Lincoln

Great coffee, pastries, and food.

Having been here numerous times over the last few months I moved into a house about six blocks away and I have had great experiences here. The food quality is very high and the uniqueness of this location is superb. Farm to table is something that is hard to do right and they’ve continue to excel in this category. An area that could be improved but not to blame their efforts is the availability of parking. This area is definitely an up-​and-​coming neighborhood and I’m excited to see more businesses of this type emerge in the coming months to years. If you want to get a salad that tastes like it was freshly picked that day, their garden salad is a great way to go. With vegetarian, vegan, gluten-​free options they’ve got all of the healthy choices but if you have a sweet tooth it can be overwhelming with candy and pastries to choose from all made in house or representing local artisanal vendors. Plenty of indoor and outdoor seating available. I think every time I’ve come here the staff has been super friendly with the exception of one person but we can’t let that bad apple spoil the fun. Close to hiking trails if you’re coming after exercise or fancy enough for your nicest dressed customers. Make sure to bring your wallet it’s not cheap. But I would say you get what you pay for.

Fairly enjoyable but they have poorly managed payment and ordering process. On a Sunday, with the line stretching out the door, the counter staff of 4 people were all helping one person with her order. Those iPad paying systems are slowwww! If anything, Lincoln should take advantage of their portability and use one at the counter while the other one is walking the line taking orders, similar to the successful visitor management style of In-​n-​Out.
That said, food is pretty good but I would stick to the pastries. A bit overpriced for under-​flavored huevos rancheros. The hot chocolate tastes more like hot milk. It is nice to be able to walk to the shop but they need to organize differently than their mothership shop on Colorado.

This review was for their private event space — which is a room next to the store. It has space for maybe 30 – 40 people? (Don’t quote me on that) and they can cater the food. Beautiful exposed brick walls.
Food was good! Goat cheese quiches and homemade chicken pot pies… yum. Their Black Forest cake was one of the best I’ve ever had.
The main store was super busy when I glanced in. Will have to go back and try their stuff next time!

preparation/​/​the parking lot has very limited spacing… it’s best if you carpool with your friends & family
ambiance/​/​*****
what a cute place! long tables for large parties outside and smaller ones indoors good for small groups of 2 – 4
as you wait in line to order, the walls and fridge are lined with various items for sale… includes artisanal chocolates. oils. and other kitchen knick knacks
service/​/​***
order & the counter and they will deliver to your table
they will clean up after you, but since there were so many ppl on the weekend we helped out a bit so the next group could sit and eat
food/​/​****
i ordered the breakfast bowl because of the poached egg… and i may have underestimated it because of the leafy greens… but wow~ the flavoring w/​sausage & beans was delicious and quite filling too! =9
the guys enjoyed their huevos rancheros, yogurt, parmesan eggs, and pastrami reuben
BUT they were ALL drooling over my order!
ooh~ i randomly bought these cookies and thought i was robbed until i ate the delicious confections of little flower at home~
~*~
definitely one of my gf brunch places
s/​o to the APEX volunteers for the kids reading to succeed event @ jackson elementary!

We’ve been coming here ever since they open, and with the exception of the long lunch lines and Sunday morning brunch lines, everything is always amazing. As for the lines, that’s the price of success and great food!
I’m writing this review to advocate for three things:
— keeping the breakfast burrito on the regular menus.
— steak and egg special is amazing, but I want ½ the steak and a little breakfast side salad.
— a dinner service would be bonkers amaze balls to have!
Lincoln we love you and are so glad you continue to thrive!

Sucha cute place :)
Places like this make me miss living in Pasadena. I enjoy getting brunch here personally. I am a fan of their baked goods and most especially their yummy quiches! I also love their take on rancheros huevos. It’s more «healthy» in my opinion. You cannot go wrong. However, if you want to get a bit healthy, enjoy one of their salads.
Coffee is typically a must for me and they serve some yummy Stumptown coffee. As far as seating, you can sit indoor or outdoors. There is a personal parking lot, but parking is also available on the streets (free!)

