Urbane Cafe

Sandwich shop · Encinitas

Urbane Cafe

Sandwich shop · Encinitas

1

1042 N El Camino Real, Encinitas, CA 92024

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Urbane Cafe by null
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Urbane Cafe by null
Urbane Cafe by null
Urbane Cafe by null
Urbane Cafe by null
Urbane Cafe by null
Urbane Cafe by null
Urbane Cafe by null
Urbane Cafe by null
Urbane Cafe by null
Urbane Cafe by null
Urbane Cafe by null
Urbane Cafe by null
Urbane Cafe by null
Urbane Cafe by null
Urbane Cafe by null
Urbane Cafe by null
Urbane Cafe by null
Urbane Cafe by null
Urbane Cafe by null
Urbane Cafe by null
Urbane Cafe by null
Urbane Cafe by null
Urbane Cafe by null
Urbane Cafe by null
Urbane Cafe by null
Urbane Cafe by null
Urbane Cafe by null
Urbane Cafe by null
Urbane Cafe by null
Urbane Cafe by null
Urbane Cafe by null
Urbane Cafe by null
Urbane Cafe by null
Urbane Cafe by null
Urbane Cafe by null
Urbane Cafe by null
Urbane Cafe by null
Urbane Cafe by null
Urbane Cafe by null
Urbane Cafe by null

Highlights

Fresh baked focaccia sandwiches, bowls, salads, & cookies  

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1042 N El Camino Real, Encinitas, CA 92024 Get directions

urbanecafe.com

$10–20 · Menu

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1042 N El Camino Real, Encinitas, CA 92024 Get directions

+1 760 452 4255
urbanecafe.com

$10–20 · Menu

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Last updated

Aug 20, 2025

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Essential Restaurants for Casual and Work Lunches in San Diego | Eater San Diego

"The salads, bowls, and sandwiches at Urbane Cafe are fresh, light, and filling. They’re also popular with the work lunch crowd and office catering. One bowl features salmon, whole grain rice, marinated kale, roasted sweet potatoes, edamame, and a sweet chili aioli drizzle while a comfort food-stacked sandwich has roasted turkey, French brie, cranberry chutney, arugula, and herb aioli."

https://sandiego.eater.com/maps/best-lunch-restaurants-san-diego
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Andrea

Google
Absolutely loved how delicious and healthy the food is here, with a wide variety of options for the entire family including sandwiches, soups, and salads.

Andrea Nickle

Google
I first discovered Urbane Cafe at one of their other locations, but this one is closer to where I live. My friend and I visit once a week. There is a lot of seating both indoors and outdoors. All of their employees are friendly, and helpful. The food tastes amazing, and fresh. We got to meet the new assistant manager on Sunday. She has wonderful customer service, and really cares about making the restaurant it’s best. Oh, and I tried a cookie for the first time. The double chocolate was AMAZING.

Chris Banda

Google
Stopped by for a bite to eat while shopping with the family. Surprised to see they were baking the bread right there in front! I got the So Cal and wife tried the Pesto Basil. (Daughter got the pizza <—still made on the amazing bread). Food and flavors were on point. Excellent fresh taste and ingredients were perfectly balanced (as all things should be!) Even after my wife boxed hers for later, she said the bread was STILL light and fluffy! Definitely worth supporting this business and quality food.

Carrie Diehl

Google
I accidently mixed up the locations of my order. Melinda, the manager, graciously helped by fixing my mistake. I enjoyed my glazed salmon salad so much earlier in the week that I came back to try the sandwich (turkey club). That was as good too. I wish they had this cafe where I live in St. Louis.

Annie Calvo

Google
This place has great healthy food options. I have lunch here often. The bread is fresh baked in front of you and everything is made in house. They also have great soup here, although it varies by the day. I’m so grateful they opened this location in my neighborhood.

