Lodge Bread Co., the bakery known for its oversized cinnamon rolls and sourdough loaves, opened its fourth location in Pasadena on Thursday, November 12. Lodge Bread’s founder, two-time James Beard Award semifinalist Or Amsalam, has big plans for the bakery’s
Pasadena space, with an expanded menu, baked goods that use naturally leavened dough, a daytime menu of sandwiches, and expansive seating, plus an adjacent pizza-pasta restaurant called Full Proof, which will debut in early 2027.
Arthur Sherman, who became Lodge Bread’s managing partner in 2021, says the former industrial building in Pasadena presented an opportunity to expand the business. After years of being limited to cooking breads, pizzas, and other items from a wood-fired oven at other locations, the team was able to install a full kitchen. “We love the bread that we make,” says Sherman. “We’re lucky to fully realize what Lodge can finally be. With a full kitchen, Pasadena is the first place we get to do that.”
The Pasadena location resides on the border of Pasadena and Altadena; the duo signed the lease four months before the Eaton Fire. Dan Brunn Architecture, which also designed Funke in Beverly Hills, built out the 6,000-square-foot space that seats 75, with Full Proof’s capacity at 105. The room uses softer elements to balance the industrial design with natural wood, a white-and-blue color palette, polished concrete floors, and plaster, all surrounded by large windows to keep everything bright and open. It’s an ideal spot to hop in for a quick order, dine in, or take home ancient grain loaves, baguettes, brioche challah, morning buns, cookies (don’t skip the cinnamon whoopie pie), and croissants.
Lodge’s toast menu includes challah smeared with ricotta and seasonal jam, or cinnamon sugar toast crowned with cultured butter and sea salt. Breakfast sandwiches get stacked with eggs and cheese, while lunchtime sandwiches include smoked pastrami, turkey pesto, and albacore tuna. Lodge Bread Pasadena will debut new menu items, including a schnitzel pita, breakfast burrito, grain bowls, and salads. To drink, coffee, matcha, hot tea, and kombucha are available.
When Full Proof opens in January 2027, it will serve pasta and pizzas in the evenings. Melrose Umbrella Co.alum David Purcell and Stanley’s Wet Goods developed the wine and non-alcoholic beverage menu. Amsalam first launched Full Proof as a pop-up in 2019 and planned for two locations before COVID-19 hit; the restaurant briefly operated out of a Beverly Hills location in 2022. Like its previous iterations, Pasadena’s Full Proof will center around sourdough pizza, though the rest of the menu is still in development. “We tried to mimic a good New York slice, but smaller,” says Amsalam. “It’s like a bread baker’s pizza.”
More than a decade after first opening in Culver City, Amsalam is looking towards the future with more locations already planned for Westlake Village and Brentwood. “We just celebrated 11 years,” he says. “We imagine being able to grow it far more.
Lodge Bread Pasadena is open Wednesday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 1951 Lincoln Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91103.
