I walked past this café a couple years ago while visiting and saw the vibrant atmosphere going on. I finally got a chance to stop in and grab a drink this past trip. There’s always a crowd and it is located in the playhouse district in a beautifully designed two story building. The café can seat close to 150 people and includes an outdoor patio with a fountain. Urth(Welsh spelling of Earth) Caffe(Italian for coffee) is big into serving health conscious coffee by producing organic heirloom coffee. They first opened in 1991 and have 6 locations across L.A. They have a variety of sandwiches, salads, pastries and desserts in addition to their coffee and teas. The line can be long at times, but it moves quickly. The staff is very hospitable and gave great service. I ordered a green boba tea and it was perfect for a relaxed evening evening on the patio. Love the handmade tile work and the fireplace.
Jenny N.
Place rating: 4 Rosemead, CA
I finally had the chance to try this place out. I came close to closing time on a weekday and it was not that crowded. The line was not that long and there were plenty of empty tables. In addition, there were plenty of parking spaces. I ordered their organic iced green tea(it’s their exotic ice tea cocktails you can get blended for $ 4.95 or shaken for $ 3.95. Made with organic tea, natural flavors, and milk). You can also have pearls added if you want. The drink tasted similar to Starbucks’ iced green tea latte. I definitely would request less sweet the next time I stop by here again. In addition, I also ordered one of their salads, Caravan Kale salad for $ 13.95. The salad came with organic Tuscan kale, organic red quinoa, Persian cucumbers, heirloom tomatoes, roasted yams, red onion, pita chips and fresh mint tossed in their pomegranate vinaigrette. It was topped with ricotta salata cheese. The salad was very filling and was yummy. Food was good! However, it was pretty pricey. I would come here again to try other items on their menu.
Justin S.
Place rating: 5 Los Angeles, CA
Love this place. Such a cute café. Went here on a Sunday afternoon. Line took about 10 minutes. Ample seating Great boba and sandwiches. Highly recommend!
Suzy T.
Place rating: 3 Burbank, CA
Really what keeps me returning is their Karavan kale salad, other than that I’m rarely in the mood for waiting in line then trying to find a table in such a crowded place. The Karavan kale salad is excellent, the kale is always fresh and the fried bits of pita bread and the red quinoa make it the perfect dish. They have various sweets and deserts but I always try their cheesecakes which I’ve decided not to anymore. Their cheesecakes tend to be dryer and harder than most cheesecakes. The flavors I’ve tried,(blueberry, 3 layer and Oreo) are not that good in flavor either. Blueberry is the best one out of the three.
Marker K.
Place rating: 2 Pasadena, CA
I have been going to this Urth Café since they opened, because I love their coffee and their variations. However, the service is incredibly bad. They opened a takeout counter and it too is always understaffed and the cashiers are completely untrained. They cannot accurately take orders let alone be welcoming. The employees generally have poor language skills, and look like they are only there because their mother made them get a job. At least Starbucks gets that you need personal connection and perfect service to sell high priced coffee. This place is not worth the time and inconvenience.
Tiffiny H.
Place rating: 4 Redlands, CA
I finally got to visit Urth Caffè, after passing it often in the last few months. My best friend and I got to have breakfast there. I was afraid that we were going to have a long wait, because I have always seen a line here. However, we were able to order quickly and we found a table outside undeneath the beautiful and colorful tiles. My friend got an omelet with potato, sausage, and mushroom. She said that it had great flavor, but that it was a bit dry. I got a Belgian waffle with fresh fruit. It was so fluffy and slightly sweet. I think I got an entire banana on my waffle! It was all very tasty. I got the English tea latte and it had a cute design. My friend for some sort of drink that had ice cream in it, which I believe is normally called an affogato, but it was called something different here. Bottom line: We enjoyed our experience and when my friends is up from San Diego, again, we will definitely pay another visit and in the mean time, I’ll be trying to find some other excuses to stop by.
April C.