Thomas Nobles

Google
Cold rainy day and first visit ever, dropped in for some soup but then decided to add a sandwich. They offer a soup and salad combo, but unlike pretty much everyone, they don't offer a half sandwich with soup or salad. I thought I saw half sand w/ salad but I guess I read it wrong. I thought I could get that but just swap out soup for the salad. Anyway, I guess not and I got a full tri-tip pastrami, with tomato bisque. The sandwich was ok tasting but no way representative of the $13.25 price. Quite the ripoff. With soup and a drink came to $20.55. Pretty overpriced IMO.

Mark Burns

Google
Great restaurant where the focus is the sandwiches. But they have soup,salads, and cookies too. Indoor and outdoor seating. Very pleasant. We loved both of our sandwiches, both of which were under $10. Love the craft sodas too. Great staff also.

Kevin T. Earl, Sr.

Google
Very delicious, bread was fresh made and perfect!! ! I had turkey club and my husband fantastic fish sandwich. Come hungry because the nice size sandwich comes with a delicious side salad
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Anderson D.

Yelp
Each time I have this cookie I'm eating the best cookie I've ever had. Review over Over Ove Ov E R
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Peter I.

Yelp
An ok lunch. My wife's favorite salad the Santa Fe chicken was as always very tasty and big. My Bahn Mi sandwich was big, wet and a mess. I asked for it to be toasted crispy and it was not. Oberto listened and offered to redo.... Too late for that. He agreed that the front doesn't talk to the back. Nice menu with tons of options and big inside space plus plenty of parking. Order and watch that it's right.

George M.

Yelp
My wife really enjoyed the pox and chicken braise with rice, peel off and rustic bread. I however got the grilled steak sandwich and I asked for it as rare as can be, and although it was not rare as can be, I decided to give it a chance. I do believe, however, that the steak was cut the wrong way. It was rough. Trying to break off pieces and as I ate, the sandwich got really messy. And chewing it was almost impossible, but it was delicious so I just kept chewing and chewing. I don't know if they know they're supposed to cut across the grain So I took the other half home and cut it up and put it on the sandwich with lettuce, tomato red onion. Because all it came with was sun-dried tomato and some aïoli sauce. A little boring. I won't be getting it again. There's plenty of good things here maybe? But this was really disappointing how tough it was and hard to swallow.
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Audrey L.

Yelp
For some reason, whenever I'd come here, I always got a sandwich with their delicious side salad. I never realized they had bowls and I'm always a sucker for a yummy bowl. I went for the salmon bowl that came with wild rice, sweet potatoes, edamame, kale, and a tasty sauce. I added avocado to it as well. I'm obsessed with this bowl! The staff is always friendly and the space is comfortable. One of my favorite easy, grab and go lunch spots!
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Colin T.

Yelp
After a long days work of watching friends and spouse at tennis camp, what better way to refuel than healthy salad and a filling sando? The restaurant has a pleasant sit down style layout with more cushy seats on the far wall, but we weren't just looking for a place for its looks. Our cashier took our orders with lightning speed and we got our food in less than 10 minutes with 5 ppl ordering. Service to get seated was *chef's kiss*. Wife ordered the steak chimichurri sando and I got the keto salad with extra meat. HIT THE SPOT. After nearing food coma, we brought our plates back to its storage home for clean up near the exit, and went back home on our merry way. Would I come back here? You darn right I will. Let's go!!

Laura T.

Yelp
What a great place for a sandwich. I had the chicken sandwich with avocado & cheese which came warm on great bread with a delicious salad. Everyone serving was helpful & pleasant. The drink cups are large and they had fresh lemons! A good sized, fresh made sandwich that came with salad and a drink all for $12. I will be going back to the one closer to my house. I highly recommend this eatery.
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Jordi W.

Yelp
Welp. I've eaten here several times now. I like to treat myself once a week for lunch. I've enjoyed the Santa Maria bbq salad, salmon salad, salmon bowl, and the pastrami tri tip sandwich so far. Have not been disappointed yet. The food is fresh, prepared quickly as time not spend half my lunch break waiting. And the portions are generous. And the seating area/bathrooms are always clean. Tbh I don't know why this place isn't super crowded. The staff is cheerful and helpful; haven't placed an order on someone's bad day attitude yet. Music is a little loud, but not too unpleasant. I've had half the quality, half the portion size and half the experience with double the price at Panera. All in all, worthy of 5 stars for sure.
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Greg B.

