Cuisine
Open
Dinner Tues.-Sun.Features
- Heart-healthy dishes
- Private room(s)
- Full bar
- Reservations suggested
- Outdoor dining
- Valet parking
- Casual dressy
Wine
Great Wine List* Click here for rating key
A charming Art Deco bungalow has been transformed into a contemporary, art-filled restaurant that is both cosmopolitan and homey. After 20 years, ever-present owner Robert Simon continues to warmly welcome guests, keeping service standards high and maintaining one of Southern California's best wine lists (the restaurant is well known for its elaborate winemaker dinners). The menu always offers a few bistro classics, like bouillabaisse or cassoulet, but the cooking is predominantly contemporary French with California influences. Dishes that have become Bistro 45 signatures include seared ahi attractively coated in black-and-white sesame seeds with tamari-ginger sauce, and caramelized diver sea scallops in a seductive saffron cream sauce. Seared foie gras is paired with an addictive apple-fig compote and port reduction, and a steak arrives with a deftly prepared Madeira sauce. The cuisine is modern, but in an era of molecular gastronomic trickery, Bistro 45 remains grounded with dishes such as roasted pork chop with brandy-mango sauce, and lamb chops with garlicky aïoli. Some patrons looking for quiet conversation favor the outdoor terrace, with its retractable roof, over the bustling dining room. Clearly, this is one of Pasadena’s best restaurants, and is worth a drive if you don’t live in the Crown City.
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RESTAURANT AWARDS
Just published! Our annual restaurant issue features the Top 40 Restaurants in the U.S., including Spago Beverly Hills, Providence, Urasawa and more!
DINING ON A BUDGET
Splurging at top-rated restaurants is fun for special events, but where can you go for a good quality meal that won't break the bank? Gather the change out of your piggy bank and sofa cushions and take it to one of our selections for the best cheap eats in your area. Also, check out our picks for the Top 40 Cheap Eats in the U.S.












A charming Art Deco bungalow has been transformed into a contemporary, art-filled restaurant that is both cosmopolitan and homey. After 20 years, ever-present owner Robert Simon continues to warmly welcome guests, keeping service standards high and maintaining one of Southern California's best wine lists (the restaurant is well known for its elaborate winemaker dinners). The menu always offers a few bistro classics, like bouillabaisse or cassoulet, but the cooking is predominantly contemporary French with California influences. Dishes that have become Bistro 45 signatures include seared ahi attractively coated in black-and-white sesame seeds with tamari-ginger sauce, and caramelized diver sea scallops in a seductive saffron cream sauce. Seared foie gras is paired with an addictive apple-fig compote and port reduction, and a steak arrives with a deftly prepared Madeira sauce. The cuisine is modern, but in an era of molecular gastronomic trickery, Bistro 45 remains grounded with dishes such as roasted pork chop with brandy-mango sauce, and lamb chops with garlicky aïoli. Some patrons looking for quiet conversation favor the outdoor terrace, with its retractable roof, over the bustling dining room. Clearly, this is one of Pasadena’s best restaurants, and is worth a drive if you don’t live in the Crown City.