Place rating: 4 Antelope, CA
This was my second time here. The location is amazing and the layout and décor is beautiful. My sisters and I arrived during lunchtime on a Wednesday and there was already a line that reached the doors but it wasn’t too long of a wait to reach the registers. You do order first and they hand you a card with a number on it then you find a table. Though it was busy, my 3 sisters and I were able to find tables with no trouble. I ordered the D’lox pizza and the Thai Red Tea Latte. The D’lox pizza is AMAZING! It ‘s topped off with smoked salmon, herbed mascarpone, arugula and capers. The mascarpone and salmon just melt in your mouth. The Thai Red Tea Latte was good but I didn’t mind it much. They have such a huge variety of food and drinks, even boba and desserts! I’ll definitely come back and would recommend the D’lox pizza.
Matt H.
Place rating: 2 Los Angeles, CA
While the coffee is excellent, the food is really not that good. At least the savory food(we didn’t have any pastries on this visit, I vaguely remember them being good — at least my previous pictures looked good). The short rib hash was lacking seasoning. Was not served very warm and with the smallest ball of butter(and no preserves). And the eggs, well… they’re sort of weird, served as these very processed, tasteless«domes.» The piece of butter lettuce on the side is a dumb and unattractive garnish. I mean, what’s the point. Are you supposed to eat it? The atmosphere is good. The folks who help you find seats are awesome. I’d go back for the coffee, but would refrain from eating(the expensive) brunch.
Allison B.
Place rating: 1 Pasadena, CA
Probably the last time I’ll be going to this location or urth in general. Scarred for life. Today I went around lunch time which is always busy but nothing new. I ordered the Caesar salad to which took almost 20 minutes to arrive at our table. Strike 1. The lettuce was way too big I had to cut my way through it constantly. Strike 2. The biggest strike of all? Halfway through my salad as I was cutting what I thought to be a big piece of Parmesan cheese… Ended up being HALFOFTHEFINGERPARTOF A LATEXGLOVE… Disgusting. This happened to the wrong person as I have a HUGE phobia w anything latex. Also, I could have choked on that. I was so grossed out. I know accidents happen and these kinds of stuff occur in the food industry but I just can’t wrap my head around that & it’s just unacceptable. Even though the manager comped our meal and asked us to return for another free meal. I just can’t after that lol…
Spitfyrus T.
Place rating: 2 Temple City, CA
Food is good, love the café granitas. But too expensive, over crowded and slow service. The first time I went took 45 minutes to get my food. Second time about 25. Seems to be too busy most of the time. Not very convenient. I bought half a sandwich with no side and a café granita and it came to $ 16. That’s ridiculous. If you really like this place go during non peak hours not sure when that is but avoid Sundays and afternoons. Too many ppl and it will take forever to get your food and find a table. The surroundings are beautiful and it’s on a quiet street but I just can’t go here anymore my blood pressure rises while i stand in line and the prices are just too high for so little you are getting. I now go to Europane down the street from there. Same quality of food but less expensive and not crowded.
Isabel C.
Place rating: 3 Los Angeles, CA
Not crazy about this place. We went a couple of times due to our teenage daughter’s request, Urth Caffe is IG picture worthy. I recommend seating on Madison to avoid busy traffic on Colorado. It’s next to a bus stop, you will be eating dust and smog at the same time.
Meagan I.
Place rating: 5 Fullerton, CA
This location is gorgeous from the floor to the ceiling. It also has a really nice indoor seating area with a fireplace as well as an outdoor patio seating area. What a nice environment for all ages. Even at 11pm almost every table was full. My recommendation is the blended green tea with boba. It’s fabulous! It has a good strong matcha flavor to it and it’s always consistent. The boba came fresh and hot too, which melts the drink quickly if you don’t stir. It truly is my number one favorite drink here. Looooove it!
Kim T.