Yelp
Finally today first time I stopped by , for a late for me lunch. Ordering So Cal sandwich with roasted chicken, avocado, pepper jack cheese, green leaf lettuce, tomatilo salsa and chipotle aioli (just curious, which one salsa or aioli were giving this spicy feeling?). Pretty tasty sandwich - side salad - mainly fancy greens and 2 small slices of oranges from the can in balsamic (could be a few slices of tomatoes added to?). It's funny, on Yelp App all the menus are old - So Cal is going for $8.95, today it's $11.95. Drinks are available from the fountain machine (same as just water). Food is brought to your table at promised time. I can see , that at this time all customers mainly were senior citizens and the place was doing takeout orders at a much bigger pace. Seating is inside or outside, more than enough parking.
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Bridgette G.

Yelp
If you love focaccia bread then you might really enjoy this place. Every time I've been here everything was fresh and very tasty. This particular visit I noticed the kid's menu and I ordered "The Ben" which is bbq Chicken and mozzarella. I also got a side salad and soup. The sandwich was perfect. The bread was nice and soft, chicken juicy and tender, and mozzarella so warm and melty. AND what goes great with a sandwich that's almost like a grilled cheese Sando? Tomato bisque of course! It's V and GF. I love cheese but don't tend to like tomato soup with lots of cream in it. It was a perfect to~go lunch! I also got the regular lemonade; it wasn't too sweet nor too tart! Everything I got was just under $18 & that's including a small tip. I don't always tip on a to go item but he and the other staffers were handling everything there. So it was warranted. The restaurant was kept nice, clean, and tidy. It wasn't crazy busy at the time but those that were there enjoying their food looked mighty happy. I got my order To~Go and Humberto was very quick to serve and answered my questions with ease. I appreciated that because I ordered a kids sandwich! And it was the right choice for me. I say it's good enough for all ages! So easy to eat with my braces too. I'm super excited to know another restaurant is going to be opening up closer to me. Until then I'll be back sooner than later.

David H.

Yelp
Food was okay. Was better in the past. service was good. ambience was good. it was in th middle of the day.
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Susanne R.

Yelp
My first experience with this restaurant and I'm a fan! I had the turkey Brie sandwich and it was delicious. The staff were very friendly and informative. I learned a cafe just opened in my neck of the woods so I'll be going there soon.

Jonathan H.

Yelp
Bread + sauce = hidden high calories in an imitation concept that attempts to brand as healthy. Dry salmon. Another cookie cutter MBA imitation concept with the target consumer being upper middle class suburban crusty white people. Copied from Stone Oven, a similar chain sandwich/salad concept that is in Bonita Westfield food court. Stone Oven as a concept was founded 6 years before Urbane Cafe. Presentation and food items are nearly the same between the two. Stone Oven copied concept from a famous small focaccia restaurant in Santa Barbara. Bread is healthier than Stone Oven, but doesn't taste as chewy. (Less buttery, and less delicious in my opinion). Meals are advertised as nutritious, but really the refined bread / mayos / dressing are calorie dense. Meals priced $2 more than Stone Oven because they pay for own sit down instead of food court space. Charges $15 for a sandwich constructed out of piece of bread, some Romaine lettuce, 50 cents of meat...and a small mixed green side salad with custom dressings made from components bought from Restaurant Depot. Perfectly priced for target consumer...but too expensive if you have basic home cooking skills, Vons, and prager bro access. ($3.50 premium component cost at grocery and 5-8 minutes with a skillet even with extremely low volume of scale requirement made for 1 person) Attempts to differentiate with food presentation as the food is being made...just like Stone Oven. Concept harder to systemize than McDonald's...and price increases because of presentation differentiation requirements on FIFO etc and new employee training difficulties. Rustic modern interior decor with artisan typography stamped everywhere. Writes story of founder's passion as restaurants are filled with low turn over immigrants and the franchise owner is managing excel sheets (building "strategy and vision") Claims originality and passion in story when imitation to any food industry professional is obvious. Cliche and average. 3 stars. Where can I find some good restaurants in this dry concrete landscape? Driving to Convoy and Hillcrest is too far.
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Nina S.

