they had a pretty nice lunch menu as well.

The cafe is not open on weekends yet.  Hopefully, weekend hours will be available beginning June 2010.  However, the original Euro Pane just down the street is open, but do come early…  space is very limited.

Euro Pane (#2): 300 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena (across from Paseo Colorado and just a few blocks from the Pasadena City Hall; (626) 844-8804. Euro Pane (original): 950 E Colorado Blvd, Ste 107, Pasadena; (626) 577-1828

Give it a try. You are not going to regret it and let me know what you think!

And, where do you get your bread?  Let me know and I’ll check it out.  Or, of course, you can do your own write up to be included in our 365 Things to Do In Pasadena™!

Visit 365 Things To Do In Pasadena®  for more fun activities in Pasadena California and surrounding neighborhoods.