Erewhon — Attraction in Pasadena

Probably the best Erewhon I've been to so far, they massively improved in certain areas- the isles aren't so narrow & cramped, the store overall is much more spacious and thoughtfully designed.

I think a lot of the complaints in the reviews are people coming here with the wrong mindset. Is Erewhon expensive? Yes- but also, no, depending on how you shop. They make a fantastic organic chili crunch oil for $13 in a huge reusable mason jar, and they sell local organic orange blossom honey for $12 a jar. These are both Erewhon branded items that are comparatively cheaper than other name-brands, considering what they are (organic, local, glass jar vs plastic) and how big the quantity is. No one is forcing you to buy the $25 gallon water or $30 ice cubes lol.

I'm a private chef, and my clients often request Erewhon and Bristol Farms over any other grocer. These are incredibly wealthy people, who don't like to waste their money, and are in-the-know about whats-what health wise. There's a reason they're picking this store. They don't care about clout- I'm the one physically in the store shopping for them- it's about the quality of food itself.

Do I think it's economical for an average family on an average salary to do their entire grocery shopping here? No, but if you set a budget ($40-$50) and stick to it, you can come away with some key items that are honestly great. I get my chili crunch, the honey, and a few other things I know I wont find for better elsewhere. Then I'll go to Trader Joes, Farmers Markets, Whole Foods, Costco, etc for the rest of my groceries.

The smoothies and hot bar items are what they are- def not for me, but the pricing both a) reflects the ingredient quality and b) keeps up the mystique- how many youtube videos have you seen re: "Is the $25 Erewhon Smoothie worth it!?". Their marketing team isn't stupid, by pricing certain things certain ways, they get customers to do the marketing for them. Logically, paying $30 for pre-cut carrots and cucumbers is stupid, unless you have the money for it, which many customers do (I don't, so I buy the carrot & cucumber whole which comes out to being similar to Ralphs prices).

Last- Erewhon knows their customer base. They have 0 interest in appealing to a wide audience. That doesn't inherently make them bad. It reminds me of people who talk down on Michelin starred places- "i can get more food at McDonalds for only $8 instead of $200 for a few artsy bites"- missing the bigger picture due to their narrow view on how things should be.

The staff were all friendly, helpful, approachable, and efficient. Not snooty or uppity as some people have commented. Definitely...

The single 19.99 strawberry is GMO. Products can be sold as ORGANIC & STILL BE GMO. If a fruit is larger than normal, it's because it HAS BEEN MODIFIED to grow extremely large. (Fruits are supposed to be small) originally. Apples should be the size of a lemon if they are authentic non-GMO. Organic Grapes should have seeds), think back to your grandma's garden or the fruit you picked as a kid. So it's ridiculous this store sells so many GMO products & people think because they are labeled organic (check for their certification on the website first), they must be healthy. Japan is generally free of pesticides as they don't spray their crops. So all you're paying for is the shipping cost from Japan. These are likely flown in. The water they claim is extra oxygenated does nothing to add oxygen to your blood cells. You have to BREATHE IN EXTRA OXYGEN to deliver it to your cells ( like in the hospital). They never give you extra oxygenated water. Dumb. DRINKING IT DOES NOTHING. So the $21 bottles of water & the huge strawberry are all B.S. to get your money because you're living in a rich area of town. Rich folks are literally throwing their money away. They never investigate what they are buying. They just take someone's word for it because their stuff is expensive & they have a chef in-store. A ploy to make it seem more than it is. You can't do that in today's world; just take someone's word. They think if it's expensive, it must be great. Just buy ORGANIC NON-GMO FOODS & START A FOOD PANTRY FOR THE POOR WITH THE REST. You can buy a lot of food for 20 bucks to donate to those who need it. Know where real food comes from. (Oranges Lemons Grapes CA) (Apples WA) ect. This store and its stuff are just selfish & stupid. I didn't buy a thing in the store. I could see the game being played. So I gave the money I was going to spend in this store to a few different homeless persons and canceled the 200.00 yearly fees. I started a savings bond for my niece, and I make sure the 200 a year plus the extra from what I would have spent in this store gets added to her account for college. Im OUT! And you...

I’ve been a regular at Erewhon for a while now and shop their for my clients multiple times a week, but what happened at the  Silver Lake location in early May was not only unacceptable—it was dangerous.

Around 9:30 PM on a Monday, just before closing, I purchased a Korean short rib burrito  from the hot bar. It was barely lukewarm, definitely not held at the required  135°F or above . Based on touch and taste, it wasn’t even  100°F . I ate it shortly after, and later that night, I became  violently ill  with clear symptoms of  food poisoning .

California food safety law is clear: if hot food falls below 135°F, it must be  discarded within 4 hours . But here’s the problem—I didn’t see  anyone  checking temperatures or tracking holding times. No time-stamped labels, no monitoring, no accountability.

A week later, I returned to the Silver Lake location and spoke with a staff member who confided that  10 Erewhon employees  had  called out sick  that week due to food poisoning. According to them, an internal  Erewhon email  was sent out confirming the outbreak. Those employees all ate from the  same hot bar , using their staff discount.

I emailed Erewhon directly. I received a  generic, dismissive response  that ignored every concern I raised about hot food safety and compliance with health regulations. No apology. No follow-up. Just silence.

This is not about the taste or presentation of a burrito. This is about  public health , and a company that markets itself as wellness-focused while  ignoring serious safety failures  behind the scenes.

How is Erewhon monitoring hot bar food temps? – Are  calibrated thermometers  being used? – Are temps  logged hourly  as required? – Is food  being discarded  after 4 hours if it falls out of temp?

I’m a  professional chef  who understands food safety inside and out. Erewhon charges luxury prices—but this experience showed me they’re  cutting corners where it matters most .

If 10 of your own employees get sick from your hot bar, and customers are getting food that’s under temp at closing time,  you have a...