Yelp
This five star review is for the chocolate chip cookies -- just perfection. I come here for the cookies and the lemonade and always leave happy. Just the right amount of warm, not overly sweet, and not too many chocolate chips -- like I said, perfection.
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Shaheena D.

Yelp
Urban Cafe Encinitas is a culinary haven that exceeded all expectations! Humberto, the general manager, set the tone with his warmth, and the food was nothing short of amazing. The pastrami sandwich I indulged in was a masterpiece of tenderness and rich flavors, leaving my taste buds dancing with joy. My mom's Crunchy Peanut Salad was an absolute delight--fresh, vibrant, and downright DELICIOUS. Despite passing several tempting eateries, the decision to make the 30-minute drive was a stroke of genius. We even took some extra dishes home to savor the incredible flavors again. Urban Cafe Encinitas is a true gem for food enthusiasts; it's a journey you'll be glad you made!
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Neil P.

Yelp
Salmon bowl was fresh and delicious. Staff was friendly and made recommendations from the menu.
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Tyson C.

Yelp
We are back!! This place is so good! Quick, easy to order and fresh! Plenty of seating inside. Quick and casual. For the price and freshness this place rocks!! Fresh fruit option for the kids meals is much appreciated for busy parents. Thank you for making a great healthy product at a competitive price. We will come back.

Grace P.

Yelp
Several coworkers and I ate food from here on June 18th and became very ill. Some were even hospitalized. I'm not sure how this food poisoning outbreak has been kept quiet. Many people got sick from here and this restaurant has not issued any sort of apology or explanation. I will never eat here or at any Urbane Cafe location again.

Jim M.

Yelp
Great food and great service great people too at Encinitas. We eat there several times times per week. There app should give you 10% off instead of 5%.
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Magda M.

Yelp
I stopped by after a long drive and long weekend of eating not so healthy food. While I was a little skeptical of places that are in large shopping plazas, this place surpassed expectations. I got the keto Cobb and every ingredient was super fresh. Also, the ingredients each came in the "right quantity" -- a good amount of cheese, bacon, avocado, egg, etc. sometimes when you get a Cobb salad it's all lettuce and barely any of the stuff you really want (haha, ie bacon!!). I was very very pleased. I skipped eating the bread so no comment on that. Overall a yummy place for a salad! Quickly served too!
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Christine S.

Yelp
Consistently a good, tasty, healthy option. I've been here a number of times and the salads are the perfect size for lunch. I've had the Santa Maria BBQ chicken several times- it's got the right balance of greens and protein and flavor. I have taken my kids here too and got the kids meal-- it tends to be somewhat plain, so I've switched up to having them share an adult meal. As a chain, this is a good place to stop by when you want something that's healthy and not fussy.
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Paige E.

Yelp
After traveling all day down to San Diego we were ready for a yummy lunch. We randomly found Urbane Cafe on Yelp and decided to give it a try. They have a great variety of salads and sandwiches as well as a few soup options as well. You order at the counter and then go sit down. They had fun crazy soda names on their fountain and their unsweetened tropical iced tea was really good. We ordered two different sandwiches and they came with a delicious side salad. We also ordered a bowl of soup. Everything from their freshly made bread to their ingredients are so fresh. The staff was kind and helpful and they offer both inside and outdoor seating. If we are ever nearby another Urbane Cafe. We will definitely be stopping in.
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Elan H.

Yelp
Sometimes I forget how good this place is. Fresh baked bread, sandwich meat that looks like actual meat, fresh greens salad with balsamic. All super good, tasty and it feels like you're eating good, healthy food. Friendly staff as well.
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Nicole D.

