Malfi's La Canada

Salivating Salads, Heaping Hot Potatoes, and Delicious Drinks. See the "Info" tab for our full menu, store hours, and more!

MALFI’S is owned and operated by Mary Geyer, a longtime La Canada resident and business owner. Mary grew up in La Canada and attended both Paradise Canyon Elementary school and La Canada High School. Since then, Mary has raised a family in La Canada as well. As she tells it, little has changed in La Canada over the years except for the number of storefronts on Foothill Boulevard! Luckily, one of those is hers.

MALFI’S wasn’t always MALFI’S. It started as a part of the “Juice It Up” franchise as an idea from Mary’s children and their friends, who wanted a smoothie shop in La Canada so they no longer would have to drive to Pasadena to get something refreshing after school. They helped her to find the location and staff and provided many ideas for the business’s initial marketing and advertising. In fact, teenagers – and customers of all ages – continue to provide the menu ideas that push MALFI’S in new directions.

For Mary, owning a business like this was a chance to contribute to the La Canada community in a way that she hadn’t before. “I enjoy teaching kids how to work,” Mary says, and “getting the community to choose a healthier drink than coffee or soda was important.” True to this, opening MALFI’S was an opportunity for Mary to bring another dimension of healthy fare to La Canada. Beyond simply serving smoothies, Mary wanted to also be able to provide a full-service salad bar and healthy, baked potatoes, both of which are core parts of the MALFI’S menu.

MALFI’S is named after a region of the Mediterranean. As Mary says, “the Amalfi Coast is a happy place in my mind. The people are full of gusto and embrace hard work and time off with equal enthusiasm. Guests and customers are embraced too, and welcomed into businesses as though they’re part of the family. And the food is so fresh. The drinks are made with the climate in mind – to satisfy one’s thirst. Citrus fruits, fresh herbs…all are part of the idea. I didn’t want people to associate my new concept with Italian food so I took the “a” off and…..there you go!”

Mary is proud to be able to not only serve healthy food to the La Canada community, but also to provide support and refreshments at community gatherings and functions. Come in any time and see why Patch.com said that MALFI’S “could just as easily be called 'Mom's.” We look forward to seeing you soon!