By Chris MacDonald
Pasty Kitchen, home to the “Pasty” meat pie, opened its first location 63 years ago in 1963 on Katella Avenue in Los Alamitos.
A second shop opened on Ball Road in Cypress in 2025 and now in 2026, there’s a new location on Bolsa Chica Road in Huntington Beach.
But, what’s a Pasty?
The heart-warming Pasty that you can hold in your hand while eating, is baked perfectly using a recipe with a secret spice, premier chicken, English chuck beef, potatoes, carrots, onions and freshly baked dough.
The Pasty’s origin dates back to 13th Century Cornwall, England mining towns where mothers, wives, daughters and bakers brought lunch to the hard rock miners who didn’t have time to leave their jobs.
The concept eventually spread across the British Isles from Northern England to areas such as Ireland and Scotland and in modern times, Pasties have become popular at sporting events and are tasty snacks or meals ideal for any occasion.
When Michael Richards bought Pasty Kitchen from a friend who was retiring in 2020, he was excited to offer the beloved Pasty while adding fresh soups, cookies and other deserts to the menu.
The long-time restaurateur owns Joe Schmoes in Cypress, three Pasty Kitchen locations and previously owned Gourmet Pie & Cafe from 1983 to 2024. Raised in Cypress, Richards has been in the restaurant business for 43 years.
“At the Huntington Beach location we produce 300 pasties daily,” said chef Luis Presa.
“Customers are in awe when they see a Pasty and try one. They don’t know what it is but they love it,” Presa said
The Pasty Kitchen is open in Los Alamitos from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Monday to Saturday, in Cypress Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and in Huntington Beach on Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
You can learn more at http://www.eatpastykitchen.com .