The space is super cute and I love that it combines restaurant with gourmet market. They have a variety of candies from Little Flower Candy Co., jams, crackers and even some grab and go items from their own kitchen.
A lot of items on the menu sound appealing, but of course, I had to get the Breakfast Sandwich. The sandwich is delicious. The egg is perfectly runny, the cheese oh so melty, and the bacon adds just the right amount of salt and crunch. I also tried the Financier out of the pastry section and fell in love. They have great coffee as well so it is something of a one stop shop.
If you venture to Lincoln, eat a snack first because the lines can be quite long and it takes between 20 and 30 mins to order at the counter. Additionally, I would recommend parking in the surrounding neighborhoods as their small and narrow parking lot is usually full and can be a pain to navigate.

My parents live in Pasadena. My sister and mom have been here before so when the 3 of us finally had a day off (MLK Jr. Day), we decided to come here for breakfast. I used to work at JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory) so I used to drive this way all the time. I wish Lincoln was open back then! It opened in late 2014.
This area of Pasadena borders Altadena… diagonal from John Muir HS and south of Woodbury Road. It’s in more of an industrial setting. They have a small parking lot in the front, but if you go to the right of the main building there’s additional parking space there. There’s a separate building that houses the restroom as well as a store.
Upon entering, they have small gifts and treats on display that you can purchase as well as baked goods.
They serve breakfast and lunch all day and have indoor and outdoor seating. Similar to other popular cafes, they don’t allow you to reserve tables until AFTER you finished ordering/​paying.
They have daily specials but on their regular menu, you can find breakfast items (pancakes, French toast, Huevos Rancheros, yogurt etc.), Sandwiches, Bowls, and Salads for the most part.
My mom, sister and I shared the Buttermilk Pancakes (3 pancakes) $ 9.50 and the Breakfast Sandwich (two eggs, bacon, cheddar on Brioche) $ 7.00. What we ordered was plenty. I can’t imagine being able to finish all 3 pancakes by myself! They were a decent size! Everything tasted great.
We stood in line for about 10 – 15 minutes and every table was taken. However, once we paid we scored a table inside. It was a bit chilly to be sitting outside. The food didn’t take long to come out.
¹⁰⁄₁₀₀ Reviews for 2016

Cute place in a not-​so-​nice area. There’s street parking and the restaurant has a small parking lot.
AMBIENCE: The exterior of the store looked unremarkable. The interior I think would qualify as «industrial chic» (the space used to be a machine shop). It’s casual and the layout is practical. There’s shelves of candy and foreign pantry items, all of which looked appealing, except when you see some of the price tags. There is outdoor patio seating if you brought a four-​legged friend.
THE PASTRY: The baked items looked amazing. I wanted to try them all, but just got a taste of one of their savory scones.
BREAKFAST: I had their breakfast sandwich — brioche bun with runny egg and bacon. It was good but not particularly memorable.
COFFEE: Their latte was eye-​poppingly good. I asked the barista where the beans came from and he said it was Stumptown. If you need a coffee fix and you’re here, don’t hesitate to order an espresso.
SERVICE: Good.
VERDICT: I would visit here again, more for the pastries and coffee than anything else.

«That aroma!’» was the first thing I thought of when entering this quaint place in an obscure location between Pasadena and Altadena.
And after it made the LA Times restaurant critic Jonathon Gold’s top 100 list, I knew I had to check it out, arranging a lunch date with friends. The menu is so diverse. Our table of four represented with a salmon salad, a pot pie, a steak sandwich, and an Asian dish served with a side of the best kimchi ever!
It’s as if my groovy, hippie aunt opened a place for family and friends to hang out. The service was exceptional too.
There is also Fair Trade stuff in the gift shop next store which adds too all is cool about this place.
Love, love, love it here.

Not my cup of tea.
My wife LOVES this place, so we’ve been coming here quite often. The décor and atmosphere is incredible, the candies are delicious, and the workers are super nice.
However, every time I come here with my wife I feel like I’m on a diet. Their selection of salads, sandwiches, and soups are so light that I don’t feel like anything could really satisfy the stomach of a hungry man. You could tell this place is owned and run by classy ladies (no offense to the ladies) because the food is mainly catered to the palate of a healthy eating lady. I just don’t know how many hungry men will be satisfied by the food here.
So if you’re a classy lady… you will LOVE this place. If you’re a hungry man… I’m not so sure.
I had the Turkey Cobb. It was dry, tasteless, and did not fill me up. And they forgot to put avocados in it (the most exciting part of the sandwich!), which we realized halfway through the meal. They gave me avocados for the other half of my sandwich and apologized. Also, from the time we got in line to the time we actually got our food was OVER an hour! Crazy! But my wife told me this wasn’t typical, which was proven true the other times we came here.
I hope in the future they have more chicken and beef sandwiches with some more moist, savory ingredients and seasoning. And maybe something besides just salad and sandwiches. That would be nice.

