Stoney Point, A Hidden Treasure in West Pasadena

Do you crave something continental for dinner? Are you in search of a restaurant that’s neighborhood-friendly, cozy, and one that exudes a tranquil atmosphere that goes with the best choices of cuisine?

Stoney Point Restaurant, a landmark in the San Rafael neighborhood, seems to have all you need for that fine dining experience in a community-oriented and neighborhood-friendly atmosphere.  It’s small yet cozy, with nightly music in the bar and customers who know each other.

“Stoney Point is a nice, a cute place, for everybody. We have a nice quiet bar, we have a piano player every night, and this place, it’s for good neighborhood people. We have a nice neighborhood here and we have a lot of customers from the neighborhood,” said owner Amedeo Constantino.

For over 65 years, Stoney Point has been serving the west Pasadena community, with customers coming from as close as nearby San Rafael or as far as  Hollywood. It has become a landmark in the San Rafael area and is truly part of the rich history of the community.

It was in 1994 when Amedeo, a native of Italy who has been in the restaurant business for over 35 years, took over the ownership of the restaurant and effectively implemented changes to further improve the dining experience of its customers.

“It’s a very old restaurant in Pasadena, it’s been here for 65 years. I took over 15 years ago and I remodeled, I changed all the face of the place, I opened windows, I put in more lighting.  I added a small room that we now call the ‘garden room,’ we use it for a banquets, too,” said Amedeo, who also opened Primo Gourmet on Lake Avenue in Pasadena in 1976.

Just standing inside the restaurant brings you the feeling of a small English or European town, drawing from the owner’s European roots. It has all good qualities of an English pub; very neighborly and warm. And it smells wonderful, too.

The restaurant has European ambiance because its European owner is a hands-on owner. Customers see him on the front desk, in the kitchen, in the dining room, and even at the bar, a manifestation of his passion, his love for what he is doing, ensuring that no customers will leave dissatisfied with the food or service.

His wife helps in the kitchen creating the specials. She used to run Café Sole but decided to retire. Amedeo, however, said his wife cannot stay away from the business as she comes to Stoney Point regularly to help.

And Amedeo said he just loves what he is doing.

“I open the door for the customers. I close the door when they leave. I’m here all the time. I’m here in the bar, I’m here in the kitchen, I’m here on the floor, I’m here everywhere. Because that’s what I love to do,” he said.

“I enjoy doing these things because that’s in my blood,” he said. “Everything I do, it’s got to be perfect. And we are here only for the customer. We never have an unhappy customer. We work with the customer”.

Indeed, Stoney Point prides itself on customer loyalty, with 99 percent of its new customers coming back for more, said Amedeo. “Here, it’s like a family, a family place with a very warm atmosphere. We welcome everybody here”.

Despite the hard economic times, Amedeo said he continues to deliver only the best for his customers, without cutting on anything or sending his employees home earlier to save costs.

“We always do our best. We have very good service here in Pasadena. Our food is fresh and the quality is good. And the service is excellent. Even now with this time that the restaurant business is on the soft side, we never cut anything, we never cut the food quality, we never cut the service, and never send anyone home before the time,” he said.

From what it was in 1994, Stoney Point has been transformed into a remarkable dining experience today, with numerous awards on its shelf. Thanks to Amedeo’s years of experience in the restaurant business, Stoney Point has become a favorite destination for those around the neighborhood who are looking for the best meal in a tranquil location.

Stoney Point is nestled in Pasadena at 1460 W. Colorado Blvd. and serves lunch from Tuesday to Friday starting 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Dinner is served every Tuesday until Sunday starting at 5 p.m. For reservations and more information call (626) 449-9715.