Place rating: 4 San Gabriel, CA
Yay, I finally got to try out this place! :) Popped in for breakfast on a Sunday around 8:25am — figure people would still be at church or still sleeping in, hehe ;) Parking: Free 1 hour street parking or $ 1.50 an hour paid parking lot. The Setup: You order and pay at the counter first. They give you a number, and you go find a table to sit, and the servers will bring you your food and drinks. Yup, tons of seating along their outdoor patio areas. I chose the patio seating along Colorado Blvd. It’s quieter, private and serene — allows me to enjoy my morning time in peace. Also, they got those huge heaters throughout the patio areas to keep you warm and toasty too :) I ordered the Eggs Salmone $ 12.25 — comes with sliced cantaloupes and one sliced strawberry on the side. Comprised of two salmon rolls wrapped in greens with capers, diced red onions and tomatoes topped on two poached eggs(mine was well-done), and two toasts underneath. It was healthy, delicious and quite filling. I dig it! I also ordered the small size Spanish Latte $ 4.00 — creamy and decaf. It was sweet, aromatic and kept me energized throughout the day while running my errands. Came with a cute bear design too, d’awwww! Total amount for this meal was $ 17.17. Even though the food and drinks were delicious, it was quite pricey — more so than Lemonade. Would I come again — possibly. I haven’t tried lunch, dinner and desserts yet. So I won’t rule them out completely. Though, I would have to study the Unilocal pics a lil more before walking in and ordering next time. The choices are so overwhelming and delicious, lol!
Janete S.
Place rating: 4 Altadena, CA
Love coming here to meet up with my girls! I like eating out in the open with one of their coffees. It’s always busy. There’s always a line to order, but it moves quickly even though there’s only two registers to order. I never had a favorite meal from here until they introduced their El Diablo Panini, it’s a chicken panini! This chicken panini is delicious, and served with a side of salad. It’s supposed to be spicy, but not for me! They put some kind of cheesy sauce that makes it super yummy. My favorite drinks are the Spanish Latte and the Honey Vanilla Latte, ah so delish. I think I’ll go pick one up to go! As far as desserts, everything I’ve tried has been really really good! Cookies, cheesecakes, tiramisu, fruit tarts, single slice cakes etc… all yummy!!! As far as parking goes, you can try, good luck, to find parking on the street. Or there’s a parking lot behind the restaurant, which you have to pay for at the kiosk. You can use your debit/credit card at the kiosk or coin. But like most parking machines if you use your card it will automatically charge you a minimum of $ 2, I think! I have yet to go for breakfast, so that’s on my list of things to try at Urth!
Em H.
Place rating: 3 Sun Valley, CA
Nice, but. kind of meh. The«stellar» service I’ve been hearing/reading about was not really there. Mediocre service at BEST. Tried the crown something or another chocolate cake. Mediocre. Also tried the earl grey tiramisu. Certainly NOT tiramisu, but it was better than the chocolate. Coffee was pretty good. Atmosphere is cute too. it’s probably the best part. I parked in the lot behind the café, paid $ 3 for 2 hours, but it was pretty convenient. $ 10 for a large coffee and slice of mediocre cake. Will I be back? Maybe, but only for the atmosphere. Pet friendly, but only if you sit on the very outside of the patio(on the sidewalk).
Irene T.
Place rating: 3 Toronto, Canada
I think I went to the wrong one. Apparently the one downtown LA is where you should go but I went to the Pasadena location. It’s packed so go early if you can but you’re probably still going to stand in line and wait. They give you menus so you can decide what you want before getting to the cashier. Once you order, you take your number and find a table and they’ll bring the food over to you. Friendly service and great people. Food takes some time to arrive and it was meh. I ordered the prosciutto and egg sandwich and it really wasn’t anything and he got the bread pudding breakfast and really enjoyed it. Next time I’m in LA, I will definitely check out the downtown location.
Dely H.
Place rating: 3 Southern California, CA
I had always wanted to try this place out and finally had the opportunity to try their breakfast. The décor and layout is beautiful. Yet I’m not too fond of the fact that you have to order your food and then pick seating(if available) then your food is brought to you… This is just my personal dislike. I ordered the veggie omelet and substituted the greens with a side of fruit for $ 3.00 more which was worth it because they were generous with the fruit! Also offered s small cup of coffee which was to my liking– a nice dark roast. Once my ordered arrived, the omelette looked not so appetizing as I imagined given how hyped this place is and to make it worse, the omelette was VERY bland/-no salt or taste whatsoever. I was very disappointed… As for their desert, I did not try any. Next time I would definitelytry their pastries and other coffees given that they look delightful and delicious!
