Intelligentsia Coffee Pasadena Coffeebar

Category:	Coffee Shop
Address:	55 E Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91105, USA
Phone:	+1 626-578-1270
Site:	intelligentsiacoffee.com
Rating:	4.4
Working:	7AM–8PM 7AM–8PM 7AM–8PM 7AM–8PM 7AM–11PM 7AM–11PM 7AM–8PM

Location

Photos 100

Reviews 8

JR C

No clue where this Intelligentsia craze came from, but if its new, and its coffee, Im there. Being nestled on the heavily trafficked Colorado Blvd, this place should be a stop for shoppers who want to match their high-end merchandise with high-end coffee. Yes you pay for it, but theres something special going on here. Plenty of sitting space in front but mostly in back. Its fancy how they brew coffee here without the use of those large silver time machines. Pretty fun to watch and all of it is done in the open center bar - must be an Intelligentsia thing. Nothing negative to say about the customer service here, but nothing positive either. If I approached the bar to a joyful, Im-happy-to-be-here barista, then this place would get 6 stars from me (6 stars?!) -=- Black Cat Latte -=- This drink won me over here. I have a daily afternoon coffee (caffeine addict alert), and stopping by here made my day. Servings here run a bit small and the price a tad bit high, but Im judging this place on a totally different scale from staple Starbucks. Foaminess and presentation matched that of Urth, and the every sip was a song in my mouth. It was neither too sweet or too bitter. Perfect! -=- Honey Badger Cappuccino -=- My friend got this thinking it would be your typical cappuccino Starbucks serving, but it wasnt. Its a tiny expresso shot cup, with a good layer of foam on top. I cannot attest to the taste, but word to the wise on the serving size. Also, theres no sippy lid for the expresso cups. Only closed lids.

Judy Juan

The ambience of this place is really nice. Its good for people who wants to chill or just have a chat with friends. But the coffee is just ok. I am a coffee lover, and their coffee isnt just that good enough. For a latte, you could taste the milk more than the coffee. And they do not have food, just pastries. I tried their bear paw pastries, they were so tough to eat. Maybe because they didnt heat up the pastries. For a shop that only sells coffee and pastries, they should have perfected their any of the 2. And oh, if youre planning to bring your laptop to work or study there, be sure to charge your battery fully. They do not have electrical outlets available for plug. And if theres one, they do not work. I guess they did it in purpose to prevent people from staying there too long. But if youre just looking for a place to chill, this place is great for conversation with friends or just to read a book. Not a good choice for a good cup of coffee or pastries. Price is more than Starbucks. I would rather just go to starbucks. They heat up the pastries for you by request.

Neal Dixon

If youre a coffee aficionado, then you already know Intelligentsia sets the standard for coffee. That said, its not a "regular" coffee shop. The coffee menu changes daily. They have beer. Their shop is equally full of coffee as well as coffee brewing products.Each morning, the coffee minions selecting the beans and roast each morning and set the pour-over method for each coffee (regular pour-over or Chemex). Each cappuccino or latte drink will be embellished with poured designs. And there are a few key things you can count on: craft selection (i.e., you may not like the coffee but you know its quality) and good foam on the cappuccinos.Now, if youre not familiar with Intelligentsia, one thing you should know is Intelligentsia is one of the premier place to see coffee-slinging hipsters in their natural habitat. Beards, mustaches, glasses--the whole kit and caboodle. So, if youre out on a hipster hunt, this should be stop numero uno (which has the added bonus of coffee!).

Dani S

Decent experience! Everything was sooooo expensive! Came here one morning for breakfast and coffee. We walked down and found this place which was super cute on the outside and on the inside. There was a bunch of yoga/gym rats in line ahead of us in their designer yoga pants that clearly cost more than $100 each. Definitely a very snooty clientele. We ordered a hot tea each, and then 6 different pastries to share. Each pastry item was well over $5, which is definitely more than what Im used to paying even at a fancy coffee shop. Our hot teas took a long time which was weird since teas are easy to make. The pastry items were interesting with random flavors such as the spam kimchi croissant, which taste pretty good. The other items were ok, with 2 of them being very hard and difficult to chew. Service was nice, but I definitely would not go out of my way to come here.

Daniel Johnson, MFT

A well situated spot in Old Town, right in the middle of several of my favourite places. The staff is friendly without being invasive and the coffee is the best around. Nothing is better then spending a Sunday morning at an outside table here with a good book and a Black Cat Latte. Prices are a bit much, especially with two Starbucks and CBTL just a few blocks East, South, and West but taste and worth it. It looses a star on account of the rather heavy choice of music - seems a bit much to go with relaxing coffee and people watching. I mean I didnt go all the way into Old Town to plan the revolution or brood about the ills of society, thats what my living room and the internet is for. And while the music does seem well paired with the Industrial Decor, I cant help but wonder if there isnt another genera of song that might do just as well?

Matt White

Intelli is my go to and has been since the opening night launch party years back. They are masters of consistency, cup to cup, month to month, you will always know what you are getting. People complain about pricing, but they dont realize the quality and expertise they are paying, and that simply put and education issue. Between the 20% disc for rolling in on a bike, to the well designed layout and aesthetics, and the required skills of the baristas, intelli always gets my vote, plus beer and wine! And as an aside, There arent outlets for a reason, Coffee camping kills profit margins, OT square footy is expensive, and always tip your Barista.

André Chi

Just beat a line when I got here, but was not surprised to see how quickly it formed. This place is way better than I was expecting. The barista was very knowledgeable about the exotic offers and patiently explained them to me without the least bit of condescension. I ended up paying $12 for one of their specialty coffees and didnt regret a penny of it. I even bought a Thermos mug due to the advice of people in line and their staff assuring me it would not fail me. After going through 3 in the past that failed spectacularly, I can say they were right on with the recommendation! Ill definitely be coming again when Im in the area!

A Private User

Best latte Ive ever had. I always order a latte whenever I go to coffee joints. Intelligentisia blew me away with their quality of espresso: earthy, chocolately, woodsy flavors. It was divine. And the art on top is always appreciated. Order at the first counter when you walk in, pick up your order halfway down the counter. Try the opposite and youll get an eye-roll from your barista. On this Friday night, the music was typical upbeat bar music with unappreciated profanity (which, for me, warrants a star deduction). I know its not expected to go to a bar and have family-friendly entertainment, but, folks, have some class.