Hidden Gem in Pasadena: A Highly-Rated & Affordable Vietnamese Spot 🌿

Hey everyone! This Vietnamese restaurant originally from Vancouver has made its way to Pasadena and is gaining quite the hype on IG! The flavors are cleaner and fresher than I expected — not heavy at all. Definitely not the kind of Vietnamese food that leaves your mouth dry or tastes overly processed. It’s the light, flavorful kind that makes you think, “I want to come back again!” 🍜 26 Viet Cafe (Pasadena) 📍 3562 E Foothill Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91107 We tried a whole table of dishes, and each one was solid: ☕️ Iced Sea Salt Cream Coffee Way better than most Vietnamese iced coffees — not too sweet, with a savory cream foam. The coffee flavor is smooth, not too strong or bitter. Loved it! 🍲 Special Beef Noodle Soup (Phở Đặc Biệt) The broth is really light and refreshing, with a subtle bone aroma 🦴, not greasy at all — clean and slightly sweet. Tender beef slices, bouncy meatballs, soft tendon, and a big beef rib included. 🥩 Vietnamese Garlic Beef Carpaccio That vibrant red raw beef plate is eye-catching, right? So fresh, no odd smell. The satay sauce is tangy and appetizing, and with cilantro added, the whole dish feels fresh and not heavy at all. 🍚 Lemongrass Grilled Pork Chop, Chicken, & Spring Rolls with Rice Generous portions of flavorful pork and chicken 🥩 — slightly sweet and very well-marinated. Dipped in fish sauce, it’s even sweeter. The lemongrass aroma is light and doesn’t overpower 🍋. Edges are slightly crispy 🪵, inside stays tender, not dry at all. +$4 for a side of spring rolls — classic Vietnamese style, thin wrapper, well-stuffed filling. 🍗 Special Chicken Wings I loved these! Marinated with garlic and satay sauce, crispy outside, juicy inside 🍋, served with a black pepper lemon dipping sauce — gets tastier with every bite. 🦀 Vietnamese Crispy Soft Shell Crab The crab is truly soft-shell, and the batter is fried to perfect crispiness. The sweet & sour dipping sauce is absolutely the soul of this dish ✨ — highly recommend! Overall, this place offers an “unexpectedly gentle take on Vietnamese flavors.” The broth is fresh, the meat is tender, the seasoning is clean and precise — you leave feeling satisfied and comfortable ♨️. If you’re looking for Vietnamese food that’s light yet flavorful, not greasy or heavy-handed 🇻🇳, give this Pasadena spot a try! Its online hype is totally deserved. 💰 Around $25 per person — fresh ingredients, delicious food, clean and tidy space. Great value! #LAFood #LAEats #LosAngelesFood #SGVFood #SanGabrielValley #PasadenaEats