Yelp
I came here on a whim and was pleasantly surprised that they have a vegetarian menu. I decided on the tofu Bahn mi, which was slightly different from your typical Bahn mi (no French roll) but had similar ingredients. It tasted fresh and healthy. I indulged and got a fountain drink as well. They had fresh iced tea and some craft sodas which I was intrigued by! They had a snozzberry flavor but I'll save that for another visit. We were in and out in less than 30, perfect for a quick bite or a social outing. I was very happy with the selection and the service.

C R.

Yelp
We love this place. Great sandwiches served with a healthy side salad. The service is great. They are very attentive to you. Sat outside and enjoyed the food and the day!
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N D.

Yelp
Third time I've been here this month, I wish I had found out about Urbane Cafe years ago! I love that they bake the bread fresh and all the fresh options! So far I've tried the Club sandwich and the So Cal sandwich, both were great the So Cal had a nice kick to it. The poblano chicken soup has also been a nice addition since it is still soup weather here. They have a great assortment of unique drinks but I love the lemonade! It's so refreshing and not to sweet like other places. This is a great spot for lunch or dinner and I can't wait to try the other sandwiches!

Olga C.

Yelp
This place is amazing ! From the staff to the food everything was great! we ordered the barbecue salad, the chicken, Bri sandwich, the steak and chimichurri sandwich, tomato bisque and kids grilled cheese! All of it delicious!

Carol S.

Yelp
Wanted to give a shoutout to Urbane Cafe in Encinitas. It's next to Barnes and Noble in the Target shopping center. My husband and I had lunch there. We'd never been there before. Our sandwiches were above and beyond delicious, served on the best foccacia I've ever eaten . They came with fresh and tasty salad. Very extensive menu. Great and friendly service. Going back for sure!! Five stars for Urbane Cafe.
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Nayeli F.

Yelp
Amazing service they're very helpful and nice when it comes to accommodating food requests:)! The vibe in their restaurant is so calm !
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Brenda H.

Yelp
Been coming here for years, the food is always superb. Great organic ingredients, friendly staff. Try the drinks and the desserts too!
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Erica C.

Yelp
This my favorite place to go when I'm craving a healthy meal. My favorite Sandwiches are the Santa Maria BBQ when I'm craving something juicy and BBQ and the Cranberry Brie because I love cranberry and turkey. I truly appreciate the staff every time I walk in. They are patient and kind and informative of any kind of questions you have. Btw the bread is freshly made and my favorite part of the sandwich.
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Christopher P.

Yelp
Stopped in for a quick dinner and grabbed the new UC Shrimp Bowl. Great flavors and a great amount of food. Definitely recommend this with Cholula hot sauce. The restaurant itself is pretty simple in a good way and the staff was great. It wasn't too busy either. Definitely check this place out.
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Bret C.

Yelp
I tried the new pastrami tri-tip sandwich and it didn't disappoint, along with a cup of the tomato bisque it was just enough to fill me up.

M M.

Yelp
This is one of our family's favorite meeting spots. The food is always fresh and delicious. Humberto goes out of his way to make sure all your needs are met in the way of providing wonderful, delicious dishes and friendly attentive service. I also use this location for lots of my catering, and I am always pleased with the delivery and attention to detail when providing boxed lunches and spectacular service. Everyone who works at this location is friendly and helpful. the salads are top notch and The bread is beyond belief delicious, and the cookies are too. Love this spot
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Rhondi S.

Yelp
Great fresh food dining. Options from numerous salads, sandwiches, soups and combos. Always has a variety of fresh soup options, my favorite is the organic tomato bisque soup. Southwest salad is a combination of fresh greens, grilled chicken, corn and black beans. Delicious options, friendly service.

Liz H.

Yelp
Amazing service and food! I tried the ahi tuna salad and the tortilla soup. My fiancé tried the roasted vegetable salad. Both orders were absolutely delicious, healthy, and that bread is out of this world.
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Salina L.

