Heavens to Betsy

Bar Betsy (Altadena)

BARS • First Round

The Skinny: Two doors down from FOUND favorite Betsy, Bar Betsy, the latest from chef and owner Tyler Wells, is bright, casual, all-day, and for walk-ins-only.

The Vibe: Where Betsy is rooted in live-fire cooking, heartiness, and making an evening of it, Bar Betsy is a more relaxed affair. Low-slung two-tops line a banquette on the right inside the entrance. At frontstage, a tile-topped bar that surrounds farmhouse-style built-ins housing glasses, mugs, bottles of wine, a fridge, a glistening espresso machine, bags of coffee beans. On the sidewalk out, tables spill out into the sun.

Each seat seems to be perfectly set in its own light, whether from the outside or courtesy of the massive Noguchi lamp that hangs above the center of the restaurant. The soundtrack playing throughout can best be described as Wes Anderson-esque — The Kinks, Bowie, The Velvet Underground, et al. Like Betsy, it’s a spot built to serve the Altadena community comfortably. And considering the size of the crowd during a recent late Thursday lunch on opening week, they’re already fully embracing it.

The Food: Like its neighbor, Bar Betsy’s menu is primarily concerned with keeping things fresh. I was told it’s constantly updating with the bounties of seasonal, California-rustic produce. The top of the page lists breakfast-adjacent goods like sourdough toast with marmalade or jam, lemon curd kefir with almond granola, and lightly poached eggs on toast topped with an in-house hot sauce and chives, a noticeably popular order, even with the afternoon crowd. As your eyes make their way down, you’ll find oats, grits, and greens followed by a set of sandwiches served on house-made stecca. (All breads are baked on site.)

For me, a plate of market tomatoes served on arugula with burrata and candy-sweet strawberries, followed by an excellent sandwich of wood-oven chicken with greens, cucumber, cheddar, and tarragon dijonnaise. Other enticing sandwiches included roasted carrot with romesco and clover sprouts and a classic Parisian ham and cheese.

The Drink: Cappuccinos, cortados, and other coffees, plus a trim-but-impressive wine list. There’s an even mix of Old World and California vintages, which really start flowing when Bar Betsy pivots to its regular evening, late-ish programming operating as a cozy wine bar.

The Verdict: Tyler Wells has already proven he can flex the best of California’s fresh fare with Betsy. And now with Bar Betsy, he’s shown he can do it in a breezy, all-day and night setting too. –James Royce

→ Bar Betsy (Altadena) • 871 E Mariposa St • Daily 8a-11p • Walk-ins only.