Jessie Y.
Place rating: 4 Telegraph Ave, Berkeley, CA
I absolutely adore Urth Caffe. My favorite drinks there are definitely the green tea /matcha latte and the spanish latte. The drinks are always hot, warm, and just what I need on a slow-moving day. The food is pretty good too! I highly recommend the Sunrise pizza and the waffles. There were a couple of instances where the Sunrise pizza came with a fully cooked through egg, but they’ve always been great at swapping out the egg for a soft poached one when I point it out. All in all, Urth has great ambiance, great food, and is a great spot to catch up with friends. I highly recommend. :)
Grace C.
Place rating: 4 Monrovia, CA
Not sure if it’s because I dined here late night on Saturday(after 10 pm) or if the crazy lines have died down, but I didn’t have to wait long to order or receive my food! Score for a cold and hungry me! Since it was slightly nippy outside, a bowl of their soup du jour sounded great. On the menu it costs $ 5.95 a bowl, but clam chowder and roasted pepper would be a dollar more. This led me to think clam chowder and roasted pepper were fixed offerings on the menu. Nope! It just means that if the soup of the day offerings included clam chowder or roasted pepper and you wanted to order it, they’ll tack on one more dollar. Since the soups available that Saturday was chicken noodle, lentil, and chili, I said no thanks and picked the chicken broccoli quiche instead. For $ 10.95, the quiche comes with a side of mixed greens salad. Just as good as I remembered it and same consistency as the Santa Monica location! I normally add an order of their organic green tea boba, but since it was getting late and I wanted to go sleep without delay when I get home, I skipped it. Their organic earl grey tea boba caught my eye as I don’t remember seeing it before at the other Urth Caffés I’ve been to(maybe I only had eyes for the organic green tea boba back then), so I will get that along with a dessert next time I’m in Pasadena. I feel like there is more seating here than Santa Monica, but maybe because the location is more spacious and the tables aren’t crammed so tightly next to each other. Parking also seems to be more abundant here, with nearby lots and street parking. As I am ending this review, I am craving a sample of their earl grey tea boba. Good thing Friday is just around the corner!
James L.
Place rating: 4 Arcadia, CA
What can I say about Urth Caffe that hasn’t already been said after over 1500 reviews? Yes, they’re always busy, they’re popular, they have branches out on the West side and they kick out mediocre to above average foods & drinks. Doesn’t sound too appeling does it? But our experience was somewhat better than many others. This location feel bigger than their Bev. Hills locale. We came here on a weekend,(if possible, don’t do that.) we were able to find free street parking about a block away, and got into a quick moving line that appeared shorter than when we drove by 5 minutes earlier. Once near the dessert counter, the line split into two sections. A girl by the drinks station pulled us aside and took our order. Then, we were instructed to go near the patio, by the fountain. Another guy came in minutes and brought us to our table. It was quick transition. Orders of food & drinks came out about 10 – 15 minutes, as we expected. * Chicken pesto on ciabatta: Soft bread enveloping lean chicken w/mild pesto flavor. Not bad but felt a little too«healthy» for me.(3) I was in the mood for something more substantial, meatier … * Reuben on marble rye: Crunchy slices of rye bread holding in place thin slices of savory, tasty protein.(4) Both sandwiches came with a side salad and some tart vinegar based dressing. This is where they lost me. Fries man, fries !! * Matcha and a Spanish latte. Usually I get a cappuccino, but felt like something different. I asked the girl if the Spanish Latte is a very sweet drink. She said yes, but will note for barista to make it much less sweet. It still came out damn sweet! It was good, but not something I’m accustomed to. The matcha was slighly tamer w/a decent matcha flavor. Both drinks came out with cool foam art(3.5) Décor has splashes of Spanish character w/its colorful tiles & accents. Service was fast, but don’t expect them to be personable or chatty. They are busy. Their job is to get what you ordered to you ASAP, take care of your needs politely and free up the table for the next group. If you come in with this expectation, you’ll enjoy it more. It’s a fun, lively place. It’s near a fun, lively area: Old Towne Pasadena. If I live closer, I may come here more often, but not worth a recurring 20 min. drive. 3.5 for Urth! Notes: * Look up & enjoy their mural, tiles and colors. It’s nice. * Urth sells their own label of coffee beans, hot choc. & mugs. They’re lined up on the wall, can’t miss it. * If you must come on a weekend, come early. * They sell many types of decadent cakes by the slice * Parking lots, meters or free street parking not too far away. Walk a little & don’t be lazy!
