From Burbank to Claremont - things to eat and do
October 11, 2018 7:52 AM Subscribe
I'm taking my kiddo on a short weekend college-tour trip to the LA area this weekend. We are flying into Burbank and staying in Claremont.
The kid and I are both adventurous eater and we will have a car so the sky's the limit (budget is not!) Looking for breakfast and Dinner suggestions near Claremont. I'd love a good Dim Sum suggestion too. (especially one that's okay in the afternoon as our mid-mornings are filled.)
It's been a few years since I've been in college there, but a good lunch/dinner place might be Union on Yale. Another good place, if you like beer, would be The Back Abbey. I would definitely take the time to walk around the village in general. For breakfast you HAVE to go to Some Crust and get their sliders. That's the classic Claremont breakfast, at least in the crowds I hung out in. It takes awhile to get them, but it's novel and therefore worth it. Oh, I can't believe I forgot this, but you should definitely try and get a sandwich at the Grove House (on the north side of Pitzer's campus). Their cookies are also to die for; it's rare that I've thought, "I need this recipe!" If you're looking for tacos, I would make a trip to Lily's Tacos in Pomona.
Oh, and you're definitely going to want to stop in the San Gabriel Valley on your way from Burbank if you're looking for Dim Sum. A VERY popular place (read, wait times of 1 hour+ sometimes) is Din Tai Fung, although I feel like the quality varies from location to location. I'm sure it's hard to lose if you look on yelp for Dim Sum, though. Google "Jonathan Gold San Gabriel Valley" for good food writing about a variety of locations in the area.
Let me know if you have any more questions, or totally feel free to ask me about questions about the colleges in general. I went to Pitzer from 2010-2014 but took classes at all the colleges except CMC.
posted by lilies.lilies at 9:19 AM on October 11, 2018 [4 favorites]
Oh, and you're definitely going to want to stop in the San Gabriel Valley on your way from Burbank if you're looking for Dim Sum. A VERY popular place (read, wait times of 1 hour+ sometimes) is Din Tai Fung, although I feel like the quality varies from location to location. I'm sure it's hard to lose if you look on yelp for Dim Sum, though. Google "Jonathan Gold San Gabriel Valley" for good food writing about a variety of locations in the area.
Let me know if you have any more questions, or totally feel free to ask me about questions about the colleges in general. I went to Pitzer from 2010-2014 but took classes at all the colleges except CMC.
posted by lilies.lilies at 9:19 AM on October 11, 2018 [4 favorites]
My number one recommendation, if you are willing to splurge on a $15 hamburger and $8 beer, is Back Abbey, in downtown Claremont. Very nice patio, service a bit iffy, but one of my all-time favorite "haute" hamburgers, and a world-class selection of Belgian beers on tap. To fit any price point, "The Donut Man" in Glendora has top-quality donuts, sadly the peach and strawberry donut are out of season, but for me the buttermilk bar is a particularly nice example among many. Back in Claremont, the BC Cafe serves enormous, fluffy pancakes are reasonable prices, though there is ususally a wait on weekend mornings. Also, Sanam Luang (Thai) is very good, executing the Americanized basics extremely well while also doing a good job with some more obscure dishes. I really like the pad thai and the ka nom pak kard (radish fries). A bit higher in price than most Thai restaurants, but still very reasonable.
There is always good, affordable food in the area around Claremont (note that Claremont the city hates the colleges and fights almost any business that would cater to the students) but it changes very quickly as the cheapest places turn over, so I would also ask any student for their latest recommendations.
posted by wnissen at 9:24 AM on October 11, 2018
There is always good, affordable food in the area around Claremont (note that Claremont the city hates the colleges and fights almost any business that would cater to the students) but it changes very quickly as the cheapest places turn over, so I would also ask any student for their latest recommendations.
posted by wnissen at 9:24 AM on October 11, 2018
I did pretty much this exact trip in reverse last week. I would defer to people who know Claremont better than I do for more specific recommendations, but I will say we really enjoyed the tapas and general atmosphere at Viva Madrid (minor quibble: they were playing Cuban and not Spanish music, which undercut the "authenticity" they were going for, but now that I think about it maybe I'm just being a pedant/bore) and the pasta at Aruffo's. On the drive, though, we loved breakfast at Lincoln in Pasadena. Their sister bakery, Little Flower, is amazing, too.
