Wistaria Restaurant and Bar

The inspiration

Wistaria is the Sierra Madre outpost of the South Pasadena bistro Mike & Anne's, opened by that restaurant's owners^1,2 . The name pays tribute to Sierra Madre's sprawling wistaria vine, the same plant honored by the town's annual festival, a plant so large it covers more than an acre and requires supports to keep from crushing the house it surrounds^1,3 .

Who's behind it

Steve and Ashley Ahn, the couple behind Mike & Anne's in South Pasadena, created Wistaria as their expansion into Sierra Madre^2,3 .

What to order

• A classic cocktail: the bar keeps to standards like an Old Fashioned, Manhattan, Side Car and Gimlet, including a gin Gimlet with lime and cucumber .¹

What people are saying

The San Gabriel Valley Tribune characterizes the kitchen as a survey of how California eats now, from tuna tartare onward, in a quiet room where you can hear your table talk¹ .

Why you should try it

If you are staying nearby, Wistaria offers the kind of neighborhood California cooking and classic cocktails that locals walk to, in a small town that feels far from the bustle of Pasadena^1,4 .