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Panda Inn Pasadena
Panda Inn Pasadena
Pasadena, CA, United States
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Panda Inn Pasadena
Pasadena, CA, United States
The global phenomena that is Panda Inn's fast-casual brand all started 50 years ago when our founder opened his first restaurant in Pasadena, California. His inspiration was to introduce the foods he loved from his native China to a new audience while also adapting them to Western palettes to create something uniquely new and different that would ultimately become the signature flavors of the brand. When we were asked to redesign the birthplace of this iconic brand as part of their 50-year anniversary celebration, our first question was: What do people love about this brand, and how do we carry that into the next 50 years? The answer lay in its incredible warm, welcoming hospitality, which we sought to enhance through thoughtful design and engage people’s full sensory.
We kept the building simple, kept most of the exterior walls and opened up the interiors completely. Adding two outdoor patios and preserving the original signage at the corner, surrounded by a dry garden inspired by the founders’ birthplace in southern China. Inside, guests are greeted by an edge-lit stained-glass mural behind a custom-crafted reception desk. This mural tells the story of the founders’ journey—from China, Taiwan, to Japan and finally California. The stained glass, glowing from both sides, is also a tribute to the heritage of Pasadena’s Arts and Crafts movement, serving as a backdrop to the heart of the project: the hotel-lobby-like dining room.
The open dining room, covered by a high saw-tooth felt ceiling, unifies the space while also providing needed acoustical properties. At its center, low communal couches and cocktail tables encourage casual chatter among neighbors. Two well-lit bars anchor this area, seamlessly transitioning from day to night. One is a cocktail bar designed for fun drinks paired with the new menu, while the other is an Izakaya-style sushi bar. This space functions as a traditional sushi bar but also allows chefs to experiment and engage intimately with patrons.
Surrounding the open dining floor is a variety of larger seating options. Semi-private booths along the street provide a more secluded experience, while three private dining rooms and a founders’ speakeasy karaoke room cater to private parties. The flexible seating layout accommodates both small and large events of over 300 guests.
A rich palette of walnut wood and satin gold finishes unifies the space, while custom lights are warm and dimmed to bring intimacy to each group. Brush-stroked veined marble acts as the quiet backdrop, elevating each dish with artistic elegance. Above the sushi bar, a giant red lantern provides a subtle nod to the brand’s legacy color red without overpowering the space.
Our goal is for Panda Inn Pasadena to become a lasting part of the community, a place where people gather and create memories. Continuing the founders’ ethos, it reminds us that no matter how long our journey is, there will always be a place with familiar flavors that bring us together—a living room for all.
We kept the building simple, kept most of the exterior walls and opened up the interiors completely. Adding two outdoor patios and preserving the original signage at the corner, surrounded by a dry garden inspired by the founders’ birthplace in southern China. Inside, guests are greeted by an edge-lit stained-glass mural behind a custom-crafted reception desk. This mural tells the story of the founders’ journey—from China, Taiwan, to Japan and finally California. The stained glass, glowing from both sides, is also a tribute to the heritage of Pasadena’s Arts and Crafts movement, serving as a backdrop to the heart of the project: the hotel-lobby-like dining room.
The open dining room, covered by a high saw-tooth felt ceiling, unifies the space while also providing needed acoustical properties. At its center, low communal couches and cocktail tables encourage casual chatter among neighbors. Two well-lit bars anchor this area, seamlessly transitioning from day to night. One is a cocktail bar designed for fun drinks paired with the new menu, while the other is an Izakaya-style sushi bar. This space functions as a traditional sushi bar but also allows chefs to experiment and engage intimately with patrons.
Surrounding the open dining floor is a variety of larger seating options. Semi-private booths along the street provide a more secluded experience, while three private dining rooms and a founders’ speakeasy karaoke room cater to private parties. The flexible seating layout accommodates both small and large events of over 300 guests.
A rich palette of walnut wood and satin gold finishes unifies the space, while custom lights are warm and dimmed to bring intimacy to each group. Brush-stroked veined marble acts as the quiet backdrop, elevating each dish with artistic elegance. Above the sushi bar, a giant red lantern provides a subtle nod to the brand’s legacy color red without overpowering the space.
Our goal is for Panda Inn Pasadena to become a lasting part of the community, a place where people gather and create memories. Continuing the founders’ ethos, it reminds us that no matter how long our journey is, there will always be a place with familiar flavors that bring us together—a living room for all.
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