Coffee and Plants — Restaurant in Pasadena

This place is so LA & I mean that in both a bad (unfortunately) & a good way.

ITEM'S ORDERED:

The Zion (cold brew, orange syrup, almond cream, orange peel for garnish)

Pink Matcha (matcha, hibiscus syrup, beet juice for color)

The current in store menu does not have descriptions on drinks with names you would not be able to guess what they were. You have to scan their QR code for a more detailed menu. Small complaint....but they should just have drink details on the in store menu since it just slows the ordering process down in general because many people would probably still end up asking questions about drinks.

TASTE:

This place is 100% plant based which I like. So for any drinks with milk they give an option of oat or almond milk. Ordered both the drinks with almond milk.

The Zion pretty much tastes like a weak cold brew with a splash of milk & slightly sweetened. I like strong coffees so I'm quick to say a coffee needs more strength but I think even most coffee drinkers would find this one too weak. I could kinda detect the flavor of orange but maybe that's just when I read the description. Also, there was no orange zest for garnish on my drink.

Pink matcha is basically a well made matcha latte with that "LA" touch. When it came out the bottom layer looked more purple than pink & with the green layer on top it just is a very pleasing drink to look at, which is what I expected from this place. Matcha flavor is good & present while the hibiscus provides a "different" (not bad) type of not overpowering sweetness.

SERVICE, LOCATION & PARKING:

Service was kinda on both ends of the spectrum. The cashier who took my order had that type of "what do you want!?" in(famous) LA type attitude, didn't even greet or anything. While another girl who gave me my drinks was nice. Also, this place is cash free.

The subpar service was even more so highlighted since I went to 2 other new (to me) coffee shops the day before this visit & they had exceptional service. Also, kinda just letdown in general since I've been wanting to come here for some time now.

The interior as well as some exterior of this place is vibrant, green & inviting. There's 4 very small tables inside with the wall side being booth seating style. There's more available seating available out front.

For a place that's 100% plant based in Pasadena I kinda thought they'd have paper or bamboo straws or something. But they have the usual plastic.

They are located on Union St in Old Town Pasadena which as you may know, provides quite the parking experience. More specifically they are in the One Colorado shopping area very close to the iPic theater & Sushi Roku.

It you get lucky you'll find really close by (metered) street parking. But more than likely you'll need to park at the De Lacey Parking Structure which is not too far of a walk. They provide 90 minutes free without validation. It's located on De Lacey in between Colorado & Green.

I'm in Pasadena pretty often & this wasn't the worst (definitely not the best) experience so I'm not completely opposed to making a return...

This place was aesthetically pleasing. I was really excited to try their blue latte based on pictures of other reviews. I ordered it with oat milk and even though it was really pretty to look at, taste wise it disappointed me. The taste was really bland and not worth my money. Beware this drink is non-caffeniated so that is also another strike for me. I would have rated this place higher if it wasn't for the owner's sarcasm. My order had already been placed and he approached us asking if we were from Pasadena etc. As we were talking I noticed they had stamp cards at my reach, which are usually offered to the customer when they make a purchase. I simply asked if he could stamp a card so I could come back and he replied very rude "No" in a very sassy way....I was shocked and replied why not? In my head I thought am I missing something? It took him a few seconds for him to say "I mean I could have refused you know?" Then he went on saying imagine if I had refused? And I understood he was probably joking but I don't understand why an owner of a new small business would joke around like that with new customers on their first interaction with the place....I could have definitely felt very offended and ask for my money back. Which I didn't but that's the reason I won't be returning to this place. Even aside from the whole owner to customer interaction, the taste of the latte is not worth me going back. I would much rather go to other coffee places like Jameson Brown Coffee Roasters or Copa Vida their lattes...

I have been to this vegan coffee shop several times now and I have to say, I am consistently impressed. The 100% plant-based menu offers a wide variety of options that are not only delicious but also healthy and environmentally friendly. Even though I am not vegan, I have been blown away by the quality and variety. I haven't had a chance to try it all, but everything I have tried so far has been delicious, from the mushroom croissant to the avocado tartine. But what really stands out to me are the colorful drinks, they are not only visually stunning but also tasty and refreshing. My favourite beeing the blue lavender latte.

The atmosphere of the coffee shop is also lovely, the decor is simple yet inviting and the addition of plants throughout the space gives it a peaceful and natural vibe. The coffee shop is renowned for its natural and environmentally friendly atmosphere. To top it off, they even sell plants, which is a nice touch.

I really appreciate the friendliness of the staff, they are always happy to answer any questions I have about the menu and make recommendations.

Overall, I would highly recommend Coffee and Plants to anyone looking for a tasty and unique experience, whether you're vegan or not. I know I'll definitely be back again to try more...