Hidden gem. Loved the deco and ambiance. You order at the front and get seated after. The line however was long. It took us at least 25 minutes to finally get to the head of the line and order. If we weren’t that hungry I think we would have left.
Came here for brunch. I was eyeing a scone but by the time I got to the front of the line it was gone. I got a pistachio cookie instead and although good it didn’t satisfy my craving for a scone. Maybe next time.
Ordered the chicken pot pie and the huevos ranchero. Chicken pot pie was delicious. The crust was salty which balanced the creamy inside of the pot pie. I took a bite and couldn’t put my fork down. The huevos ranchero was okay. Nothing too special. Definitely order the chicken pot pie.

YUMMY! Came here this past weekend with my gf for some brunch food. We waited for a good 30 minutes total before actually eating our food. Their parking lot is small, so youll have to find street parking which is free. You have to get in line to order first and then you choose your seats. The line was the part that was taking forever, the food coming out from the kitchen probably only took 10 mins.
I ordered the breakfast bowl, which is pretty much a nice salad with a lemon vinaigrette. Instead of a poached egg, they were able to make me scrambled eggs instead. It also had a bunch of farro on it, which I did enjoy, but there was just wayyy too much of it. I absolutely love their garlic bread that comes with the salad; it was crunchy, buttered up and nicely seasoned with garlic.
Something else that you gotta get here are their pancakes! They by far have the fluffiest pancakes I’ve ever eaten. Well, I’ve only ever eaten dennys and ihop pancakes and those taste like crap compared to Lincolns. Also you must be aware that their pancakes are HUGEEEE. Like not only is the portion huge, but the actual pancake itself is ginormous. I dont know how anyone can eat all those carbs by themselves. My friend specifically asked for just one pancake so the both of us could share and we were already super stuffed halfway through the pancake. I want to try to their ube pancakes as well, but not a fan of all that coconut stuff they put on it :(
They have a lot of sweets, desserts and candy for sale as well. It was very hard not to buy almost everything in there. They have a huge selection of candy and they all looked so delicious.

Lincoln, what may be considered a hidden gem has been discovered by many and is constantly busy with long lines, but just-​fully so. Lincoln has helped bring more businesses, people and fun to this quiet neighborhood.
They have the most delicious baked goods, my favorite being their goat cheese & fig scone. They have awesome sandwiches, salads and delicious coffee.
This is a great place to grab something to go, or sit and stay awhile.
They have a little gift shop adjacent to the restaurant which is adorable, and worth a browse!

When Pasadena life takes you north of the freeway, don’t despair; all is not lost. Lincoln is here for lunch.
Located literally on Lincoln, the salads, quiches, breads (fresh-​baked pretzel roll, anyone?) and pastries will satisfy your pickiest «Old Town Pasadena» scrooge. My favorite is the Yuzu Chicken Salad (with a hint of mint) — a fantastic salad and it’s huge too. But save room for dessert.
Ready for lunch at Lincoln? Bring a sweater. No matter what the weather is like outside, and no matter who you tell, Lincoln is always cold. Picnic table outdoor seating for those who prefer nature’s thermostat. But come on Lincoln, it’s freezing inside. Last week, a counter person admonished me, «oh, we’re not allowed to touch the thermostat.» Okay.
Ready to warm up (or use the bathroom)? Head across the parking lot to Lincoln’s cool shop. It’s almost impossible to go in there and not buy something.
See you at Lincoln, yo.