April Rose P.
Place rating: 4 Los Angeles, CA
Girlfriends and I came for brunch on a Sunday morning. This place can get crowded so come as early as possible. Simply fall in line to order your food, then a waiter will help seat you at a table so you don’t have to worry about finding one. 2 of us ordered the same item– half grilled cilantro chicken with pesto and our other friend ordered the half sprout sandwich. They also ordered an earl grey tea boba which I regret not ordering. Took a sip of it and it tasted exactly the way my friend described it– like fruity pebbles cereal! As for the sandwiches we really enjoyed it and the side salad it came with. It was refreshing after a night full of drinking and eating unhealthy. I’ll be back to try other items and to order myself that tea!
Julie L.
Place rating: 3 Alhambra, CA
Located in the heart of Pasadena. It’s a nice place to chill and hang out on the patio. Perfect during spring and summer time. A bit chilling in the winter but they do have heat lamps out to keep you nice and toasting. This location is always busy. Before taking a seat, you will need to order your food first. They will give you a number after you order. You are open to sit outside or inside. I would say that they are more known for their drinks and desserts than the food. I ordered an half order of the tuna salad($ 9.50). Usually the food here is good but I only took about 5 bites before asking for a box. The salad was very bland and the presentation of the salad wasn’t very appetizing. Even the mixed salad was bland. My fiancé ordered the basil and chicken with pita bread. The sandwich was a little better than the salad. But i still wasn’t impressed with the entrée to recommend anyone to order this dish either. Overall this place is a good place to hang out with friends over drinks and desserts. The ambience is nice on a warm day.
Mimi D.
Place rating: 3 Los Angeles, CA
I come here often… Too often. It’s great that they offer up organic options but their food is generally just ok. I used to be more into Urth when I had to drive DT for it so perhaps it’s just the over accessibility that makes it dull. Drinks are mostly good but are most often too sweet so always ask for less or unsweetened, unless ur really missing ur dentist and are hoping to get a few extra cavities. However, I will admit I’m pretty into most of their egg dishes so breakfast is great and served till 130. Crossing my fingers that they’ll pull a Mickey d’s and start shoveling out eggs all day long. Mmmmmmm. One of my main peeves, though, is that no matter how many times I try to get someone to bring me some hot sauce(I won’t even specify Tabasco or Cholula so it’s easier for them to grab whatever is nearby) they mostly ignore the request and never come back. Total hot sauce drought around here so pack ur own if u want any heat cause its harder to find than a black cat in a dark room. Small space indoors for seating that gets packed when its cold but plenty of outdoor, patio seating which is beautiful when it’s nice out and ya get to kick back to the tunes of every weirdo rocking out down COlorado. and, for the ladies, note that the steel seats will leave crazy looking marks on the back of ur legs if you’re wearing a dress n it is not that cute. ouchie — i hate it. gimme a cushion or a smooooother chair, please! Parking is free street or valet in back. Also a small paid lot just past the valet if you’re feeling desperate to go but still wanna park ur own car, I feel ya!
Sam L.
Place rating: 5 Cerritos, CA
Great coffee and café, long lines(if you read my reviews I RARELY, if EVER wait in lines) but this line goes pretty quick; They’re efficient. Here are 3 reasons to check this spot out. 1) Really good coffee + they offer shakes, blended juices, drinks and teas 2) Really tasty desserts and snacks like cakes, cheesecake and fruit tarts, cookies and biscotties 3) Plenty of seating both outside and inside Bonus –People seem to like the food here
Abraham S.
Place rating: 4 San Diego, Estados Unidos
Muy bueno el café y la comida buena pero no excelente y la idea de que para sentarte primero hay que ordenar y luego te buscan mesa no me gusto