Check out the Chicken Cobb Salad at Urban Plates

We’d love to learn the story behind Urban Plates.
I worked with Blockbuster for many years, and by the early 90s, had the idea to start a new national retail chain with two partners. The harder part was determining what we would sell. At the time, I came across a small chain in Boston that was doing a great chicken concept that wasn’t fast food, but one of the first fast-casual concepts. We had the opportunity to acquire Boston Chicken in 1992 (later Boston Market) and implemented the latest technology, strong partners at the operational level and compelling marketing to drive rapid growth for that time.

My partner, John Zagara, comes from a grocery background, owning and selling a farmer’s market inspired grocery concept that was later acquired by Safeway. His passion for providing the freshest ingredients, and the ability to see and choose fresh products while grocery shopping, coupled with my attention to the service and ambiance of a restaurant dining experience really sparked the concept for Urban Plates.

Thinking with our own families in mind, we want to provide our guests with quality food that makes you feel good – good about what you ate, good about what you’ve provided your family. Our “seeing is believing” approach puts guests on the line to engage with our chefs and feel empowered by their food decisions.

Successfully running a restaurant is extremely difficult. Tell us about some of the challenges you’ve had to overcome.
You don’t see it as hard or easy when your goal is to bring guests something they deserve: clean food that is also familiar food. Our fundamental philosophy is investing in food quality; from the beginning, we have locally sourced our food, prepared every item on-premise, and carefully composed plates before handing it to a guest.

Is there something unique or interesting about Urban Plates that our readers should know about?
No secrets here! More than fast casual style, Urban Plates is an open, interactive kitchen concept engaging all five senses: the subtle aromatics, eclectic mix of music, displays of fresh produce, communal tables are all part of our rustic, comfortable ambiance. Our chefs are on the line preparing guests’ meals to-order while also answering questions about food sourcing, ingredients and dietary guidelines.

Most Popular Items

Chicken Cobb Salad

Urban Plates lettuce blend, grilled free range chicken, organic tomatoes, turkey bacon, avocado, organic egg, blue cheese, scratch-made buttermilk dill dressing
Grass Fed Steak Plate

Grilled grass fed steak served medium rare garnished with house made chimichurri sauce along with roasted rosemary potatoes, sesame broccolini and chargrilled rustic bread

Free Range Chicken Club Sandwich

Grilled free range chicken, brown sugar chili Duroc pork bacon, organic tomato, pickled onion, Urban Plates lettuce mix, garlic aioli, white cheddar cheese

Curry Tofu & Vegetables Braise

Marinated organic tofu slow cooked with a green curry-coconut sauce, organic carrots, daikon, zucchini, red bell peppers, organic apple, ginger, onion, garlic, limeDietary: vegetarian
Mango Tart

Cookie butter crust filled with rum cream and fresh mangoParking Advice:
In Pasadena, we are part of the Shops on Lake Avenue where there is street parking available, as well as a parking garage entrance on Del Mar Boulevard between Lake and Hudson Avenues.

In Playa Vista, we are located at Runway Playa Vista where a parking garage is available and guests can have their tickets validated at the register.

Happy Hour:
We don’t offer a happy hour, but because its unique to our category, we do offer a regional wine selection ranging from $7.50-$9.50 a glass, with bottles starting at $30, and local craft beers starting at $5.50.

Average Entre Cost:Menu prices begin at: $12 for a Plated Meal with two sides and grilled rustic bread; $9 for Hand-Tossed Salads and Hand-Carved Sandwiches; and $11 for Seasonal Slow-Cooked Braises. Kids Meals start at $7.

Address: Los Angeles County
• Playa Vista: 12746 W Jefferson Blvd #3140, Playa Vista, CA 90094; 424-256-7274
• Pasadena: 269 S Lake Ave, Pasadena, CA 91101; 626-800-4448

For all other locations:
• 162 W Hillcrest Dr. #100, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360
• 3413 E Imperial Hwy, Brea, CA 92823
• 13380 Jamboree Rd, Irvine, CA 92602
• 3972 Barranca Pkwy, Irvine, CA 92606
• 8707 Villa La Jolla Dr, La Jolla, CA 92037
• 12857 El Camino Real, San Diego, CA 92130
• 1923 Calle Barcelona #148, Carlsbad, CA 92009
• 5111 Martinelli Way, Dublin, CA 94568
• 60 Crescent Drive, Suite B, Pleasant Hill, CA 94523
• 26661 Aliso Creek Rd, Suite B, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656

Phone:760-230-1700 – Cardiff, CA corporate office

Website: https://urbanplates.com/

Social Media links

• Facebook: @urban.plates
• Twitter: @UrbanPlates
• Instagram: @urbanplates

Image credits:
Please credit all images to Urban Plates.