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  • 4 San Gabriel Valley restaurants on the L.A. Times’ 101 Best list for 2026

    The Los Angeles Times published its 2026 list of the 101 best restaurants in Los Angeles this week. The paper’s two restaurant critics spent months eating across L.A. and Orange counties, and 31 places are new to the list this year. Four San Gabriel Valley restaurants made the cut, according to Patch. Here’s who they are and what to know before you go.

    Bistro Na's, Temple City

    Imperial-style Chinese cooking in a Las Tunas Drive strip mall. Bistro Na’s opened in late 2016 as the first North American branch of the Beijing restaurant group Na Jia Xiao Guan, and it spent a few years as the L.A. area’s only Michelin-starred Chinese restaurant (2019 to 2022).

    • On the menu: crispy shrimp, peppered lamb chops, Na’s braised pork belly, kung pao lobster and Beijing zhajiang noodles
    • Where: 9055 Las Tunas Dr, Suite 105, Temple City
    • Beer and wine license on file

    Reported by Wikipedia. See the 626food page.

    Loli Farms, Pasadena

    A counter-service Peruvian chicken shop on East California Boulevard. The pollo a la brasa is roasted over apple, pecan and almond wood, and comes as a whole, half or quarter bird with two sides (there are about a dozen, including canary beans and fried plantains). There’s also a shredded-chicken sanguche on a griddled potato bun.

    • Where: 885 E California Blvd, Pasadena
    • Good for takeout

    Reported by The Infatuation. See the 626food page.

    Yang’s Kitchen, Alhambra

    Chris Yang and Maggie Ho cook Chinese-inspired California food on Main Street, drawing on her Taiwanese roots and his Cantonese and Vietnamese ones, with mostly local and organic produce. Weekend brunch is the classic order (look for the cornmeal mochi pancake), and dinner runs Thursday through Sunday with a short menu of entrées, small bites and specials. Order the black sesame cake early; it sells out.

    • Where: 112 W Main St, Alhambra
    • Alhambra listings are coming to 626food soon

    Reported by Time Out.

    Bao Kee Cafe, South El Monte

    A Hong Kong-style café serving Cantonese comfort food on Garvey Avenue in South El Monte.

    • Where: 9510 Garvey Ave, South El Monte
    • South El Monte listings are coming to 626food soon

    Two of the four (Bistro Na’s and Loli Farms) are already in the 626food directory, with health inspections, maps and tips. Alhambra and South El Monte are next on our list of cities to add. The full list, with the other 97 picks, is in the L.A. Times food section.

  • Coming soon to the 626 and Burbank: 8 openings to watch

    Restaurants rarely announce themselves early, but they do have to file for a liquor license, often months before opening day. 626food watches those California ABC filings across the San Gabriel Valley and nearby Burbank, then checks local reporting for the story behind each one. These are the eight we’re most curious about right now.

    Bacari, Old Pasadena

    The LA group known for Venetian-style small plates (cicchetti), small-production wines and cocktails is taking over the former Sage Regenerative Kitchen space in the One Colorado courtyard: roughly 5,250 square feet with indoor seating and a patio.

    • Who: brothers Danny and Robert Kronfli, who started Bacari near USC in 2008, with chef and co-owner Lior Hillel
    • Liquor license: full bar, approved May 2026
    • Timing: a soft opening was targeted for early 2027, per reports from March 2026

    Reported by Pasadena Now, Hoodline. See the 626food page.

    The Giddy Ostrich, South Pasadena

    A restaurant and brewery planned for more than 10,000 square feet, indoors and out, on Meridian Avenue, where Nicole’s Market & Cafe used to be. Expect made-to-order American food (with kid-friendly options), eight house beers plus guest taps, wine and cocktails.

    • Who: chef and head of operations James Boyle; brewmasters Evan and Anders McCarthy
    • Liquor license: brewery and full-bar applications filed May 2025, still pending
    • Timing: the team first aimed for late 2025 or early 2026; no new date has been announced

    Reported by What Now LA. See the 626food page.

    Ferrazzani's Pasta & Market, moving to Altadena

    Not a new business, but a big move: the handmade pasta shop is relocating about four blocks north on Lincoln Avenue. Fresh and dried pasta, lasagna, sandwiches on Bub & Grandma’s baguettes and the pasta club all make the trip, and the new shop adds beer and wine.

    • Who: owner Leah Ferrazzani
    • Timing: January 2027; the current shop stays open through the end of 2026
    • Liquor license: beer and wine application filed August 2026

    Reported by Hoodline. See the 626food page.

    Villa's Tacos, South Pasadena

    The Highland Park taco spot recognized by the Michelin Guide, and featured during the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show, has filed for a South Pasadena location on El Centro Street.

    • Who: Victor Villa
    • Liquor license: beer and wine, applied August 2025
    • Timing: not announced

    Reported by NBC Los Angeles. See the 626food page.

    Scum & Villainy Rendezvous, Downtown Burbank

    Hollywood’s sci-fi themed cantina (costumed bartenders, themed food and drinks) is opening a second bar on First Street, with a podcast studio, streaming setup and a stage for creators in about 5,300 square feet.

