Old Sasoon Bakery
Bakery · Pasadena ·
Middle Eastern bakery serving beoregs, flatbreads, and baklava
Middle Eastern bakery serving beoregs, flatbreads, and baklava
"Warm and welcoming from the moment you walk in, with a deli case full of hummus, cheeses, tangy yogurt, and savory pies, this family-owned Armenian bakery and restaurant has been feeding its community for more than 70 years. The dining room was remodeled in 2023 and now seats 32, so big groups have room, and owner-baker Joseph Geragosian—recognized as a James Beard Award semifinalist for Outstanding Baker in 2022—keeps standards sky-high. Khachapuri is a long-standing favorite, served piping hot with a crackly, crusty exterior and plush interior, stuffed with salty, fresh cheese and a just-cracked egg in the center; I like to add spinach and basturma to make it more of a meal. The lahmajune (“Armenian pizza”) is thin and crispy, layered with ground beef, tomato, parsley, onion, and plenty of garlic, while the za’atar-and-cheese flatbread is bountifully spiced and aromatic with sesame seeds, thyme, and oregano—it's small, so order more than one when dining with friends. For something sweet, the pistachio baklava is impossibly flaky and packed with syrup-soaked pistachios. The best seat is outside at the bar that wraps around an oak tree, which feels like dining in a treehouse on warm days. Insider tip: khachapuri is only available until 1 p.m., so come in the morning. After relocating his family from Syria to Pasadena, founder Haroutioun Geragosian opened the bakery in 1986; today Joseph helms daily operations and even added an Arabic sign reading “abou Yousef” (Joseph’s father). Best known for its lahmajoun with toppings like ground beef, za’atar, and cheese—and home to beoregs filled with spinach, olive, potato, and mushroom—this nearly 40-year-old mainstay has made an indelible impact on Los Angeles’s Armenian dining scene and embodies what a neighborhood bakery should be: welcoming, accessibly priced, and truly memorable." - Kat Thompson
"“I’m not sure if there’s a better way to embark on a long weekend than by sidling up to Old Sasoon Bakery for a monstrously cheesy khachapuri. This oblong boat of fresh cheese and eggs nestled in golden brown leavened bread is great for sharing — although I’ve been known to eat the whole thing myself, too. I love to add spinach (for health) and basturma, an Armenian cured beef, to bolster the khachapuri. A couple dashes of hot sauce help cut through the richness. Round out the meal with an order of lahmajune (sometimes spelled lahmajoun), an Armenian pizza topped with ground beef, tomato, and garlic.”" - Eater Staff
"Old Sasoon is a four-decade-old Armenian bakery in Pasadena where you can find beautiful za’atar-crusted flatbreads, beorags filled with spicy soujouk, and jingalov hatz stuffed with so much dill they glow green in the sun. All of these delicious, fresh-from-the-oven things are available to-go, but we much prefer sitting on Old Sasoon’s sidewalk patio. It’s a nice place to slow down, take in some sun, and drink coffee from a paper cup. It’s borderline therapeutic and maybe a little euphoric, too, if you show up before 3pm for the breakfast special: the khachapuri. These golden bread boats are big enough to share and hold a mix of soft, salty cheeses and a runny egg that doubles as dip for the crust." - brant cox, sylvio martins, arden shore, cathy park
"Whether it’s a good day, a bad day, or just a slow Saturday morning, eating freshly baked bread at Old Sasoon is a restorative act. Located on a quiet, suburban street, this four-decade-old Armenian bakery recently added an indoor dining room, but their sunny sidewalk patio is still the move. Post up with coffee in a paper cup as your baked goods arrive warm from the oven: za’atar-crusted manaiesh, triangle-shaped beorags with spicy soujouk, and jingalov hatz stuffed with an entire bundle of fresh dill. These are available all day, but show up before 3pm for Sasoon’s breakfast special: khachapuri. These golden bread boats filled with soft, salty cheese and a runny egg are big enough to share." - brant cox, sylvio martins, andrew ryce
"This beloved 40-something-year-old Armenian bakery in Pasadena never misses, which probably explains why it’s been around longer than the internet. Like everything on its menu, Sassoon’s lahmajun hits your table in a matter of minutes. They’re easily foldable like a just-baked pizza, lightly dusted with flour, and tear apart like fancy toilet paper. We also love that the ground beef on them is so tender it nearly melts into the tomato sauce. Just know these flatbreads are on the smaller side, so one is usually never enough." - sylvio martins, andrew ryce, brant cox, cathy park