The fairly sleepy city of Pasadena just gained another stylish rooftop in the form of Osa Rooftop, a brand-new eatery atop the newly opened AC Hotel Pasadena. The predominantly outdoor restaurant, which made its public debut last Friday, is located in the Playhouse Village District. Come New Year’s Day, the sixth floor vantage point will make for great viewing of Pasadena’s world-famous Rose Parade—the hotel restaurant sits along a key part of the route.
For the other 364 days a year, however, guests can look forward to sweeping views of the San Gabriel Mountains and a beautifully designed open-air terrace with string lights, fire pits and other landscaping elements inspired by the nearby Angeles National Forest. The interior design sports a desert-inspired color scheme inspired by Baja California and the work of world-famous Mexican architect Luis Barragán.
While I’m normally bearish (pun intended—“osa” translates to female bear in Spanish) on hotel rooftops in general, I was able to visit Osa firsthand over the weekend, and I can honestly say the new opening is a major win for Pasadena. After all, the California cuisine restaurant comes from Boulevard Hospitality Group, the restaurant and bar veterans between Yamashiro, Adults Only and Inglewood’s Cork and Batter.
Head chef Carlos Couts, formerly of Encino’s Sushi by Scratch and Hollywood’s Rokusho, offers a globally influenced, ingredient-first approach to standard, crowdpleasing hotel fare. Think hand-pressed tostones (fried plantains) with guacamole and black bean dip; a King Ora salmon crudo with avocado, onions and dried seaweed; and a straightforward Wagyu smashburger. While the food menu is currently fairly limited, Couts plans to expand the menu in the coming months with additional items like grilled swordfish, housemade pasta and mezze options.
The seasonal cocktail program was developed by Pete St. Peter, a bartender at Capri Club, a.k.a. one of the best bars in Los Angeles. Here, St. Peter diverges from her stiffer, apertif- and amaro-forward creations at the popular Eagle Rock watering hole with a breezy signature drink menu that includes a spritz, a margarita and other agave spirit options. I particularly liked the rosemary-tinged Swift Relief, which combines chamomile-infused vodka with St. Germain, lime, celery bitters and sparkling water. As is standard with hotel bars, expect a happy hour menu and an extensive wine list.
It’s true that Pasadena doesn’t have much in the way of rooftop bars (the only other option in town is Granville, which sits on the second story), but Osa is sure to be a draw for locals and travelers alike for its breathtaking sunset vistas and impeccable interior design. Currently, the restaurant is currently only open for dinner service, but Boulevard Hospitality also plans to debut a weekend brunch service later this summer.
Osa Rooftop
19 S Madison Ave, Pasadena, CA 91101
Open daily 4–10pm