A Jonathan 101 pick in Pasadena, I haven’t tried? Saturday morning, hungry and in Pasadena, I quickly turn the car and headed to the northern edge of Pasadena.
Parking? A few spots in front and on the side, but they were all taken. Easily found parking for free a block away in residential area.
Ambiance? Looks like the Little Flower Company on Colorado. Oh, same owner; makes sense for similarities. Warehouse feel, with high ceilings. There was a line, but didn’t mind because we needed time to make our choices. Plus, lots of yummy snacks to tempt you while awaiting your turn. There’s seating inside & out, but we grabbed a seat inside. On a warmer day, I would have definitely sat outside.
Drinks? Stumptown coffee. So our cappuccino & mocha were Very Good.
Food?
Breakfast sandwich-​2 eggs, bacon, cheddar on brioche. Fantastic! Brioche was fresh and ingredients were perfect.
Ham & Cheddar Quiche-​Very Good and served with mixed greens w/​a tasty dressing
Bacon-​Excellent! Quality bacon and prepared just right.
Patty Sausage-​Very Good. I only got one bite. Hubby added as another layer to his half of breakfast sandwich.
By the time we were finishing up, the line was out the door.
Final note: they have a sign that says to wait to grab a seat until after you place your order. If everyone followed, the system works, but saw several people not following.

I was drawn here after seeing all the drool-​worthy photos on Unilocal,so I finally hauled my ass out here on a Friday afternoon with my sister to try their offerings. Lincoln is located on the outskirts of Pasadena, so the area less busy, which allows for ample parking. They also have their own parking lot!
My sister and I both decided to try items from their specials board — I went with the Market Salad while my sister went with their Seared Ahi Burger. The Seared Ahi Burger came with a tarragon aioli and crispy onions served inside a brioche bun, and the Market Salad came with kale, butternut squash, carrots, and cauliflower tossed with their house vinaigrette. I also decided to add fennel sausage for an extra $ 2 because I was feeling fancy.
The Market Salad was super fresh and yummy! The vinaigrette was light yet brought out the flavors of the salad. Although the roasted vegetables were more on the raw side, they gave the salad more texture. I am so glad that I added the fennel sausage because it really rounded out the salad and was so hearty and flavorful. My sister was a big fan of the Ahi Tuna Burger as well, which was expertly seared and well paired with the tarragon aioli and onions. They were also kind enough to give my sister extra aioli when she asked.
Overall, I had a great brunch experience here. Lincoln has a amazing space with really fresh, healthy food that can bring the community together. Once they add public WIFI, I can definitely see this as a spot for locals to hang out at. I can’t wait to try their breakfast bowl and pastries next!

The release of a new Jonathan Gold 101 is always cause for celebration, not only because there may be wonderful new restaurants to try but also because now there is a great new topic for endless conversation: did he get it right? In my humble opinion, Lincoln is very lucky to be on this vaunted list; not that it’s bad but it’s hard to tell what sets it apart from a lot of other similar farm-​to-​tablish places in the LA area.
⁴⁄₅: Coffee. Today, had the café au lait which was fine but not incredible.
³⁄₅: Apple danish. The pastry was tough; the apples were mushy.
⁴⁄₅: Breakfast bowl. The fennel sausage was truly delicious and the greens were as fresh as can be. A very healthy and tasty way to start the day.
The ambiance is modern, the service is «take a number and we’ll bring it to table», and there’s a lot of cute stuff to look at for a last-​minute gift. If you’re in the area, it’s a great place to hang out.
Free parking in the lot or on the street.
BYOWi-Fi…there’s none to be had here.

This is a charming little spot in Pasadena and I had quite high expectations due to the many great Instagram posts I’ve seen for this place. My sister and I went for brunch and I’m sad to say that I was quite disappointed by the food. This place is photogenic and an Instagrammer/blogger’s dream place to shoot and do brunch at: great lighting, rustic tables/​seating, open kitchen, mouthwatering display of pastries and drinks, etc.
You come in to this place and immediately you’re drawn to the open space and the wonderful map of Southern California (hooray!). You line up and place your order and then you seat yourself and wait for your food. I had the Yuzu Chicken Salad (greens, cabbage, onions, mint, and cilantro) but it was a subpar salad. I remember not tasting much of the dressing. They must have skimped on it for my order. No bueno. My sister ordered the Duck Confit Salad, which has greens, radishes, and a side of baguette. Again, the salad was less than great. And to top it off, the duck that was served on top was extremely dry and bland. My sister, who is a prep cook at Bestia, can definitely assemble better, delicious, and more vibrant salads. All in all, we were both left very disappointed. I will not be returning here for breakfast or brunch again.
We did enjoy browsing through the Lincoln Shop next door though. The worker was very friendly and they had a great assortment of items for sale such as cookbooks, stationery, décor, etc.