"There’s something about this café that just keeps pulling me back. Not my first breakfast here, and every time I’ve got court in Pasadena, I make sure to stop by Republik Coffee. It’s kinda turned into a little ritual at this point. Today wasn’t an exception. Had to wait a bit longer than usual to find a table outside. No surprise, the place is always busy, and for a good reason. The girl who took my order was super friendly and attentive, really took her time to help me pick. Usually I go for the ham & cheese croissant, but today I switched it up — went with the salmon cucumber toast and their purple caramel latte. Both were spot on, fresh, balanced, and honestly just hit right. What I love about this spot is how consistent it feels. Good food, good people, that easy vibe where you can sit back, sip your coffee, and just watch the street wake up. Thanks for keeping it steady, guys. See you next time — court mornings don’t start without Republik anymore."

"This is such a great coffee shop. You go here to understand how bad Starbucks has become. The plain and chocolate croissants we tried were so good we felt we were in Paris. Our cappuccino and oat milk latte were excellent. The service was great and gave clear instructions on time to cook and heat, in case you are in a morning rush. I would love to move this neighborhood just for this coffee shop. Highly, highly recommended!"

"Great little spot! I stopped by Republic Coffee House and had an amazing cortado — truly one of the best I’ve had. The atmosphere was even better thanks to a live musician who added a warm, cozy vibe. I haven’t tried the rest of the menu yet, but if it’s anything like the coffee, it must be delicious. I’ll definitely be back!"

"I spent close to $60 for two Avocado toasts, one slice of blueberry bread, and two iced Americanos. One of the avocado toasts came with HALF an egg. That is just unfair for the amount of money you spend. It was also just ok. I had the Egg Toast and was disappointed. The blueberry bread was dry but had decent flavor and the Iced Americanos were alright as well. The espresso is maybe just a tad bit too acidic for my taste. Visually, all the items looked 10/10. Taste and value wise was 3/10. I felt bamboozled."

"Republique’s new Pasadena location continues the brand’s reputation for impeccable pastry and coffee execution, and their beverage program is no exception. I stopped by recently and worked my way through four of their signature lattes: the classic Hot Latte, Special Tonic, Matcha Latte, and the viral Pistachio Iced Latte. Here’s the breakdown. Hot Latte (Oat Milk) Textbook perfect. The espresso — a custom house blend roasted by Bona Fide — pulls with a balanced, medium-dark profile with notes of dark chocolate, toasted hazelnut, and a whisper of dried fig. Steamed oat milk was silky and micro-foamed to a glossy finish, creating a velvety texture without any of the watery dilution that often plagues plant-based lattes. Sweetness was spot-on, allowing the espresso’s natural caramelized notes to shine. 9.5/10 – one of the best oat-milk lattes in greater Los Angeles right now. Special Tonic A refreshing outlier on the menu. House-made yuzu tonic is lightly effervescent and delicately floral, brightened with a touch of calamansi. Double espresso is added tableside over ice, resulting in a sparkling espresso tonic that’s citrus-forward yet remarkably balanced. Bitterness is tempered just enough to keep it sessionable, while the effervescence lifts the espresso’s cocoa notes. Beautifully executed and dangerously drinkable on a warm Pasadena morning. 9/10. Matcha Latte (Iced, Oat Milk) Republique sources a ceremonial-grade matcha that skews grassy and umami-rich rather than overly bitter. Whisked aggressively with oat milk, the drink achieves that coveted jade-green color and a frothy, almost meringue-like top layer. Sweetness is restrained, letting the matcha’s natural vegetal depth come through. No powder clumps, no chalkiness — just pure, vibrant matcha flavor. Easily in the top tier of matcha lattes in the city. 9.5/10. Pistachio Iced Latte The one everyone’s posting about — and for good reason. Real pistachio paste (not artificial syrup) is blended with espresso and oat milk, then crowned with an in-house pistachio cream cold foam. The nutty intensity is immediate: roasted, almost marzipan-like pistachio flavor with a subtle salt that amplifies everything. Espresso cuts through the richness without getting lost. It’s decadent yet somehow still feels refined rather than cloying. The texture is luxurious, almost milkshake-adjacent, but never heavy. Currently the best pistachio latte I’ve had in California. 10/10. Verdict Republique Pasadena has quietly built one of the strongest coffee programs attached to a full-service restaurant in the San Gabriel Valley. Attention to ingredient quality, precise technique, and creative but never gimmicky flavor combinations make every drink feel intentional. If you’re within 30 minutes of Old Town Pasadena, these four lattes alone are worth the visit — and that’s before you even get to the kouign-amann. Highly recommended. I’ll be back next week."