Yelp
This place was surprisingly delicious. Vast menu options and the focaccia bread is baked fresh. They had the best chocolate chip cookie I've ever had. The peanut chicken salad was really good! Will definitely be returning.
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Nadia G.

Yelp
Very nice restaurant to stop in for lunch. They have quite a large menu with many different options. I was with one other person and we both enjoyed our meals very much. The staff are also very nice and helpful. Food came to the table in less than ten minutes from placing out order

Jane I.

Yelp
I had the cilantro torta and it was delicious. It comes with a salad. We had our two dogs and they have them water and bacon!! I will definitely be back!!!
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Kayla C.

Yelp
Super yummy. I love chocolate chip cookies and turkey sandwiches . Service is very nice.
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Darlene B.

Yelp
The ahi tuna salad was delicious and very generous in size. I was able to eat it for lunch and dinner. I knocked one star off because they forgot my bread that I was looking forward to after reading the reviews.

Melissa S.

Yelp
The food and service was amazing 10/10 experience. Very clean as well. Recommend for anyone that's in a mood for a good sandwich

Debbie M.

Yelp
Food never disappoints. Restaurant is clean and staff are friendly and helpful. Cookies are the icing on the meal.
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Andrew K.

Yelp
My company catered Urbane Cafe for our lunch. It was delicious! I had the Chimichurri Steak sandwich which was delicious. The portion was perfect. I was definitely more than satisfied. The marinade was tasty and juicy! I would definitely recommend. It also came with a side salad. I didn't know that was part of the order... I'm not really a salad guy, but I was yesterday. The order came in when requested, and there were no issues. We all loved it! Thank you so much! I will definitely recommend and order again.
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Annie C.

Yelp
We ordered to-go lunches for a work meeting and they were fantastic. Lots of options to meet all of the different dietary restrictions from our participants. I had the Power Bowl and loved it. I wish there was a Urbane Cafe location in Colorado, I'd eat there constantly!

Greg W.

Yelp
Great food and service. We had the beet salad, very fresh and flavorful. Great atmosphere and vibe..

Cecilia C.

Yelp
Great service and food And even got a free cookie! People are very friendly and food is great!
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Ron Q.

Yelp
Visited here a couple of times. First was for a big yelp event. Recently I came with a friend for lunch! The staff here are very friendly and patient. First time through, I had no idea what they offered, so it took a while for me to ask questions and figure everything out. The food is outstanding. Fresh and locally sourced ingredients make the meals that much better! I've had the miso salmon salad and a couple varieties of their sandwiches. Each one was distinct in flavors. But I have to say, my favorite is the miso salmon salad. The dressing has a little kick to it and flavors just explode. Can't say enough about it, so next time you're in the area, grab one or two of those! Each sandwich comes with their signature focaccia bread. Made from scratch delicious! Their home made cookies, to die for! Seating is plentiful and comfortable. They have both regular tables and benches as well as high tables throughout the inside. Nice patio sets outside this location as well. On this past visit, I ordered ahead for takeout. I added avocado to my salad to mix it up a bit. When I got home, the avo was absent. I submitted an email to request a refund for the missing avo and they replied to connect directly with the store manager. I was in the area later that day and spoke to Rosa. She didn't offer a refund for the missing avo, but made me another salad instead! Much appreciated Rosa. Thanks for making my day! Keep on Yelp'n!

Pamela W.

Yelp
My hubby and I love this place. Excellent food and service. Healthy options, delicious fresh salmon., fresh baked bread and desserts. Salmon bowl is my favorite go to dish.. my Husband loves tri tip sandwich. We hope it's not in any danger of closing as anytime we've been there. It's rarely crowded. It's a hidden gym. Check it out. You won't be sorry.

Selmcs C.

Yelp
Wonderful food! Great service! And a good ambiance. Their music that they have on is upbeat and not to loud that you can't have a conversation, their honey mustard is the bomb!

Steph L.

Yelp
They have great food and service! The people who work here are super helpful and kind! The hot cookies are incredible as is the freshly made bread. We love it here!