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We were looking for outdoor things to do with our pups when we discovered The Americana at Brand. Outdoor shopping malls can be a hit or miss, but when we found out that The Americana at Brand was the sister center to The Grove at Farmer’s Market, we had a feeling it wouldn’t disappoint.

We spent a good 4-hours at this large shopping mall with 82 retails shops, dining, entertainment, and a residential complex. We could have stayed longer if we had more energy. Even Zooey was getting tired since she was getting plenty of attention from other people. In addition, the new smells and surroundings were giving her a ton of mental stimulation.

Just like The Grove at Farmer’s Market, The Americana at Brand is a gorgeous space that pays meticulous attention to detail. As soon as we arrived at the main lobby entrance, we turned around and noticed the industrial architecture of the elevator. It is massive and its exposed steel beams resemble the industrial era.

There are many areas at The Americana where you can take great pictures. The fountain itself is beautiful and there is even a gazebo near the fountain with an adorable bench swing surrounded by flowers.

Near the Katsuya restaurant is also a colorful mural with the words, “Dream Big & in Color”. We took some cute pictures here as well with Zooey.

RESATAURANTS AND CAFES

There are over 25 restaurants and cafes at The Americana with cuisines from all over the world including American, Japanese, Mexican, Italian and more. And of course, there’s plenty of sweet treats you can choose from like Sprinkles, Ladurée, and Beignet Box.

On our visit, we tried a few of places where Zooey was able to join us too.

Beignet Box

If you’ve never had a fresh fluffy beignet, you’re missing out. We both have been lucky enough to enjoy fresh beignets at the famous Cafe du Monde in New Orleans which is where this southern sweet treat originates from.

The Beignet Box brings this square-shaped French-style donut to the Americana and it did not disappoint. There were a handful of menu items and we ordered the bite-size beignet box and it was heavenly. The dough was deep-friend to order and then generously sprinkled with confectioner sugar.

We were hoping these would be just as good as the ones we had in New Orleans and they definitely were. The light and pillowy texture just melted in our mouths. We also loved that they offered bite-size pieces so it wouldn’t be as messy as eating the regular-sized beignets. Now, all we needed was a cup of cafe au lait.

Katsuya

We have heard so many great things about this Japanese restaurant, so we made reservations for lunch. The ambiance of the outdoor seating is lovely as well as the service; however, the food was very average.

We ordered Kara-age, Tamago sushi, and a California roll. The only dish we enjoyed was the Kara-age. Everything else was subpar and was quite disappointing since the dishes were pretty expensive.

It wasn’t terrible, but we definitely have had better Japanese cuisine elsewhere. The service on the other hand was phenomenal and Zooey was gladly welcomed as well.

Capital One Cafe 

The concept of combining a cafe and your bank was interesting so we thought we’d stop by and see what it was all about. We were surprised that they allowed pets, but the downside was that we felt uncomfortable once we entered since we were being closely watched by a Capital One “ambassador”.

While we were walking around, we decided to snap a picture with Zooey and were immediately approached and asked not to take photos. We didn’t see any signs that photos were prohibited (otherwise we would not have taken any), but didn’t feel it was necessary to argue about it.

In any case, we decided to leave after the encounter. It’s definitely not somewhere you can just casually walk around with your dog. Since it’s technically still a bank, they want it very quiet and private.

SHOPPING

If you love shopping, you’ll love this place. There are over 40 stores including Anthropologie, Brandy Melville, Free People, Nike, Sephora, Sur La Table, and so much more.

We browsed around a few of our favorite clothing stores but also checked out some unique stores that we haven’t seen or heard of.

Amazon 4-Star 

It’s hard to find someone who has never shopped Amazon online, but have you ever heard of an Amazon store you could walk into? Currently, there are 35 physical Amazon stores in the US.

When we walked in, the sales associate explained to us that the store carries a highly curated selection of products from the top categories across Amazon.com. This includes items like consumer electronics, toys, games, kitchen gadgets, and more.

We immediately noticed that they had a ton of books. Every product is rated 4 stars and above and we were told that the products rotate often, so the floors are constantly being updated with new items. We can see why the books were so highly rated because we spent a lot of time in that section browsing books.

Samsung Experience 

Crystal recently bought a home and as a new homeowner, she’s been sprinkling her home with Samsung products. From her washing machine to her TV, everything is integrated and her appliances can all be controlled through her phone. She’s been pretty impressed by the technology, so she wanted to see what else was available at Samsung.

We walked around with Zooey and fell in love with the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 and Fold3. We are both long-time users of the iPhone, so seeing Samsung’s latest smartphones was pretty impressive. If you haven’t seen them, you must check them out. It’s hard to believe that a smartphone can be folded. We definitely had an enlightening Samsung experience.

PET-FRIENDLINESS

The Americana at Brand allows dogs on the property — except on its grassy area, which is sort of a bummer. The only breed restricted is the pit bull and each store decides whether it allows pets. All of the stores we visited welcomed pets and most of the staff were very friendly with Zooey.

WATERS OF AMERICANA

In addition to The Americana at Brand's shops, restaurants, and movie theater, the outdoor mall features Waters of Americana. It’s an animated musical fountain that performs every hour on the hour. It’s a beautiful performance and you’ll notice a gold statue at the center of the fountain.

This statue is a replica of France’s statue called the “Spirit of American Youth”. It’s a memorial to Americans who fought at Normandy in WWII.

PARKING

There is a dedicated parking garage; however, it’s pretty expensive compared to other shopping centers. They offer 2-hour parking validation at some participating shops and restaurants but be aware that if you go over the 2-hours, you still have to pay a fee. The only way to receive completely free parking is if you spend over $250.

There is limited street parking, so your best bet is to park in the garage if you don’t want the hassle of driving around the area looking for a spot.

FINAL THOUGHTS

It’s a pleasant outdoor space to pop by with your pup or to meet up with friends for coffee and snacks. The entire shopping area is very picturesque and we only visited a handful of the 80 plus stores they have to offer. We hear that their Christmas lights are spectacular, so we’ll have to stop by for that the next time we are in the area.

A special thank you to Margaret O’Leary for our comfy and luxe wardrobe.