I really, really wanted to try the black garlic ice cream at à la minute in Claremont, but they weren't open yet by the time we had to leave.
posted by arco at 10:13 AM on October 11, 2018
I really, really wanted to try the black garlic ice cream at à la minute in Claremont, but they weren't open yet by the time we had to leave.
posted by arco at 10:13 AM on October 11, 2018
Some Crust for sure. The Grove House at Pitzer and the Motley at Scripps are both great for a snack.
It’s not fancy, but the #1 best option is Mix Bowl, a little south of campus on Indian Hill. Whenever I’m back in the area I go there. It’s cheap and a little grimy, but you really can’t beat the food. I graduated like ten years ago and I still think about it.
posted by goodbyewaffles at 11:05 AM on October 11, 2018 [1 favorite]
It’s not fancy, but the #1 best option is Mix Bowl, a little south of campus on Indian Hill. Whenever I’m back in the area I go there. It’s cheap and a little grimy, but you really can’t beat the food. I graduated like ten years ago and I still think about it.
posted by goodbyewaffles at 11:05 AM on October 11, 2018 [1 favorite]
It won't help sell the kid on living in Claremont, but Din Tai Fung (two locations a few blocks apart) is directly on the way from the airport, or a 30 minute drive. It's great.
posted by eotvos at 12:55 PM on October 11, 2018
posted by eotvos at 12:55 PM on October 11, 2018
As a person who just moved out of the San Gabriel Valley after leaving my job at one of the Claremont Colleges, I've got some thoughts to add to this already great list of options!
I'll second Back Abbey for lunch/dinner and will add the new(ish) Meat Cellar as another option that's even closer to the Colleges. Gus's Barbecue also just opened there and is an old fave of mine from living in South Pasadena (where their first location is). Some Crust is great for a pastry, but the best coffee in town is at Augie's in the Packing House. Burt & Rocky's is a fun, classic ice cream parlor good for an afternoon pick-me-up or post-dinner dessert.
Ok, so for food in SGV, I LOVE Din Tai Fung (there's one in the Santa Anita Westfield Mall and another in Glendale at the Americana @ Brand), BUT, the place I'd really encourage you to try is called Golden Deli in San Gabriel. If you like pho/Vietnamese food, this is your spot.
Lastly, I hope you enjoy your time at the Claremont Colleges! Good luck to your soon-to-be college student!
posted by singinginmychains at 2:54 PM on October 11, 2018 [2 favorites]
I'll second Back Abbey for lunch/dinner and will add the new(ish) Meat Cellar as another option that's even closer to the Colleges. Gus's Barbecue also just opened there and is an old fave of mine from living in South Pasadena (where their first location is). Some Crust is great for a pastry, but the best coffee in town is at Augie's in the Packing House. Burt & Rocky's is a fun, classic ice cream parlor good for an afternoon pick-me-up or post-dinner dessert.
Ok, so for food in SGV, I LOVE Din Tai Fung (there's one in the Santa Anita Westfield Mall and another in Glendale at the Americana @ Brand), BUT, the place I'd really encourage you to try is called Golden Deli in San Gabriel. If you like pho/Vietnamese food, this is your spot.
Lastly, I hope you enjoy your time at the Claremont Colleges! Good luck to your soon-to-be college student!
posted by singinginmychains at 2:54 PM on October 11, 2018 [2 favorites]
Dim sum at Elite in Monterey Park is delicious. They make it to order in the kitchen (even in the morning/brunch rush) so you don't have to worry about sad soggy dim sum being wheeled around on carts for hours on end. It's the preferred option for my friends who live in the San Gabriel Valley.
posted by spamandkimchi at 4:49 PM on October 11, 2018
posted by spamandkimchi at 4:49 PM on October 11, 2018
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Maecenas at 8:14 AM on October 11, 2018 [1 favorite]