Glendora is a small town that eats surprisingly well — you just have to know where to point.
The kitchen at the house is stocked for real cooking, and a lot of guests end up grilling in the yard more nights than not. But when you'd rather someone else cook, here's the short list we actually use — a Route 66 landmark, a food hall for indecisive groups, and a handful of small, good, family-run places.
The one you can't skip
The Donut Man — Route 66
Start here, because everyone should once. The Donut Man has been on Glendora's stretch of Route 66 since 1972 and stays open around the clock. It's famous for the seasonal fresh-fruit donuts — a whole strawberry or peach donut, glazed and overflowing — and the line out front tells you it's earned. Go early, share one, don't overthink it.
When the group can't agree
Glendora Public Market
A food hall with a handful of vendors under one roof — tacos, Filipino-style burgers and more — which makes it the easy answer when four people want four different things. Grab a table, everyone orders their own, nobody sulks.
Half the nights here, dinner is whatever you carried home, eaten outside under the string lights.
The family kitchens we go back to
- Cabo Tacos — battered fish and shrimp tacos in hearty portions; a reliable, unfussy lunch.
- Waffa's Kitchen — the neighborhood's Lebanese standby, with shawarma plates, kabobs and falafel that travel beautifully back to the pool.
- Rika's — Argentine empanadas and sandwiches from a small spot that punches above its weight.
- Royal Ramen and West Coast Cheesesteaks — for the nights you just want a good bowl or a proper cheesesteak with California toppings.
Coffee
Mornings belong to Classic Coffee in the Village — the independent coffee house and the local favorite. It's the first stop on our slow Village weekend.
For a bigger night out
When the occasion calls for it, Claremont Village and Pasadena are both a short drive and open up a much longer list — see the day trips in our full guide. But honestly? Some of our guests' best dinners happen right in the backyard, grill going, feet still wet from the pool.
Menus, hours and seasons change — give any spot a quick check before you head out.