    • Who: co-owner J.C. Reifenberg
    • Liquor license: full bar, applied March 2026
    • Timing: targeted for later in 2026

    Reported by Downtown Burbank, What Now LA. See the 626food page.

    Supreme Crab, Downtown Burbank

    A Cajun seafood-boil restaurant with build-your-own spice levels, house sauces and live seafood cooked to order. It’s the brand’s first Southern California location after two in Northern California.

    • Who: owner Chen Bin Huang
    • Liquor license: beer and wine, approved August 2026
    • Timing: not announced

    Reported by What Now LA. See the 626food page.

    Fire Wings, Downtown Burbank

    The Northern California wing chain is heading to East Alameda Avenue with bone-in and boneless wings in sauces from classic buffalo to mango habanero and lemon pepper, plus combos and sides.

    • Liquor license: beer and wine, applied September 2026
    • Timing: listed by the City of Burbank as coming soon

    Reported by Downtown Burbank. See the 626food page.

    Karaoke Manekineko, Downtown Burbank

    The Japanese karaoke chain (private rooms for groups of 1 to 30, food delivered to the room and a catalog of more than 100,000 songs) has one US location so far, on Sawtelle in West LA. Burbank looks like number two.

    • Liquor license: full bar, application pending
    • Timing: listed by the City of Burbank as coming soon

    Reported by City of Burbank. See the 626food page.

    Know an opening date, a soft-opening night or what’s on the menu? Every coming-soon page has a tip form, and we read them all. See everything coming soon on 626food.

  • New in Pasadena: 11 places that opened in 2026

    Pasadena picked up a wave of new places this year, from a Boston seafood institution to a Japanese matcha flagship. These eleven are confirmed openings with a 2026 health permit. Health scores below are from the City of Pasadena’s latest inspection on record.

    Mike's Red Tacos

    Beef birria tacos dipped in chili oil and griddled, plus birria ramen, quesadillas and loaded fries. The birria chain opened on East Del Mar Boulevard on October 16.

    • Who: founder Mike Touma
    • Health score: 98

    Reported by MENAFN / press release. See the 626food page.

    The Daily Catch

    Boston’s Sicilian-style seafood restaurant chose East Colorado Boulevard for its first West Coast location: squid ink pasta, clam chowder, fried calamari and a scampi-butter lobster roll. Opened July 16.

    • Health score: 99
    • Full bar

    Reported by The Infatuation, Pasadena Now. See the 626food page.

    Dalah

    Home-style Thai with playful touches on Cordova Street: beef pad see ew, garlic grilled short ribs, duck leg in curry broth, mango sticky rice and shaved Thai tea ice cream. Opened in June.

    • Who: owners Nataya “Fai” Maraddeta and Peter Maraddeta
    • Health score: 98

    Reported by Pasadena Now. See the 626food page.

    Thaim

    Bangkok street food in Old Town from the team behind U: Dessert Story: Yaowarat-style suki, pad thai boran, grilled pork jowl and Thai tea slushies. Opened in July.

    • Health score: 97
    • Beer and wine

    Reported by Hoodline. See the 626food page.

    Tierra Caliente Mexican Cuisine

    Traditional Michoacán recipes on East Colorado in Old Town, with live mariachi on some nights. Soft-opened July 24.

    • Health score: 96
    • Beer and wine now; a full-bar application is pending

    Reported by Old Pasadena, Pasadena Now. See the 626food page.

    Nana's Green Tea

    The Japanese matcha café chain picked Pasadena for its first company-run US flagship: matcha and hojicha parfaits, lattes and soft serve, plus savory rice bowls and katsu curry.

    • Health score: 94

    Reported by Verdict Foodservice. See the 626food page.

    Wa-Iro Japanese Bakery and Cafe

    Breads made with Hokkaido flour in the former I Like Pie space in Old Town: salt-butter rolls, curry pan, matcha mochi bread, plus specialty coffee and matcha.

    • Health score: 94

    Reported by Old Pasadena. See the 626food page.

    Mammoth Coffee Roasters

    The first franchise location of the Mammoth Lakes roaster, pouring its own beans with pastries on North Fair Oaks. Opened July 20.

    • Health score: 96

    Reported by Mammoth Coffee Roasting Co.. See the 626food page.

    Mehfil Co

    A chai house from Baltimore on South Lake, brewing karak chai with spices from India, plus mango lassi and pistachio lattes.

    Reported by The Infatuation. See the 626food page.

    Levant Mediterranean Oven & Grill

    Shawarma, falafel and hummus plus stone-fired and flame-grilled plates in the Orangewood Center on West California. Opened July 8.

    • Health score: 100

    Reported by Pasadena Now. See the 626food page.

    Milk Brew

    Coffee steeped in milk overnight, with drinks like corn milk and banana milk, on East Colorado. Opened August 1.

    • Health score: 92

    Reported by Pasadena Now. See the 626food page.

    Been to one of these? Rate it and leave a tip on its 626food page. See every new 2026 permit on 626food.

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