Cheeseburger Week Wrap-Up: Foothill – Nee Twoheys – Serves a Mean Cheeseburger

Pasadena’s 2019 “Cheeseburger Week” wrapped up Saturday, and we are all a little bit bigger for it. Pasadena Now reported on a number of local eateries, from the luxurious to the sublime, all of them delicious. Cheeseburger Week has ended, but these fine dishes continue on at this great local restaurant. Stay hungry, my friends. — E. Rivera
When the iconic Alhambra perennial, Twoheys (pronounced “Two Eees,” not “Two Heys”) opened a new location as Twohey’s Tavern on Foothill Boulevard in East Pasadena in December of 2017, suffice to say it caused a little confusion among longtime customers.
Your Grandfather’s restaurant, it was not.
That Tavern eventually became the newly rebranded Foothill last April, and the 70 year-old diner namesake headed off to greener pastures in South Pasadena.
Twohey’s longtime customers won’t necessarily recognize the new place, with its wooden tables, and a classy but friendly modern interior set in the original deco moderne building.
On our visit, the friendly restaurant was packed, with a birthday party and plenty of crowded tables. We had cheeseburgers on the brain, of course.
Foothill’s “Cheeseburger Week” offering came in two varieties-the Southwest and the Mushroom. Each featured a 1/2 pound premium Angus blend, lettuce, tomato, pickles, red onion, and house fries. But of course, each also offered more. The Southwest featured two bright red strips of a sweet red chili pepper on top, along with jack cheese and arugula while the mushroom burger also offered avocado slices atop the whole affair.
The fries were hot, crispy and in need of salt, while both the burgers were perfect after a day of limited eating. (We always eat timidly on cheeseburger days, for obvious reasons.) After removing one of the pepper strips, I dived into mine, and found it flavorful and filling—all that a cheeseburger should be.
In fact, the combination of people, the music, the friendly staff and terrific burger, set in a roomy, comfortable diner/pub/lounge, had me already planning a return. I’ll skip the peppers, order extra fries, maybe get dessert the next time, and wait for you.
Ask for extra avocado.
Foothill is at 2835 East Foothill Boulevard, Pasadena. (626) 449-2337. Online at www.foothill.co