Restaurants in Arcadia

Big Daddy's Fire Grill's cooks whip up cookout-quality burgers in a fast-food setting, and have earned praise from the Pasadena Sun for its homey flavors and remarkable value. This acclaim didn't surprise owner Dennis Constanzo, who told Pasadena Weekly, “my mission is to serve gourmet fast food at the most reasonable price in town.” To set his burger joint apart, the cooks sear each Angus chuck patty on a grill heated by smoldering oak wood and NASA's retired shuttle engines. They also make aioli and ketchup in-house and sizzle every batch of fries and tempura-style onion rings in molten peanut oil, which is free of MSG, preservatives, hydrogenated oil, and cholesterol. Behind the counter, taps dispense domestic and imported beers by the pint or the pitcher.

Cheese and chutney. Bangers and mash. Shepherd's Pie. At the BYOB Little Britain, UK faves slake stateside cravings with hearty helpings of potato, steak, and curry. Though the lunch and dinner menus are occasionally dotted with decidedly non-British dishes, such as Cajun fish spread and caprese salad, the majority of plates feature classically executed English flavors.

If requested, melty cheddar cheese, known in England as "cheese," will top the clouds of mashed potatoes that crown a chuck-steak-and-gravy-filled shepherd's pie. Sardines and tomato sauce are layered onto thick brioche before the open-faced sandwich is slid under a broiler, and curry cloaks chicken, samosas, vegetables, and fries—known here, of course, as chips.

Since wrapping up the contents of their first grande burrito in 1974, The Original Peppers’ crew of chefs have continued to sate customers’ cravings for spicy, south-of-the-border fare thanks to their vast menu of Mexican food. Within the bustling kitchen, chefs can be found wrangling ingredients into traditional Mexican dishes ranging from burritos and enchiladas to fajitas and tostadas, crafting homemade tortillas on Wednesday and Thursday. While many dishes feature meats such as certified Angus beef and deep-fried pork, the culinary team also architects a host of seafood specialties starring jumbo scallops, seasoned halibut, and crab to appeal to the seafaring palates of humans and bears dressed like humans.

Family owned since opening its doors in 2006, Zapata Vive pairs its authentic Mexican cuisine with familial hospitality. Patrons gather around tables to slice into cheese-topped burritos or soft tacos or sup from sizzling fajita plates, kept at exactly the same temperature as the sun over Mexico. Zapata Vive also caters to diners who rise with the sun with breakfast dishes, including a tostada omelet with tortilla strips, and takes care of those who rise with the sunset with a full bar stocked with margaritas, wines, and domestic and imported beers.

Bistro 39 delivers artistically garnished plates worthy of being tacked to the wall, if only your body's aesthetic urge to interior decorate outweighed its evolutionary desire to gobble up delicious things. Starters such as escargot Bourgogne ($8), Dungeness crab cakes ($8), and classic lobster bisque ($9) provide an opportunity to inform your first selection from Bistro 39's extensive beer and wine list. Main plates hail from salty seas and diverse terrains with options including sautéed lemon-garlic tiger shrimp on a bed of angel-hair pasta ($17) or seared duck with Grand Marnier reduction ($24). The Statue of Liberty's torch is surprisingly small, but the bistro's crème brûlée ($6) leaves American mouths agape with awe.

Happy Trails Catering keeps eaters on their phalanges with a weekly rotating menu of fresh, eclectic entrees, sandwiches, and salads. Previous patrons have stopped in during lunch (Monday–Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.) to enjoy hearty lasagnas (basil pesto or beef and marinara, $9.50) or a delectable meatloaf sandwich on ciabatta ($9.50). Mindful masticators wishing to achieve a zen-like meat-and-bread balance can indulge in gourmet sandwiches ($8.50) such as the sage-roasted turkey breast with lingonberry cream cheese. Additionally, customers looking to provide catering for a group of voracious stilt marathoners (10-person minimum required) can peruse a menu that features scotch chicken, artichoke parmesan-puff hors d’oeuvres, New York cheesecake, and more.